Grew up in a family where I develop my dancing skill from family gathering, mum, aunty, once, cousin, sisters, brother, etc.. Born in France originally from Cape Verde Dancing has always been a natural things in the household, because playing music and dancing in our family was fun and cultural. I have never thought about seeing myself where I am today, especially been trained as caterer to the extent of having qualification in catering as well as an accountant, hahaha and I was restaurant manager. Yes, you heard it right I use to be a restaurant manager! Managing group staff and running the business for others…

Arrived in year 2000 in UK like many have done for years just for traveling (still here after 18 years later ) with little English speaking (up to today ) and started searching for a job of catering in restaurants, lucky I was able to found one that prone me to work in crazy hours and like always, strive to do my best. Thus, I’m making progress gradually, and every time there is an opportunity where I can get promoted. I hastily grabbed the opportunity and pushed for better. However, I’m so busy with my job during all those time, and never heard about any palops parties around me or meet a palops person most of my friends were white When we used to party late at night after a few drinks (many ), I would be like “let me show how we dance in my country, a dance called Passadas-Kizomba” I used to take the girls and lead them to what they don’t know! Lol, guess just my passion and nostalgy is the driving force that always gives me the ability that I’m using to show the guys their steps… it felt so good I use to play to Gil Semedo, Beto Dias, Grace Evora or even Zouk songs Jean Michel Robin, Harry Diboula, Jocelyne Beroir, and many more which were my favorite when growing up.

It always makes me feels good inside and down to my soul because of being away from home and inside my heart and my all being something was missing. Then, I came across Salsa classes where I thought of getting back to dancing because I’m was missing dancing so much, after a few weeks, met a palop that told me that there was a Kizomba night in town on a particular day But let me tell you something, my heart was beating so fast like 100% mile per hour for happiness because, couldn’t believe it, and I was so excited about everything at that moment, to the extent of being unable to contain myself… and I couldn’t wait to get to that party

When I did OMG!, I was so happy to hear songs that talk to my heart, my soul, and my being, and to dance with a lead that could make me float it was like having an orgasm on the dance floor lol “ Kizombasm.”

From that moment onward my life change, and I was able to find my source and enjoy the dancing which has helped me meet great people. Do not forget that dancing is a beautiful world where you can meet lovely people and make friends.

For a long time I was merely minding my own business on the Kizomba dancing scene with friends, until one day when a friend asks me to help him teach beginners, which I hesitated at first cause I never thought teaching at that point and only dance naturally and then went onto accept the offer and that was the beginning of my Kizomba (professional) journey. From that point onward I had never looked back. My journey into Kizomba kept going on and on progressively. Then started teaching on a weekly basis for over two years, before I had my first ever AfricAdancar 2011 dancing competition , and that was one of most scariest things I had ever done in my life. Even though I have a dance background and perform publicly before, That was another level, was so stressed, and you wouldn’t believe I still remember that feeling as if it was yesterday…We had two part first was the improvisation on 2 minutes song chosen by the organisation. What we were doing was very nerve-racking but there were many of us sharing the dance floor which made it more bearable. The real stress kicked took over the second part which was the choreography 2 minutes that we had to put together, and we messed it up…We finished 4/5th at the time (if I am not wrong Riquita was a Judge on the panel lol ) but what a relief that was and in the end the experience that I would never forget More of my journey coming