Description

Spirits in Motion

It took me a while to feel the spirit of photography in my veins. A major help was attending African dance classes. In 2001 I found myself in the Union Square area of NYC, photographing at the Djoniba Dance Studio. Watching these magnificent dancers glide across the floor, taking in those beautiful sounds of African drummers, transformed me back into Nigeria’s festive performances.

Even though it was a Senegalese West African experience, many of the dancers in the class were of Latina descent, preferably wearing white and honoring the Yoruba deity, Yemanja.

The studio had about ten or so regular drummers and when the beats were heated up by the lead drummer, their powerful rhythms guided the ladies across the floor, in a smooth and flowing elegance, combined with sultry, sensual movements, which could easily capture the waking admiration of the restful dead.