Oakland teacher and performer Frédérique M. Johnston (formerly: David) turns the ancient art of belly dance on its tired old spangles. Her avant-garde adaptation is a shimmying mix of underground tribal fusion and Gothic flair with a burlesque edge.
Ok, I’ve got to stop here because I feel the need to explain a bit about this interview…
The woman who interviewed me was extremely nice; lovely woman. Unfortunately, she must have gotten a little confused because as I did mention ‘gothic’ and ‘burlesque’ styles as new branches of tribal fusion belly dance, I never used those words to describe ‘my’ style. Perhaps it could have also been the design of my living room that confused her.I remember watching her write all this down which made me nervous; an interviewer that isn’t using a recorder is going to use stenography (shorthand), an outdated method to allow the interviewees flow of speech, and the interviewer lots of room for inaccuracy if they are not exceptional at the practice. I’m used to interviewers either sending me questions via email to answer, or recording them. Both these methods are obviously better as they leave little room for misinterpretation.
Alas…there are a few more details below that went slightly awry from the way that I said them, and the presented sentiment was off-center, but regardless, I am thankful to have had the opportunity to be ‘Best of the East Bay’!
Think of “liquid hands, snake arms, and amazing belly control,” to quote one fan; this is done to a blend of electronic techno underground music she mixes herself. Frederique’s style is as eclectic as her background and says a lot about the progression of belly dance in the Bay Area. Born in Lebanon to a mother who is a mix of Italian and Armenian and a French/Assyrian father, she came to the United States at age two. While “drawn by my ethnicity to belly dance,” she shunned “the cabaret or Egyptian versions I saw — flashing body parts, hair flying, sexual edge, and cleavage. It’s fine for whoever wants to do it; but I was a tomboy wearing jeans and sneakers and it wasn’t for me.” Then, when she was 23, a friend took her to a show featuring American Tribal Style belly dance, the genre inspired by folklore and techniques from North India, the Middle East, and Africa. Captivated, she signed up and practiced rigorously until, at some point, she developed her own style. And the rest continues to win her fans.
Unfortunately they didn’t post who the interviewer / writer was.
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