I’ve been dancing for over 25 years, always drawn by forms that compel me beyond my limits and into a realm of joy, connection, and sensualness, including Afro-Brazilian, West African (Guinean and Ghanaian), Modern, Afro-Cuban Modern, Folklore and Popular (Rumba, Salsa). I’m equally drawn by great teachers who, through their passion, commitment to excellence and humanity have inspired me to live bigger than my troubles. Indeed, I love to dance in life (in some ways much more than I do in the class or studio). I’ve been blessed to learn from Byb Chanel Bibene, Roberto Borrell, Ron Brown, Paco Gomez, Silfredo La O, CK Ladzekpo, Royland Lobato, Rogelio Lopez, Manuel Suarez and M’mah Toure. Additional influences informing my approach and style come from a background and expertise as a dance/movement therapist, practitioner of Authentic Movement, fitness trainer and triathlete. 

I consider dance both a metaphor and a way to be in life. This page is a place to share current and past dance related projects including photos, vid’s and workshops, that may or may not be about dance per se, but will always be about the dance.

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Project: Making a Dance Video in Cuba

From 1999-2003 I travelled to Cuba several times, drawn by the people, the culture, the dance. This video explores the great dance genre, Rumba.

“El Mio Es La Rumba” presents the rich Afro-Cuban art form, rumba through a dialogue between a teacher, Jesus Manuel Sophia, and his student, Jorge Luis Cintra. Woven throughout their conversation about the origin and sub-genres of rumba, are clips of men, women, and children dancing. The interaction between Jesus and Jorge reveals the parallel between the dance and their attitude towards life. Their dialogue captures characteristics of rumba: a tenacity of spirit, a relentless urge for creating beauty and sustaining it despite daily challenges, and a shared and co-created experience, which results in the building of relationships—between drummer, dancer, and spectator.

Docu – style dance video about the dance genre Rumba

El Mio Es La Rumba (For Me It’s Rumba) from Robin Fletcher on Vimeo.