Meet the Dancers: We are FUZE
By Emily WIGHAM
Lockdown number two in the UK and Ireland left the team at FUZE scrambling for human connection. As a lively bunch of creatives with big plans and caffeine fuelled imaginations, sitting alone at home is not a welcome activity.
So, in order to bring some normality and excitement back into our lives we decided to carry out a series of interviews with a few of our dancers. I was lucky enough to be chosen to meet with and get to know these incredible people – sighs in relief at actual human conversation – albeit through zoom, and bring their lives to your lovely screens.
I spread the interviews as far out as possible to extend the joy, but they unfortunately only took me a week, perhaps writing this will satiate my social hunger.
MEET LOUISE
First, I spoke to Louise, hip hop sweetheart and seasoned FUZE cast member. She sat in front of a wall of fairy lights, backlit and poised for questioning.
When did you first start dancing?
I started when I was quite young, about 4 or 5 – it was just for fun, it was never too serious, just a group of kids jumping about to music.
“I’m quite an anxious person but when I’m dancing all of that just goes away.“
-Louise
What is it about dance that makes you feel good?
I went into my last year of Uni and I just hadn’t accomplished anything. I wasn’t a part of any societies, I hadn’t done a thing my whole two years, so I thought, what is stopping me? It’s my last year, I have to try something. I didn’t do anything competitive, I just forced myself to go to a hip hop dance class for fun and I’m so glad I did. I’m such a different person now.
I am a much more confident version of myself, I can really have fun with it. I absolutely hated performing as a child, my teacher could never get me on stage.
I’m quite an anxious person but when I’m dancing all of that just goes away. You can’t get me to speak in a room full of people but you can get me to dance and be a bit silly on stage (accompanied by a giggle).
Meet the Dancers video is available here on Youtube!
Do you have any dance heroes or figures you admire? what about them do you admire?
Parris Goebel! I absolutely love Royal Family… the whole Savage x Fenty show, everything about them; they’re so clean, they’re so precise, they have so much energy and so much sass. I could never even begin to replicate that. I try but I don’t think I succeed (more self-deprecating laughter). I love how inclusive they are, what they represent and what they stand for.
Why did you join FUZE? What do you like about it and what drew you to it?
In 2018 two of my friends from UoB dance society said they were going to see FUZE and I didn’t know what it was. They just said, “it’s next level, it’s insane, you have to come” (true). So, I went to watch and I was blown away.
My friends were right, it was next level, it wasn’t something I’d ever seen before in real life. I didn’t realise how much talent was so close to home, I didn’t realise that was just walking amongst me in Bristol and I just really wanted to be a part of it.
I got a bit obsessed after that and started to stalk the Facebook, the Instagram constantly (at this she looks a little embarrassed, I assured her she shouldn’t be) just waiting to find out when the audition dates were for the next year.
So I auditioned the year after and I haven’t stopped auditioning since which is a bit sad, maybe? (definitely not).
MEET NIKITA
Next is Nikita, FUZE’s most dedicated performer, having been involved for the last 5 years, shares her story from her Bristol home, sat in front of a stunning vintage mirror.
When did you first start dancing?
I first started dancing when I was about 4. My mum put me in a ballet class because she thought it would help with my shyness at that sort of age, I guess music has been really important in my life, I was always bouncing around at home, but incredibly shy.
So I started ballet, and later, when I was 15, joined a performing arts school. I was primarily doing ballet but I was introduced to contemporary and jazz as well. I started hip hop and street with the university’s dance society when I started here in 2012.
“It's the confidence and pride that comes with doing a set of moves and feeling really good about it'.”
-Nikita
What is it about dance that makes you feel good?
You're able to express yourself in ways that words can’t quite get over. Like if you're not that great with words, like me sometimes (I firmly disagree, she was fabulous to interview). So there's something about learning a routine in class that gives you a rush that I can’t quite describe. It's the confidence and pride that comes with doing a set of moves and feeling really good about it.
I guess I also use it as stress relief. I've done my master’s degree and I'm currently getting my PhD, so I can get very very stressed (understandable), and it just provides a little escapism. There's so much more to focus on when you’re in a class, so much more to improve on that it takes your mind away from your normal life.
How has being in Bristol influenced your relationship with dance?
I moved to Bristol for uni just about 8 years ago, so a while ago now, but being here definitely introduced me to more styles. I've lived in London before but I never really took advantage of the amazing dance scene that was there because I was on the outskirts, it felt so much like a trek to get into London sometimes. I think the slightly smaller feel of Bristol, that it’s easier to get around, gave me more of an opportunity to see what was out there.
Why did you join FUZE? What do you like about it and what drew you to it?
FUZE and I have a bit of a long standing relationship (at this we share a small laugh). I actually auditioned for the dance team 4 times before I finally made the cut, so it was hugely competitive. So I’ve always wanted to be involved with FUZE, the whole show, fashion, dance and music, and that FUZE supports charity is quite appealing.
So I’ve done four shows so far; 2017, Funky Town; 2018, Circus; 2019, Eden; 2020, metamorphosis; and now this year! I think the community is great to start with, having a collection of really good dancers; you learn from each other, you learn different style.
I definitely got drawn into the more technical side, learning about hip hop and street through FUZE. Also, it's just really good to be involved in charity. It's just nice to belong to something.
MEET HUGO
Next was Hugo, FUZE’s co-dance director and a person involved in FUZE for their entire University career!
When did you first start dancing?
I started doing tap and modern dance lessons when I was about 10, or maybe 9. But there are even recordings of me when I was 3 or 4 years old dancing in our living room so I clearly loved it from a young age. I also remember going to see some musical theatre shows when I was young and being absolutely bowled over so I assume that must have been what inspired me to get involved.
What is it about dance that makes you feel good?
I think you can embody any emotion or persona you want which is quite lovely. If you want to be soft, fragile and elegant; aggressive and angry; or sassy, fierce and strong, you can be all of those things. It is such a pure creative outlet.
Whenever I am under a lot of stress it is such a perfect outlet for my energy, firstly because it's physical exercise and secondly because it's so creative as well. You can just embody any energy and it's just so nice. It’s that idea of creative flow where you just focus on the movement and lose track of everything else.
Why did you join FUZE? What do you like about it and what drew you to it?
My brother went to Bristol Uni before me, and I came and visited him when I was 15 or 16. While I was over he took me to a FUZE show, so I saw it when I was a little teen and I thought the dancing was amazing, I loved the entire show. I don't think I had ever been to a fashion show before or anything like that so I was in awe of the creativity and professionalism.
I think being involved showed me the freshness of it, having so many young people being completely creative doing their own thing, plus I love performing.
How has being in Bristol influenced your relationship with dance?
I think because Bristol feels like a very liberal, open, accepting, welcoming place it’s definitely more encouraging to be doing dance because you’re not going to be judged and people are going to be accepted because people want that creative outlook and output and opportunity and obviously FUZE is so central to Bristol, they’re one in the same as they both helped me get back into dance.
Also there’s lots of opportunity here, there’s so many dance studios and performance opportunities. I’m really lucky to be living in such a creative and artistic city.
Go check out the full video featuring Hugo, Munio, Thi-An, Styli and Nikita, now on Youtube.
Director/Editor: @scherryvisuals
Video: @alicesuttonphotography
Styling: @elsarae
Dancers: @soer_h, @munio_khn, @your_majesthi, @styli.o, @nikitahg_
Interviewers: @wigsybaby and @carachamberlain1
