NICKI MINAJ'S DANCER EXPLAINS HOW SHE GOT BIT BY THAT SNEAK

 

Dancing during a televised awards show is stressful enough, since you’re expected to nail those moves with precision, while the cameras are focused on you – but imagine the pressure of performing with a large reptile wrapped around your body? For the record, there’s no salary bonus that could convince me to do that, but Genise Ruidiaz graciously accepted the challenge for Nicki Minaj’s anticipated “Anaconda” performance at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards.

The 25-year-old contortionist, who has performed at the AMAs, VMAs, and Kid’s Choice Awards with artists like Diddy, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and Pitbull (and appeared in shows like “Glee” and “True Blood”) had already struck up a friendship with a 6-foot Dumeril’s boa constrictor named Rocky, before he bit her. After that first bite, she agreed to give it one more try with another snake named Archie and things went awry again. You’re a brave girl, Genise. Here’s how the story went:

Was this your first performance at the VMAs, or did you have one under your belt minus a snake bite?
My first VMAs performance was in Miami in 2005, when Diddy hosted, and I did the opening act with him. That show was the day after a huge hurricane, so there was actually a huge flood and no way for me to get to rehearsals. A friend picked me up from my house in his row boat and took me to the corner of the block where it wasn’t flooded. Then my dance teacher picked me up from and we had to do my makeup and hair as fast as I could to get to rehearsal.

You’ve got an amazing VMA track record so far. This year, was it your first time performing with an animal?
This was definitely my first time, but I thought – when are you ever going to have this experience? When are you ever going to have a snake wrapped around you, while doing some of your contortion moves? I was really hoping the snake didn’t think this was a competition to see who can bend the most. But this was a professional snake, he’s been on multiple photo shoots and video shoots, so what are the chances of anything happening? I’ll just go for it I thought – it’ll be something cool to put on my resume

Did they tell you upfront that there would be a snake involved?
They had auditions for contortions and said, ‘Most likely you ladies will be holding a snake while you do this, do any of you have any issues?’ In my head I was thinking ‘Oh yeah, I have major issues,’ but I kept my mouth shut. And after I got the call that I’d booked it, I thought ‘Now, what do I do to overcome the fear of working with this snake? What am I going to do, to not give that energy to the snake that I’m terrified of him?’

What was the first rehearsal with the snake like? Is that when the bite happened?
No, the Wednesday before the VMAs I had a full day with the snake and I was terrified. I woke up sweating. But when I met him, I overcame one of my biggest fears.

I started talking to Rocky like he was a human – ‘Hey Rocky, how are you doing?’ I was doing everything in my power to make myself feel comfortable. I felt like, if I gave off the energy of me being afraid then he’s going to feel that energy and something bad is going to happen. I asked the trainers every question possible I could think of, to educate myself about snakes.

So how did it feel the first time the snake was wrapped about you?
The feeling of having this creature – this reptile that is all muscle — work his way around my body was insane. I was so happy I did it, it was an incredible feeling. I felt so comfortable. I was even thanking the creative director for letting me do this, and thinking I might actually want buy my own snake.