THE roots of delírio...
Dance Your Story™ (DYS) traces my journey of immersion into the cultures that belie the dances in Delírio workouts. Here's a little micro-documentary I shot along the way to show the evolution of dance from West Africa to urban America. DYS is also Delírio's signature fundraiser! An action-packed event full of dance workshops and compelling story-telling. If you've got a cause to support and need an event to inspire community to act, DYS is a must-do for 2017♥️ Let's talk! 🌟
IT ALL STARTED WHEN...
I found myself keeping the kitchen wall company in my classmate's flat in Paris. I'd like to say I was washing dishes or refilling guests' glasses. But I wasn't. I was hiding! From a festive and welcoming bunch of students from Guadeloupe. I left the party not because I was excluded from the dance circle... but because I thought I was missing a talent necessary to participate. I was a dancer... with zero understanding of folkloric dance, partner dancing, non-structured movement. I thought dance was Martha Graham and Dunham. I didn't get that the goal was to move-- in whatever way resonated with me. I didn't get that it was not about steps and counts or rules and judgment. That party changed my life. What I learned: there are just a few ports of entry into any culture: food, music, dance. Not even language can connect people as deeply as these daily things. Why? Because people connect most profoundly through emotions. When we share the little joys of life, identity markers and cultural barriers disappear. Language and fashion don't matter. It doesn't matter how we hold our fork or what title we've earned. What matters is the smile we exchange with each other--- a universally understood sign that all is right with the world.
What the heck does this story have to do with my creating a dance fitness methodology? Everything.
More than 20 years later... I'm a practitioner of afro-descendent folkloric dance and a speaker-activist for the preservation and celebration of its history. I'm a dancer-storyteller and fitness expert who empowers diverse groups of people through one of the most salient forms of communication: dance. Delírio is not just a kickass workout based in African and latin dance that delivers measurable results *ahem*; it's also a vehicle by which to bring people together, to foster connection and inspire them to serve their communities by leveraging their differences. If you dig this, join us! Get ready to "get fit to serve!"