Native Threads Profile: Happy Frejo
Dancer, Actress, Poet, Musician
Happy Frejo is a young native performing artist and member of the Pawnee and Seminole Nations of Oklahoma. Happy travels across the United States to youth conferences, conventions, camps and reservations conducting hip-hop workshops and sharing her messages of Hope and love. Using her gifts and talents, Happy strives to reach out to young people—encouraging them to go after their dreams, believe in themselves and to lead positive, healthy lifestyles.
Published Poet
Happy has been writing poetry since 1986 and hopes one day to have her own book of poetry published. She says poetry is her first passion. One of her pieces entitled, "Your Ideal Mate" is printed in a Palette of Life published by the International Library of Poetry.
Happy Dancer
Happy has been a professional Hip-Hop dancer since 1994. She has opened shows for National Recording Artist in her hometown and other states. More recently, Happy has been perfecting her craft by taking additional dance training in L.A. with the choreographers of artists such as Janet Jackson, N'Sync, Brittney Speras, Gloria Estefan, Aaliyah, and Missy Elliott.
Together with dance partners Spencer Robinson and Basheerah Ahmed of Okalahoma City. Happy is co-founder of a multicultural hip-hop dance troupe called 'Soul Expression.' The group shares a vision: "to help encourage young people to express themselves through their gifts and talents, while also steering them towards healthy living." The group’s performances send positive messages containing a blend of hip-hop, modern dance, acting/human videos, singing and poetry.
Happy has toured with American Indian Dance Theatre based in New York and is one of the original cast members of the stage production called "TRIBE", which made its debut at Celebrity Theater in Phoenix in 1998. She recently finished a play called "Our Small World" put on by Hola Latino America Productions, which was held at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix.
Happy’s Musical Family
At a very young age, Happy was encouraged by her dad to sing and make up songs while he accompanied her on guitar. She grew up singing in youth choir and performing duets with her dad in church, however, she didn't take singing seriously until 1994. In 1998 she took up guitar and began writing her own songs and lyrics. She is currently working on her first C.D. Happy is also part of 'Culture Shock Camp' founded by her older brother Brian Frejo who is an actor, motivational speaker, deejay, and performer. Her younger brother Quese (pronounced “keys”) brings his many talents to Culture Shock Camp with his positive lyrical rhymes, music production, and break dancing.
Native Drama Queen
Upon her arrival to Arizona in the fall of 2000, she landed a part in “La Pastorela,” a production put on by Cultural Coalition and directed by Zarco Guerrero. From this she auditioned and got the lead role for "Ramona," a play directed and written by Guillermo Reyes based on the novel by Helen Hunt Jackson.
"I am proud to be part of the Native Threads family. Out on the road I do what I can to help the company pursue its mission of preserving and promoting our Native American culture and tradition and spreading Native Pride.”
"Through my faith and my performing arts, I have gained patience, inner strength, self-awareness and peace of mind; and I now know what my purpose in life is. It is to tell my story of why I sing, why I dance and how I am learning to love who I am and embrace all that is around me.”
Visit her website at www.happyfrejo.com
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