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-------Some Vital Stats and Bellydance Deets-------
Name: Genevieve DuPuy
Nickname(s)?
I’ve had a few over the years, but now it’s pretty much just Gen, or Mom.
How long have you been dancing?
My first bellydance class was 5 ½ years ago. My first tribal style bellydance class was about 4 years ago. I’ve been dancing tribal ever since.
What was your first bellydance class like?
Small, cabaret, way too short, and the hour that got me hopelessly enamored with the idea that I would become a bellydancer someday.
What other kinds of performing have you done in your life?
I did the cheerleading and flag line thing in high school. These were my teenage attempts to live out a bit of that romanticized dancer‘s life I‘d always dreamed of having.
What is your favorite inFusion Tribal memory?
Onstage at the TQNW showcase, still a baby inFusionista in total awe at even being there, feeling the magic of it all well up inside me as we came together, arms surrounding each other, in a sister circle at the end of ‘Home’. It was the most beautiful, perfect example of the bonds we all share with one another expressed through our dance.
What is your most embarrassing performance experience?
Getting money enthusiastically shoved down my bra by an exuberant female fan the first time I performed and took the tip basket around at our monthly Capitol Club gig. I’m pretty sure the shock and embarrassment were evident by my open mouth, giggling, blushed expression.
What is your favorite costume piece?
This changes sometimes, but almost always it’s a piece of jewelry I’ve collected here or there. Currently it’s a beautiful, silver, oval shaped Turkoman ring with carnelian that I adopted at TQNW this past year.
Name three dancers or troupes, past or present, who have inspired you in your dance journey.
I draw so much inspiration from my troupe mates, but that goes without saying. :) Other inspirations….Elizabeth Dennis, my first dancer crush and one of the most wonderful instructors of my baby dancer days. Gypsy Caravan, these women never cease to inspire and amaze me with their incredible talent and innovation. Ultra Gypsy, I am always blown away by their versatility, stage presence, and vision. Wow, there so many more than three…..
What is your biggest struggle in your dance life?
Reminding myself that improvisational dance does not have to be perfect to be beautiful.
In what ways has bellydancing influenced your everyday life?
I’m so much more aware of the beauty we all possess, and how truly diverse, individual, and unique that beauty can be. I embrace and accept myself, and my body, in a way that I never really did before. Dancing has been a real gift for me.
What are you doing when you're not bellydancing?
I stay busy being a Mom to my two sweet little guys, and a wife to my darling big guy. I’m also the primary ear scratcher, fetch player, snuggly cuddler, feather dangler, and food bowl filler for two dawgies, and two kitties. The internet has been known to occasionally suck me in, and when it does I can be a chronic Tribe surfer and eBay oogler. Other than that, I do a little bit of this, a little bit of that. And I must confess, I absolutely *heart* my Tivo.
You're at a party. You're trying to briefly tell a fellow partygoer about tribal bellydance and why you do it. Go.
This is hard because I always feel like no matter what I say, if someone has never seen tribal bellydance, they just aren‘t really going to “get it“ until they see it. That being said, I usually say it’s an earthy, grounded, group improv dance that they should really come check out sometime! *Insert plug for next gig or class here* ;)
------And the not-necessarily-bellydance questions:------
When you were little, what did you say you wanted to be when you grew up?
In grade school, a professional figure skater. In high school, a poet or a writer, possibly a lawyer. Although, I always secretly wished I had the voice and talent to be a singer/songwriter.
Look at your iTunes/iPod—what is your top three most played songs?
No Other Way ~ Jack Johnson
Underwater Love ~ Smoke City
Porcelain ~ Red Hot Chili Peppers
What's your favorite snack?
Popcorn, baby.
Do you have a favorite quote or personal maxim?
I’ve never carried any one particular saying with me always, but if I were to pick through some of the quotes that have struck me most in my lifetime, pretty much all of them would come from songs.
And the eternal question: chicken or the egg?
Definitely chicken. I can’t stand the thought of a freshly hatched, poofy, little chick wandering around with no Mama or Daddy bird to cuddle up with.
