Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaymie Orozco Howard.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Danzversity – A Place Where Dance, Diversity and the Arts are Freedom
“My mom met my biological father on a disco dance floor and what do you know, I literally was born loving dance. I’m from El Paso, Texas, which is a border town bordering Juárez, Mexico. I come from a very big loving Latin family. I started dancing with my family at our celebrations, our cookouts, quinceaneras I mean, you name it, dancing is involved. It’s always been a part of my soul and I can’t really live without it. I’ve also always been interested in teaching and uplifting people. Using my degree in education, I taught in the classroom for a while in El Paso and here in Austin. That’s when I checked in with life and was like, ”I need to be dancing more.” So I decided to merge the two. I wanted Danzversity to be not just a dance studio but a place to learn about different cultures, a place to do storytelling, a place to uplift others and have a supportive community.
So many dance studios I have experienced put this image that you have to be technically trained, or look a certain way or dance a certain way. In my family, the idea of dance boundaries like, ‘Oh, you’re doing the wrong step, or your arm needs to be this certain way’ was non-existent. It was truly freedom of expression, freedom of movement, and I’d never been to a studio like that before. I want you to dance like you’re in my grandma’s living room at our Latin family party, turn on the music y a bailar, let’s just have a good time.
In most cultures around the world, dance is a part of life, healing, community and togetherness. And that’s what I want to translate into the studio. It should be celebrated as this art form of expression and not judged. Of course, I respect the formalization of dance technique and history, however we all have different bodies, come from different places and you can’t expect one person to look like the other. When I teach, I always say I’m your guide but you’re in control of your body. Listen, reset and respect what your body is able to do. If you dance to express first, then dance to impress will follow.
We are slowly rebuilding and we have thankfully have so much support from our community, family and friends. We are so grateful to them lending us a helping hand and heart.
Mushisimas gracias to our Danzversity community for making this dream come true. I have to close this story with an everlasting love burst to my number one fans, my mom, my family, my husband Tony and my angel from above mi Abuelita. Amor amor.
“The art of storytelling is the freedom of expression, the act of dreaming is the freedom of thought, the moment to create is the gift that lives on and nothing can ever take that away.” – Jaymie, Founder of Danzversity
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We opened our physical location three years ago, experiencing some of the most beautiful learning curves and grounding experiences yet. The people that make our community are a gift in itself, and I thank everyone everyday for being part of our story. Nothing beats the pandemic turnover. It’s been one of the most challenging times I’ve ever experienced. Things were going great, we started to pick up momentum and then the times of 2020 rattled us, like many others this year. Closing our physical location was one of the saddest moments yet, however not the end. No pandemic can stop us and we have currently found a new home and are continuing the path to restructure, rebuild and reopen.
As you know, we’re big fans of Danzversity. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The word Diversity in Danzversity translates to culture, race, gender, social status, religion, political views, traditions and I can go on. The word Danz in Danzversity translates to dance, body language, movement, language, expression, creativity, freedom, music, art and more. At Danzversity, we foster a welcoming environment for all humans to interact and express movement without feeling judged or out of place. It facilitates learning of movement, conversations of culture, history, how we can be better humans on this planet, a place to #beyou, a place to speak the same language, a place to dance to express, not to impress.
As we reopen, we will offer many classes that will promote unity, healing and connection. We are rooted in Dance Diversity History and Culture, BioDiverstiy and Social Diversity. Following our roots will bring classes to the community that have purpose and meaning.
Every class will be an experience. Not just a “dance class” but a place to reflect, internalize and communicate through voice and body language.
We offer classes for kids, teens and adults as well as summer camps, afterschool programs, community events, performances and advocacy initiatives for the arts.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Everybody has a story, this is ours, we can’t wait to hear yours! @danzversity.
Contact Info:
- Email: dance@danzversity.com
- Website: www.danzversity.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danzversity/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danzversity/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Ba8Ir_C0OrPjjo2XAbGSg
Image Credits
Studio Team
