Claro Que Sí - Edition 1

Bailar, bailar y bailar.

The beat and the rhythm subconsciously activate the muscles in my body and the movement of my feets to start following the beat. Using the beat to create patterns, movements, and steps. It's an ongoing movement and enjoyment.

That is what dancing means to me. It’s joy.

Being born and raised in the Dominican Republic, I was constantly surrounded by music. At home while my mom was cleaning, in the colmados, from the cars passing by. The music was always there. The fast paced rhythms and clear sounds of instruments shape the movements that bring dance to life.

No family gathering would be complete without the blasting music and dancing. No matter how old you were, you were going to end up dancing with your aunts, uncles, cousins, and any family friend that was there. My core memories come from being at family gatherings and getting pulled to dance. Being in the streets on a weekend night blasting Zacarias Ferreiras from my uncle’s white car, defined my childhood.

As I moved to the U.S. and found myself looking for ways to stay connected with my culture, I found myself going back to dance. It’s when I found myself admiring the art. I didn’t realize how much dancing means to me, and the appreciation I have for my culture, until I found myself in spaces where dancing merengue, bachata, salsa were missing. I did not always see dancing as a talent that I had or something that I chose to do, it was simply an activity that brought me joy and kept me connected to my culture.

That was why for me, coming to college I knew that I wanted to have dancing be my safe space. My time to enjoy myself and be connected to home. It wasn’t until then that I realized how important dance was to me. I did not realize that it was one of those things that I would miss once I stepped out of my house.

I’ll always appreciate the comfort and happiness that dancing brings to me. It’s one of the best de-stressors, giving me time that I can take for myself to forget about everything else that might be going on in the world around me. I’m grateful for having a culture that embraces such an art and that makes dancing a core part of who we are, together. - MICHAELL SANTOS PAULINO ’26