Page 85 iGap travelguide 2023
P. 85
iGap Travel Guide
85
A silent disco, a tour of London’s iconic Soho and
the sound of drag queen disco diva hits. Each
component on its own sounds like fun, so the
opportunity to combine all three on Silent Disco
Walking Tours’ popular Drag Queen Disco Diva Tour
was not to be missed.
Although comfortable shoes are a must, do not be
afraid to dress up for this tour should you wish to, as
you will be greeted by one of the fabulous drag queens
on arrival. We had the pleasure of meeting Big Liz, who
was more than ready to dance in a shimmering gold
tracksuit. Once each person in our 30-strong group
had received their headphones, through which the
disco diva hits were already playing, we were ready to
dance our way down the streets.
Big Liz began by forming a dance circle and
encouraging each of us to show off our finest dance
moves. Although it was an alternative way for the
group to get to know each other, it turned out to be
great fun as we all took inspiration from each other’s
dance moves, for better or for worse.
As the music continued, we set off down the streets
of Soho, carefully guided by the conscientious
staff on our tour. We followed Big Liz to the first
stop, Govinda’s vegan and vegetarian restaurant
on Tottenham Court Road, where we were regaled
with tales of both fact and fiction. At a stop shortly
afterwards, everyone in the group impressed
each other with our best catwalk poses before we
continued to dance through the streets.
As we moved through Chinatown, the hits playing
through our silent disco headphones became even
more catchy and everyone in the group found
themselves singing along to Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I
Will
Survive
’. Even better still, passers-by were lured
by the energy of the group and joined in with
the singing and dancing. The coming together of
people down each street was a completely joyful
and surreal experience, one that must be impossible
to replicate anywhere other than on a Drag Queen
Disco Diva Tour. At one point, it didn’t seem beyond
the realm of possibility that the whole street would
join in to sing and dance with us.
After passing by iconic bars, GAY, and the famous
Admiral Duncan pub, we moved into the West End.
There were plenty of moments where the tour
stopped to take group pictures and videos, which
were later shared via email and social media. And,
of course, we also stopped plenty of times so Big Liz
could choreograph us through some fantastic dance
moves as the silent disco raged on. The highlights were
dancing to Britney Spears’ ‘
Baby One More Time
’ in the
middle of Soho, and perfectly syncing a dance routine
to Katy Perry’s ‘
Hot n Cold
’ in Chinatown. We finished
the tour with a rendition of S Club 7’s ‘
Reach
’, which
spectators seemed to enjoy just as much as we did.
From hen-dos to birthday parties, to quirky dates or
day-trips with friends, the Drag Queen Disco Diva
Tour is impossible not to love. Whether you choose to
sing-along to the dance hits at the top of your voice
or just soak up the group atmosphere and the smiles
of passers-by, this tour will leave you smiling. What’s
more, it is a fabulous way to visit London’s most iconic
areas of Soho, Chinatown and the West End.
If you get the chance in between the singing and
dancing, it’s a good idea to note down the pubs, bars,
restaurants and theatres you intend to return to. After
all, the tour will leave you on such a high note that
you will probably be in the mood to dance the rest of
the night away. Just note that people might recognise
you as the person who was singing in the street an
hour earlier!
The 90-minute Drag Queen Disco Diva Tour is
offered daily. Tickets cost £25. For more
information or to see the full list of available
tours, please visit
www.silenttours.net
.
85
A silent disco, a tour of London’s iconic Soho and
the sound of drag queen disco diva hits. Each
component on its own sounds like fun, so the
opportunity to combine all three on Silent Disco
Walking Tours’ popular Drag Queen Disco Diva Tour
was not to be missed.
Although comfortable shoes are a must, do not be
afraid to dress up for this tour should you wish to, as
you will be greeted by one of the fabulous drag queens
on arrival. We had the pleasure of meeting Big Liz, who
was more than ready to dance in a shimmering gold
tracksuit. Once each person in our 30-strong group
had received their headphones, through which the
disco diva hits were already playing, we were ready to
dance our way down the streets.
Big Liz began by forming a dance circle and
encouraging each of us to show off our finest dance
moves. Although it was an alternative way for the
group to get to know each other, it turned out to be
great fun as we all took inspiration from each other’s
dance moves, for better or for worse.
As the music continued, we set off down the streets
of Soho, carefully guided by the conscientious
staff on our tour. We followed Big Liz to the first
stop, Govinda’s vegan and vegetarian restaurant
on Tottenham Court Road, where we were regaled
with tales of both fact and fiction. At a stop shortly
afterwards, everyone in the group impressed
each other with our best catwalk poses before we
continued to dance through the streets.
As we moved through Chinatown, the hits playing
through our silent disco headphones became even
more catchy and everyone in the group found
themselves singing along to Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I
Will
Survive
’. Even better still, passers-by were lured
by the energy of the group and joined in with
the singing and dancing. The coming together of
people down each street was a completely joyful
and surreal experience, one that must be impossible
to replicate anywhere other than on a Drag Queen
Disco Diva Tour. At one point, it didn’t seem beyond
the realm of possibility that the whole street would
join in to sing and dance with us.
After passing by iconic bars, GAY, and the famous
Admiral Duncan pub, we moved into the West End.
There were plenty of moments where the tour
stopped to take group pictures and videos, which
were later shared via email and social media. And,
of course, we also stopped plenty of times so Big Liz
could choreograph us through some fantastic dance
moves as the silent disco raged on. The highlights were
dancing to Britney Spears’ ‘
Baby One More Time
’ in the
middle of Soho, and perfectly syncing a dance routine
to Katy Perry’s ‘
Hot n Cold
’ in Chinatown. We finished
the tour with a rendition of S Club 7’s ‘
Reach
’, which
spectators seemed to enjoy just as much as we did.
From hen-dos to birthday parties, to quirky dates or
day-trips with friends, the Drag Queen Disco Diva
Tour is impossible not to love. Whether you choose to
sing-along to the dance hits at the top of your voice
or just soak up the group atmosphere and the smiles
of passers-by, this tour will leave you smiling. What’s
more, it is a fabulous way to visit London’s most iconic
areas of Soho, Chinatown and the West End.
If you get the chance in between the singing and
dancing, it’s a good idea to note down the pubs, bars,
restaurants and theatres you intend to return to. After
all, the tour will leave you on such a high note that
you will probably be in the mood to dance the rest of
the night away. Just note that people might recognise
you as the person who was singing in the street an
hour earlier!
The 90-minute Drag Queen Disco Diva Tour is
offered daily. Tickets cost £25. For more
information or to see the full list of available
tours, please visit
www.silenttours.net
.
