Destiny’s Child Choreographer Gets The Girls Into Dancing Shape

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODYAP Music Writer Frank Gaston believes there are no bad dancers in the world, just bad attitudes. The choreographer who’s worked with the likes of Janet Jackson and En Vogue says even those with two left feet can be taught how to dance, as long as they’re willing to work. There’s no frustration, though, getting ready for a Destiny’s Child tour. These three women manage to strut, kick and boogie on stage for two hours straight, with heels, so it’s clear he’s not working with the dance-challenged. AP: Are the ladies natural dancers? Gaston: Well, Beyonce is a quick study _ she gets it immediately. Kelly, she gets it immediately, but it’s retaining it, it takes a little longer. … Kelly has to rehearse it a few more times and she’ll have it. I’m so proud of Michelle right now, because the thing about Michelle is that unlike the other young ladies, she didn’t have that boot-camp base training. She came into a group where she had to play catch up, how to walk the heels, and dance in heels … she was a pure singer, and a pure singer isn’t doing a lot of choreography. But now what we’re doing with Michelle is we’ve taught her how to open up that side of her mind to retain movement, which is really exciting, because she’s a lot lot lot lot better. AP: What qualifications do you have to have to be a Destiny’s Child backup dancer? Gaston: I look for the dancers who can totally not come across contrived, totally knows how to commit. I always tell my dancers and Destiny’s Child that I wish I could take whatever that is when a women gets the holy ghost in church, and she loses her wig and throws herself on the pew _ what is that? I know that’s supposed to be the spirit of God coming into you, but whatever that is, I just think that’s so magical to me. So I think a performer, I wish I could sprinkle whatever that is on a performer before they go on stage because that’s going to be truth, that’s going to be honesty. … what I look for in a dancer is one who can just let go and let the holy ghost get into them. AP: What happens when things go wrong on stage? Recently, Michelle fell during a TV performance but everyone kept going … is that something you have to do? Gaston: That’s something they got when they were young. If you look at Kelly’s expression, she felt really bad that Michelle had fallen _ she wanted to help her, but her experience and her professionalism said the show must go on, so jump on up and get back in it. Dance is just like sports a lot. If you fall on the basketball court, you’re going to get on up and run back down the other end. AP: Let’s say you have trouble keeping a beat _ like me. Could you still get me in Destiny’s Child shape? Gaston: I’d like to call myself an artist-visual-developer instead of a choreographer. … You’re not dealing with pure dancers when you deal with artists. You’re dealing with people who want to do movement, so you have to develop into that movement. A lot of choreographers go wrong into thinking they have this hot step. But that step may not look right on that artist. So what I’ve got to do I’ve got to watch your body language as much as walking. I have to cater things to you and doesn’t look contrived, so that’s always the key. There’s something you can do that’s going to look natural on you and believable.