Merengue madness | Nina Perez | TEDxStanleyPark

Nina Perez teaches people to connect with themselves, their peers and their environment through Latin dance. No partner, no rhythm, no problem.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

So I teach connection through dance.

And today we're going to use
the vehicle merengue to go on a journey,

a journey of connection
with yourself and others -

a connection with your body
and your environment.

You know how they say,

"How you do one thing
is how you do all things"?

I want you to pay attention
to how you show up today and see -

a lot of my students often say

that they learn so much
about themselves through dance.

So if you're willing and able,
please stand up, feet together.

And our first destination
is going to be within,

and we're going to listen to the music.

(Music starts)

And there is a rhythm,

and I want you to start going
with the rhythm, going with the flow -

we don't want to resist it.

So we feel the rhythm.

I want you to put that energy
into your heart

and start tapping your heart
when you feel that rhythm.

Make it loud so your neighbor can hear it.

Now, what happens
when we feel something deeply

is that it starts going down our core

and gets us into action.

And your hips are going
to start moving side to side.

This is our engine:
it drives us, our purpose.

You're never going
to stop being in action.

Very good.

Some of you didn't even know
you had those hips, right?

We're going to venture
into leaning forward into the future.

And I want you to think,
by leaning forward,

of what all the possibilities
and the experiences to come

and bring all the excitement
into the present moment.

Then we're going to venture into the past

and reflect on all your past
experiences and memories

and bring all those lessons
learned into the present.

Very nice.

If any negativity showed up,
just shake it off, up above.

You shake it off, down below.

Shake it off.

That's it.

Then we're going to raise our hands

and ground ourselves down.

One more deep breath,
and ground yourself.

And what happens when you ground yourself
is creativity starts bubbling up,

touching your knees,

and bring that creativity up,

and turn in one direction,

expressing your creativity
all the way around.

Very good.

And in any journey,
we have fellow travelers.

So high-five your neighbors,
your friends, people beside you,

all the people around you.

Yes.

And we're going to probably reach
an ending or a milestone,

and we want to celebrate those.

So raise your hands and say, "Whoo!"

Audience: Whoo!

Very nice.

Okay.

Like anything we want to master,
we're going to do it again.

So feet together, we start in the heart.

And then, move into action, our purpose,

head to the future, see our vision,

and shimmy!

And then to the past,

and bring all those experiences
into the present,

shake off any negativity.

That's it.

And then, breathe and ground
yourself down into the earth.

One more.

Then creativity starts
coming up your knees,

and turn in one direction or the other,

expressing yourself with your creativity.

High-five your community,

your neighbors, your friends.

And then celebrate!

Whoo!

Audience: Whoo!

Let's do it one more time
a little bit faster.

So heart,

purpose,

vision of the future,

past experience,

shake off any negativity,

and ground.

Again.

And creativity bubbles up,

turn in one direction,

and on the other direction -

turn the other direction,

high-five your friends,

your community.

Very nice,

and big celebration!

Whoo!

Audidence: Whoo!

Very good, everybody.

So that's our merengue madness.

(Applause and cheers)

And I hope you take brave,
inspired actions

and continue to dance.

Thank you, everybody.
Thank you so much.

(Applause)