Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriel Vidrine (aka Kamrah).
Gabriel, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I started belly dancing in 2001 for exercise and was shocked to discover I was actually quite good at it. I had been a martial artist for many years, and hadn’t danced since I was a really young kid, so excelling at belly dance was a bit of a surprise.
I didn’t take it seriously until 2009, when I discovered Tribal Fusion, the style I mostly perform and teach now (it’s a fusion style that takes traditional and non-traditional belly dance movements and fuses them with hip hop, modern, ballet, jazz, or styles like Odissi, Kathak, or Flamenco, depending on the piece being performed). I don’t remember who it was, but someone uttered the words “Gothic belly dance” within my hearing and that was the start of that. I didn’t sleep for almost two days because I was planning all the costumes and thinking of all the music I could dance to. Whoever it was, thanks, you’re responsible for all of this, haha!
Seriously, the fire within began when I discovered Tribal Fusion (specifically the Gothic fusion styles). Luckily, I was in massage therapy school when this happened, and I started applying my knowledge of muscles and their actions to my dance, fixing some of the problems I had with the dance and how it was injuring my back. I developed my own style during this time, as I had no teacher for fusion. I pulled in my knowledge of traditional styles of belly dance, anatomy, and what I knew of American Tribal Style (ATS®) belly dance (a copyrighted format that Tribal fusion is based in) to create something wholly my own. I eventually did find a teacher in fusion and began to incorporate more modern and hip hop.
I began to make a name for myself, teaching at a few small events. I joined Raks Geek and fused my two loves: video games and belly dance. Eventually, I realized I was trans and had to rethink everything about my dance and how to market it. I taught at more festivals, and had my top surgery (double mastectomy). Being trans has impacted my dance, but it has also opened up other opportunities, and I believe it’s important for me to be open about my transition.
It may sound like a mess, but it works. I pull in inspiration from video games, books, and movies I love, roll it up in my signature muscular-based practice based in traditional belly dance, ATS, hip hop, and modern dances, and set it to industrial and heavy metal music.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am, therefore I dance. I create performance art using belly dance as my medium, adding what I need to it for that piece, whether it’s modern, hip hop, creepy zombie twitches, and even Irish dancing.
I get inspiration from geeky culture: video games, books, and movies, to create pieces that are culturally relevant and sometimes just plain weird. My transition inspires me, and I often tell stories in my pieces based on the body horror that dysphoria engenders in me.
My message is always one of power, skill, and intelligence. Fusion requires intense knowledge of the dances being fused, and immense creativity, to make those disparate parts work together as a whole. I tell stories with my dance, and sometimes the storyline isn’t obvious or easy to connect to, especially for a cisgender (not trans) audience. By giving the audience a little bit of fear or discomfort or confusion, I hope that they get a small taste of what it is like to not know who you are or what is happening to you.
However, the most common reaction I get when I dance is: “No way,” and I find enjoyment in that as well. I want to show what our bodies are capable of, these powerful movements and the extreme control it takes. Being trans means, for many of us, not having control over our own bodies. Belly dance is a way to exert that extreme control I was denied for most of my life. I must have strength and precision to produce the isolations necessary for my style of dance, and I want people to see that, to respond to that. The music I dance to has heavy beats and intricate layers, and in my dance I want it to appear as though my body is creating that music, rather than responding to it.
I create all the time, sometimes I can’t stop it and the ideas keep me up at night. And so my pieces run all over the board, but there is always something someone can approach, whether it’s pop culture, traditional belly dance, horror, whatever inspiration I find in life and music.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
Learn marketing. It’s been my biggest struggle. Don’t be shy about asking for money, and asking for what you are worth (or more). In our culture, it seems that asking for money, counting your money, and being upfront about your monetary needs is considered rude or vulgar, and artists are supposed to be “above” needing money. Nah. No money, no food, no art. It would be nice if it were otherwise, but it’s not, so start demanding people pay what you are worth, and don’t settle for less than that.
Also, be true to yourself. The biggest change in my dance came simply when I transitioned. People tell me all the time how much my dance has changed for the better, and all I did was be more myself. Putting your whole self into your art, and being authentic, is the most important advice anyone can give to any artist.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I dance primarily in theatre-style shows right now. Audiences can see me as part of Raks Geek (geeky belly dance and fire), or as part of Raks Inferno (Raks Geek’s non-geeky show), both at Uptown Underground. However, I’ve also performed at conventions, so anywhere geeky is likely to be a good spot to look for me. I also perform as the variety act in burlesque shows around town. I’ve performed at the Pagan Pride event, as well as benefits for LGBTQ charities.
Audiences who want to hire me can also do so, and I can perform at private events like birthday parties and weddings. I’m available for corporate events, and am an expert in putting together themed shows in a hurry. Put me in your shows!
I have a Patreon where interested students can learn from my online dance tutorials, which include belly dance techniques as well as makeup tips. I also have blog posts, exclusive practice and performance videos, and costume creation pictures for anyone interested.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.tattooedbellydancer.com
- Phone: 520-869-7998
- Email: kamrah@tattooedbellydancer.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/kamrahdancer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tattooedkamrah/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kamrahdancer
Image Credit:
Personal photos and Carrie Meyer, The Dancer’s Eye
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