How does your dance background inform your bass playing?
Bass is the heartbeat for a dancer, so I tend to play very rhythmically. I do some runs once in a while, à la Paul McCartney, but I like to keep my parts fairly simple. I call it “train chugging”—keeping the bass churning without ever dropping out in order to keep people moving.
I’m in perpetual motion onstage. I feel my way around the neck in a physical way, sliding up and down on the bottom two strings, even if the part could be played across all four. I like the sliding sound, and I prefer the tonality of the heavy strings for our music. I tune to drop D a lot to get even lower. I prefer to play with a pick to get a more percussive sound.

How does playing bass compare to dance in terms of discipline and preparation?
I developed a disciplined work ethic studying dance, but it was incredibly difficult moving from dance to bass. My school dance class schedule was regimented, and it was a group thing. Playing an instrument is more isolating; you have to spend a lot of time alone with it, and Dimitri wanted me to find my own way. That was hard for me to do, and I think it’s more difficult for women because we’re more social creatures. I always want to work out my bass lines with the group, and it drives the guys up the wall.
I was so terrified before our first show. I’d been onstage a million times, but it’s so different when you are responsible for the music, not just dancing to it. But if you have a good sense of rhythm, bass is the most fun instrument in the world.