CBN: We’d love to learn more about you, your story and what you are focused on professionally. Please tell our readers about what you do, what you feel is most exciting or special about it, as well as anything else you’d like folks to know about you!

Shola: I am a Grenadian American Dancer, Dance Scholar, a Grenadian and Caribbean cultural enthusiast, and a Traditional Torchbearer. A lot of my work is rooted in educating various populations on the art of dance, and its significance in empowering and uplifting a community. My work is also rooted in building community, and utilizing community as a means of determining our own identities in the world that we function. In addition to how dance can be used to contribute to the larger global community. It is also a known fact that I am the founder of Dance Grenada incorporated which is an organization that is rooted in the preservation of African diasporic dance forms, and , how these dance forms continue to inform our artistic practice while contributing to the larger global community and providing access to diverse populations.

CBN: What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Shola: My advice for anyone continuing to develop on this journey is to know that development is an ongoing process and nothing amazing is birthed overnight. It takes tenacity. It takes commitment, and it also takes authenticity or a genuineness for the work that you are engaging in. If you are coming from a very superficial, trite place then the work will not be fulfilling, and the rewards will even speak to that. I also challenge anyone that is continuing to develop to acknowledge that there has there has been individuals and pioneers that have done the work before you, so I suggest and encourage individuals to do their research and to seek out those individuals that have done the work because I am a true believer in the philosophy: Ubuntu ‘I am because they were or I am because we are!’ The work that I do, it’s not because I did it on my own, but because I stand on the shoulders of those that have paved the way for me to receive the access and the privilege to continue sharing the art form of dance. And so I encourage any individual that is seeking to pursue the art of Dance or whatever their field may be, hold that in the forefront of your work, then the beauty of the rewards will really unveil itself and that my friend is the biggest gift of all.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Dance Grenada Inc.

CBN: How did you find your purpose?

Shola: I believe my purpose came from a space of spiritual calling. I remember at the young age of six and seven being in social settings, with my parents, and hearing the music, and knowing that I couldn’t not move. My body always responded to the music, to the poly rhythms of the music and With my mother seeing that she encouraged and nurtured what she saw. It was overtime where dance became a space of healing, expression and stability for me, and when I realized that I could not function without it, it was then I knew that it was something that I had to do. I didn’t see myself doing anything else . Even when there were times, when I became discouraged or felt like the path that I thought was for me, led me to a dead end, the creator always provided an opportunity that currently lead me to this path. At this point in time I acknowledge that ethereal being telling me that this is what you are called to do and one thing I have learned is when the spirit calls you must answer and so for me it has always come from a space of spirituality and knowing that this is what I’ve been put on this earth to do.

CBN: Where do you maintain optimism in your life?

Shola: Often times my optimism comes from my community, and those that I am serving reaping the benefits of the work. I realize that this work is not self serving, but if I am able to inspire and empower, another individual the same way that I was when I was younger and navigating this space of ‘figuring it out’ then I know I would have done my job. My optimism also comes from seeing the joy in those that I have aligned myself with because of their genuineness and authenticity as it relates to doing the work. Often times the world can be so discouraging, dark and dismal, but in those moments, utilizing each other as a support system , as a beam of light often makes me hopeful because I know the feeling of being discouraged, but I also know the feeling of being recognized and rewarded and so with that comes illumination.

We thank you Shola for sharing your BOLD JOURNEY!

Follow: @thesholabareexperience | @dancegrenada