Career
At the 2001 Mission Gay Black America pageant, Dupree and another performance artist danced to a recording of "Holding Out for a Hero" sung by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. Dupree was dressed as Wonder Woman, whilst her performance partner was dressed as Super Manitoba The performance began with Dupree"s dancing partner searching for Dupree.
After Dupree"s partner exited the stage, Dupree entered by being dropped from the ceiling, and landing on stage in a perfect split.
The performance included lifts and acrobatics, such as somersaults, and it featured the performance of dips by Dupree and her performance partner. In their dance routine at the pageant, Dupree and her performance partner used dips as a climax.
Dips are common components in the Vogue form of dance in Ballroom culture competitions. Dupree’s performance at the 2001 pageant inspired a tribute to Dupree on the television series Glee, where a character began her dance performance to Holding Out for a Hero by landing on the floor in a split, a mimic of Dupree"s performance at the 2001 pageant.
In its review of the Glee episode, Out magazine referred to Dupree"s stage entry as an "epic entrance." Dupree began her dance career in high school when she was co-captain of her majorette squad until graduation.
She began competing at North-Cognito nightclub in Memphis, Tennessee, where she created original routines with other dancers in the area.
