The Basics
Reequal Smith is a dancer and choreographer and the owner of Oshun Dance Studios, a notable black-owned dance company on PEI. Reequal performs in many dance styles, and the one she is performing for us in her videos is one she calls Funk Fusion. In these videos, Reequal shares a dance performance, speaks about her experiences with dance and what it means to her, and teaches us some Funk Fusion dance choreography.
The song she uses for her performance piece is called "Vibes on the Bay" by Raw Artistic Soul, and Reequal writes the following about the dance:
The piece I will be performing is an excerpt from my 2020 Calypso Secrets showcase. This excerpt is called “Vibes on the Bay,” co-choreographed by one of my closest friends Élan Mackey. “Vibes on the Bay” is inspired by the fun, tropic beauty of mother nature. Smooth, sultry movement colliding with Afro-Jazz-inspired steps continues this refreshing experience showcasing our diverse cultures.
The song used for Reequal’s teaching segment is "Slow Down" by Boddhi Satva and J'Something. Reequal writes:
For my teaching segment I will be illustrating a short dance segment to the song “Slow Down” from Central African Republic Boddhi Satva and South African J’Something. “Slow Down” features speeches from Olympic gold medalist 2016 Caster Semenya, South African, and Barack Obama. Caster’s speech speaks of “staying calm under pressure, never giving up, believing and sometimes when it feels crazy that it’s okay to slow down and take a breather.” Learners have the opportunity to participate by freestyling at the end of the combo, expressing themselves through dance while showing their creative dance skills.
A Note for Teachers
It’s always a good idea to take some time to learn these basic dance steps yourself before you try it with your learners, so you can help them through any tricky parts. If you find you or your learners need some extra practice before moving to the next step, it’s always okay to pause and review!
Extension Activities
Once you’ve learned the choreography for “Slow Down,” perform the dance with a section where learners are invited to “freestyle” or improvise their own dance moves.
Learners at Spring Park School worked with Reequal to choreograph their own dances, working in small groups and performing their moves to counts of eight beats. They also created some rhythmic accompaniment for their dance on percussion instruments, based on Caribbean rhythms.
About Reequal
Oshun Dance Studios is a notable black-owned dance company on PEI. The hidden gem behind Oshun Dance Studios is the amazing Reequal Smith. Born and raised on the beautiful Bahama Islands, Reequal created Oshun Dance Studio to focus on bringing women of all ethnicities together to feel empowered and venerated. She has trained in ballet, jazz, modern contemp, african, aerial ballet and fire dancing. During her career she has performed in multiple shows in hotels and the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival for three years with local artists. A SOPA alumni from Holland College, Reequal has continued her dancing career as an independent artist in Charlottetown. Further taking part in Festivals and events such as: DiverseCity Festival, Roma Festival, River Clyde Pageant and Stratford Fall Festival; plus offers dance lessons in all styles of dance. She continues to express her art by fusing cultural patterns together as one creating something beautiful and wishes to bring more excitement and diversity to the PEI Community. Continuously aiming for new heights, Reequal follows these words by Francisco Gella: “Dance because you love it, dance because you live it, and dance because you have nothing to lose and everything to share."
This year Oshun will be starting dance classes for kids and adults. Please follow all social media platforms to find out more information.
