Interview by: Erica Ruedas
Frédérique, one of the pioneers of tribal fusion, is an avant-garde belly dancer with a unique and creative style. An artist at heart, she maintains creative control of her improvised performances, from advertising and costuming to even mixing her own music. Her latest project is Silent Sirens Theatre, a traveling one-hour long show based on the classic silent film Nosferatu, starring herself, belly dancer Ariellah, Christina of Black Lotus Clothing, and various guest stars. I had the opportunity to sit down with Frédérique after another one of her fantastic workshops at Oasis Dance Studio, in Highland, CA.
First, tell me about Silent Sirens Theatre.
It was an idea that was inspired by [a play company in Chicago called Silent Theatre]. I thought, I’ve been belly dancing for so long now, and I’ve been in the community for so long and I love belly dance, but sometimes I wish there was more to it. I realized how cool it would be to do [a show] with actual silent films, and Nosferatu is one of my classic favorites. I also wanted something that wasn’t just for belly dancers. I wanted something that other people who know nothing about belly dance come see, kind of like ballet. I wanted to touch into the general public and give them a show.
I know you enjoy having creative control over your work. Can you tell me what that means to you and how it affects your work?
When I get a vision, it encompasses music, it encompasses the way I portray my art, so as far as websites and fliers, I want them to be projected in a specific way. I know what I want and I enjoy doing it myself. I enjoy learning—I’ve taught myself Photoshop, and I do all my graphic design stuff. Music is my first and foremost passion. I collect it and I love mixing it and editing it to tell a narrative. I want my vision to come across and I love having that control over all the little aspects of it.
What do you think of some of the differences between traditional Egyptian dancers and the newer Tribal Fusion and ATS dancers?
Here’s the way I look at it: when belly dance started, it was somebody’s artistic point of view and it was somebody’s creativity. Somewhere out there, thousands of years ago, or two thousand years ago, whenever it started, somebody said “Hey, let’s turn this into a dance.” And at that time, maybe somebody goes “That’s not a dance. Showing your belly? Are you crazy? That’s crazy!” Along the way, some of the great dancers also created new moves that are now considered traditional, but at their time, they were new, and they weren’t typical, and that’s what separated that dancer from the other dancers. I think it’s important to respect art and creativity. It’s important to respect tradition, it’s important to know what that tradition is, and if you want to take that into an artistic place, change it, recreate it, I think that’s perfectly fine too.
How did you start dancing professionally, and what do you suggest to someone who wants to break into professional belly dancing?
I was lucky, because when I started belly dancing, I started with ATS. Jill [Parker, of Ultra Gypsy] broke off from FatChance, and I got to get the training of ATS, but it was Jill’s version which was very similar to the old FatChance Style. When I left Ultra Gypsy, it was 1999 and I had nothing to lose. I was a nobody. I stood out because I was doing something that nobody else was doing at the time. I started establishing a name through that. You can’t just do it over night. You have to put in a lot of work, a lot of dedication. Dedication, longevity, showing respect to the people who have been around longer, giving the credit, are the kind of things that will help you establish yourself in the community with respect.
Do you have any hobbies outside of belly dance?
I like to do so many things! I love to travel. I love music, so I still go to shows that have nothing to do with belly dance. My husband and I have little things that we love to do: we love horror films, we love Halloween—we got married on Halloween. We’ve taken waltz and tango, and I actually want to develop that more with him. I love collecting vintage things. Graphic design is a huge hobby of mine; music editing is a hobby of mine. Those things also filter into dancing, though. All my [belly dance] inspirations come from the outside, not the inside, which is why I think I can maintain staying on the cutting edge of what’s happening. There’s belly dance world, and there’s my world. I do all these things that are not belly dancing, but those things inspire me and they get pulled into belly dance.
How does your family feel about your dancing?
My father has been a great inspiration. About 5 years ago I was holding a day job, full-time, living alone in Oakland. I was dancing, but it wasn’t bringing enough money into my world. And I was thinking ‘Maybe I should quit, I can’t live like this forever…’. My dad said “Do what makes you happy. Stay true to your passion.” He knows I’ve always been a creative person. My husband is 100% supportive. The only thing that’s hard for him is traveling. He wants to travel and adventure around the world with me, but he has to stay at home and work.
How has belly dance made a difference in your life?
Belly dancing has been the most amazing thing that’s happened to me on a very, very, deep and personal level. [When I was younger] I was kind of angry at the world. I felt very insecure. I was always on the alternative side, I’ve never been on the mainstream of society. Belly dancing gave me confidence. It gave me self-worth. I love and respect and honor the things that I do, and the people I hang out with. That’s what belly dance did for me. It gave me confidence, and it also gave me a creative outlet.
