2024-01-03 19:44:56
” I’m one of one, I’m number one, I’m the only one”. The notes of Beyoncé’s title, Alien Superstar, resonate and plunge us into another dimension. Welcome to the cabaret Ghosta creation launched at the Folies Bergère by Marc Zaffuto, king of Parisian nights with his Club Sandwich evenings, and Manon Savary, younger daughter of Jérôme Savary who left his mark on the Mugler Follies by Thierry Mugler.
Composed entirely of queer artists, this show reinterprets cabaret in an LGBTQIA+ version. Among the artists, we find Sema-Tawi, a figure in the ballroom community, an underground culture developed in the 1970s in New York. A form of advocacy on the part of social and queer minorities, particularly black and Latin American trans women, the ballroom constitutes above all a family. Most people in this community belong to groups structured into “Houses” (“Houses” in English).
The ballroom also gave birth to art forms including voguing, an urban dance imitating the poses of models during fashion shows or on magazine covers. Beyond voguing, there are many other performances practiced in ball, competitions in which community members compete for a trophy. Performances are structured into categories. Sema-Tawi originally competes in the “Body” category, which judges participants’ self-confidence. For GhostSema-Tawi tries her hand at the “Sex Siren” category, which plays on the eroticism of the body and sometimes involves striptease.
Franceinfo Culture: You are part of the ballroom community and one of its most respected groups, the iconic House of Ninja. How do you incorporate this ballroom spirit into the “Fantasma” show?
Say-Branch : The ballroom community can be difficult to understand, when you don’t know it. I always feel like I will be misunderstood, even in my own community. Lesbian and bisexual women are not always put forward, we always experience more criticism and judgment. I bring the energy from a category called Sex Siren. There is a separation between who I am on stage and in daily life. In life, I am butch (masculine) whereas on stage, I am very feminine, almost naked. As a queer woman, we are often put into two boxes. Either that of the butch lesbian (which I kind of am), or that of the very sexy and feminine girl who kisses girls, a sort of fantasy for heterosexual men.
It’s interesting to explore femininity and what it means to me, through these ballroom categories. The Sex Siren category is not really the category I practice in the community. I find that it is a performance that has changed compared to the 1990s. I do not believe that it is necessary to show one’s private parts to reflect sexualization. The artists of the 1990s were fully covered and still managed to deliver this sexy side without necessarily stripping. Thinking about these women helps me on stage to be more comfortable with my personality.
How did you join the show when you don’t have the cliché profile of a cabaret dancer?
I am a queer black woman and the artistic directors of the show were looking for someone who did not fit into French standards. There are a lot of cabarets, they could have easily taken artists from the Lido, the Moulin-Rouge, the Crazy Horse… But that’s absolutely not the energy of the show. It talks about what queer artists go through. Many people admire us for who we are, and don’t realize the battles we wage every day against stereotypes. This is what differentiates us from a classic cabaret. I have lived in France for eight years and when I arrived, I was very tense. Racism and homophobia are common and everyone seemed to accept it. Now, I see more and more people speaking out and denouncing what they are experiencing. With the prospect of the Olympic Games, France must wake up. There will be an influx of people with multicultural identities, and these racist behaviors will not be tolerated by anyone. It is the same energy that runs through the show, a fresh energy, of renewal, of novelty on a human and cultural level, which France totally needs. People need to stop being mean to each other.
Is France ready to welcome this type of artist?
France is not ready, it never is! There will always be this shocking aspect. The foundations of this country are very classic, in terms of mentality and control of positions. France will never be ready for artists like me, but that’s what makes it challenging. France is not alone, the United Kingdom, where I come from, is not ready either, even if the citizens believe that it is a multicultural country. There are the same problems as in France on all levels. It takes clear and honest confrontation to enable change. It’s multiculturalism that makes Europe so cool and interesting. We must not control people and push them into a box or shackles. There’s no need to always see thin, white, blonde girls on stage because that’s considered to be the essence of cabaret. It’s boring.
Is this also the responsibility of artistic directors?
Yes of course, but everyone must carry these values. From producers to technicians, everyone must believe in this representativeness. Sponsors must also uphold these values. What I like with Marc Zaffuto and Manon Savary is that they are very open and we have already had these conversations. It is very important that the people I work with are aware, so that I feel in a secure environment. It is also a form of respect for me and my community. While I want to inspire everyone, I also want to reach and encourage queer black women to come out. Even though many of them do, still too many of these women are subject to social and societal pressures, and are put into boxes. It makes me both happy and sad to see only three or four black people in the audience. This has nothing to do with the show, but rather with our society, which is so not inclusive. Many people don’t have the self-confidence that allows them to come to these kinds of shows.
What support does the ballroom community give you?
The members of my House who I grew up with, Kylie, Sky, Mystic, Aishah, Kaia, are my best friends in life. When I win, everyone wins. A few days ago, I injured my ankle, and my sister Mystic came to replace me! It’s our energy, we try to maintain this positive synergy, and protect ourselves as much as possible. I don’t talk about all my successes around me either. Many artists in ballroom culture believe that success is unattainable, that they will never be able to make a living from their art. This inner saboteur often prevents them from supporting those who may be successful. It is still linked to our sociological construction. We do not have the same self-confidence as certain bourgeois people from the 16th arrondissement of Paris, who are told every day that everything is achievable. It’s a different mentality. Many personalities from the community came to see me like Matyouz from the House of Ladurée or Hanabi Mugler, one of my closest sisters. It’s when members of different Houses come to see you that you realize the respect shown by your community. Especially when they pay for their ticket when it’s difficult for us financially!
One of the legends of ballroom culture, Leiomy Maldonado, frequently expresses her fear that the culture is becoming too prevalent. What do you think ?
I quite agree with her. There is the risk of losing the essence of this culture. TV shows, like Legendary, do not reflect the atmosphere of the ballroom. We are a social community. Latina and Caribbean women were very expressive and energetic in the way they spoke. It is this combative aspect that is the essence of ballroom. It is also all these street children who have found a safe place to express themselves, even though they are sad, upset, but also happy. These are all the feelings that we find in every performance. I think the ballroom can help each member evolve in life, finding a new family. But I agree with Leiomy when she says that commercializing this crop is not possible, especially when the profits do not go to the community. The people chosen for advertising campaigns, for example, are often not part of the community and only imitate us. Ballroom is not choreographed, it comes from the gut. Without this energy, it no longer means anything. Worse, it changes the ballroom community itself.
The cabaret “Ghost” at the Folies Bergère on January 3, 4, 5 and 6, 2024 at 8 p.m. and for one month from July 18 to August 17, 2024.
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