Rashida Bignall spicing up local dance scene
Published:Tuesday | July 25, 2023 | 12:07 AM
With 17 years experience as a dancer and 10 years experience as a dance instructor, Rashida Bignall is ready to put her students in the Latin spotlight.
Bignall, who operates a weekly Latin dance class, says though she does not have any Spanish roots, her love for the art form grew out of her desire for uniqueness.
“I wanted something different. Dancehall, carnival and soca were the main base of Jamaica and I wanted to find something different because that’s what I’m used to. So I started to watch some channels with dancing and I [started] Latin dancing, at the at of 13. I was 13 going on 14 and I fell in love ever since. When I dance, I feel like nothing else matters and if I can get people to feel an ounce of how I am feeling, then that’s exactly what I wanna do. And how can I get them to feel it, I have to teach them,”she explained.
“It’s actually cool when you go into the parties and Latin music is playing and everybody whining up and you start doing that. Everybody’s like ‘weh she learn how fi do that? Who’s that girl?’ So I like to be different and that’s what drew me to Latin dancing overall.”
Specialising in salsa, bachata, cha cha and merengue, Bignall said though her class now has between 25 and 40 students weekly, in her early days it was a struggle.
“It was rough because in Jamaica, a lot of the men perceive Latin dancing to be somewhat gay because it’s not rough and it’s not what they’re used to. It’s a bit more structured so it was really hard to get their palates acclimatised to it. The females are always very curious about how I dance so they want to learn but the men were a little bit reluctant in learning. But over the years they have been more open.
Even incorporating Latin dance into her wedding dance packages, Bignall said it was time she had a showcase to show exactly what her students can do.
“I’ve had informal showcases, this is actually my first production and I am so excited about it,” she began.
“The showcase is just to highlight my students along with myself and also other professional dancers in the Latin community. So it’s a combination of me teaching my students, showing my side as a choreographer as well because I choreographed most of the pieces and I’m going to be showing my talent as well.”
Authentic Latin art forms
Bignall says while the showcase will pay homage to authentic Latin art forms like salsa, there will be some reggaeton.
“What we’re trying to do is touch base with the authentic Latin music; the salsa that you know derives from Cuba. We are touching base mostly on that aspect, so the salsa, the bachata, we are going to be having some reggaeton in the middle of intermission and stuff like that but it’s mainly salsa because you now have a lot of crossovers. Persons now who are learning dancing, they don’t know the true authentic salsa [for] what it was. They come at a time now where there is a lot crossover hip hop music and putting Latin beats to art. That’s not the authentic Latin so what you’re expected to see is true, authentic Latin dancing.”
With almost 20 dancers prepared for the July 30 show, Bignall says the journey to this point has been paved with challenges but has definitely been worth it.
“It is a journey, I’m not going to lie. It has been hard because in the beginning you have to get to know a lot of vendors, it’s a lot of moving parts and I intend to keep this, but the first time is always gonna be the hardest. Next year if I continue, I’ll know who to link for what. The rehearsals have been a task, because choreographing so many pieces and also managing a lot of persons, it isn’t easy but it is rewarding. So it has been a journey that I appreciate and I’m excited to see the end project.”
She went on, “Everybody know Rash Royalty is not boring. We love excitement over here, from the costumes to the choreography to engaging the audience, to having different Latin food, Latin drinks. It’s a whole Latin fiesta. You can expect fun, excitement and just to come and have a good time.”