Dancer Profile
1. What troupe do you perform with? My duo, The Fringe Element; my ATS studio troupe, Noa; and I do solo burlesque as Honey Crueller.
2. How long have you been dancing? Belly Dance for 10 years, Burlesque for about 8 years.
3. Favorite prop: Sword
4. First experience onstage: baby beginner belly dancer; doing a very simple choreography with my beginner class. I had never been on stage before and felt like I was going to puke. I got off stage and just inexplicably started crying! When I danced in my first burlesque show, it was a Bottom's Up hallowe'en show. We did the traditional performance of Thriller at the end and the crowd went nuts! I felt like a rockstar.
5. Worst experience onstage: Dancing at Taboo years ago. We did a chair piece and I used a different chair than what I usually use. It was bigger than what I was used to and my fishnets kept getting caught on the chair. More recently, this summer we did an outdoor performance where it had just poured rain 20 minutes earlier. I did too many turns and got lost, unable to find the front of the stage. Later in the same set, my sword fell off my head.
5. Best experience onstage: That first time we did Thriller. The crowd was super into it; I was a zombie nurse with glow in the dark maggots glued to my boobs. And that's all you need to know about who I am!
6. What inspires you? Costuming, history, learning about the cultures that American Tribal Style are based on and how it applies to the dance. Also mid-century modern style and body positivity.
7. Origin story: My ATS duo, The Fringe Element, was born out of a need to expand creatively and get back to the basics of ATS - strong, non-verbal connection and dancing in flow with the music and within the group. The work I've done in the past few years as one half of the Fringe Element is one of my proudest achievements.
8. What brought you to dance: I've always just been fascinated by belly dance and middle eastern cultures. A beginner belly dance class came up at my office, of all places, and I took it as a sign that I should try it out. I had never danced before but I was hooked from day one. A couple years later, an opportunity to take an intro to burlesque class came up and with my love of all things vintage I thought "why not?" Also hooked right away!
9. Who do you admire/watch? I love seeing dancers of all sizes perform and be comfortable in their skin. Dirty Martini is spectacular. For ATS, Becka Bomb and Jesse Stanbridge. Their unique personalities always shine through in their performances.
10. Favorite song to perform to: Bay City Shimmy or Maleh U Filfil
11. Favorite dance move or style: While I love burlesque, I LOOOOOVE ATS. When it's done well, it feels like magic.
12. Signature style or move: Spins and backbends
13. Favorite performance you've done: Sister Kate always holds a special place in my heart. it was my first burlesque solo and it was just so, so good. People still bring it up!
14. Advice for future dancers: Technique technique technique! Study it! Perform your dance and each move with conviction. No half-assing allowed!
2. How long have you been dancing? Belly Dance for 10 years, Burlesque for about 8 years.
3. Favorite prop: Sword
4. First experience onstage: baby beginner belly dancer; doing a very simple choreography with my beginner class. I had never been on stage before and felt like I was going to puke. I got off stage and just inexplicably started crying! When I danced in my first burlesque show, it was a Bottom's Up hallowe'en show. We did the traditional performance of Thriller at the end and the crowd went nuts! I felt like a rockstar.
5. Worst experience onstage: Dancing at Taboo years ago. We did a chair piece and I used a different chair than what I usually use. It was bigger than what I was used to and my fishnets kept getting caught on the chair. More recently, this summer we did an outdoor performance where it had just poured rain 20 minutes earlier. I did too many turns and got lost, unable to find the front of the stage. Later in the same set, my sword fell off my head.
5. Best experience onstage: That first time we did Thriller. The crowd was super into it; I was a zombie nurse with glow in the dark maggots glued to my boobs. And that's all you need to know about who I am!
6. What inspires you? Costuming, history, learning about the cultures that American Tribal Style are based on and how it applies to the dance. Also mid-century modern style and body positivity.
7. Origin story: My ATS duo, The Fringe Element, was born out of a need to expand creatively and get back to the basics of ATS - strong, non-verbal connection and dancing in flow with the music and within the group. The work I've done in the past few years as one half of the Fringe Element is one of my proudest achievements.
8. What brought you to dance: I've always just been fascinated by belly dance and middle eastern cultures. A beginner belly dance class came up at my office, of all places, and I took it as a sign that I should try it out. I had never danced before but I was hooked from day one. A couple years later, an opportunity to take an intro to burlesque class came up and with my love of all things vintage I thought "why not?" Also hooked right away!
9. Who do you admire/watch? I love seeing dancers of all sizes perform and be comfortable in their skin. Dirty Martini is spectacular. For ATS, Becka Bomb and Jesse Stanbridge. Their unique personalities always shine through in their performances.
10. Favorite song to perform to: Bay City Shimmy or Maleh U Filfil
11. Favorite dance move or style: While I love burlesque, I LOOOOOVE ATS. When it's done well, it feels like magic.
12. Signature style or move: Spins and backbends
13. Favorite performance you've done: Sister Kate always holds a special place in my heart. it was my first burlesque solo and it was just so, so good. People still bring it up!
14. Advice for future dancers: Technique technique technique! Study it! Perform your dance and each move with conviction. No half-assing allowed!