Today we’d like to introduce you to Nebiy Tesfaldet.
Hi Nebiy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
So I started out dancing as a child. I used to watch a lot of dance videos both American (Hip-Hop and R&B) and Eritrean. My parents also both used to take me to my people’s night dance parties and I would watch them dance their hearts out and have so much fun doing it too. One day I just got the courage to ask my parents to teach me my people’s dance and I learned some stuff from my mom and the same from my dad too. To this day I explain to my parents that they are the reason I began dancing and love it so much! When I got into Jr. High, I felt more confident showing off the dance moves I learned from YouTube than in high school I actually performed on stage a couple of times that I again got enough confidence to show out more of it!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I feel like when you go after something you love or have a passion for it’s not always a smooth start. For me personally, it wasn’t anything crazy as I started Jr. High/High school but when I started out in college I struggled to find dance groups my first year until the beginning of my sophomore year when I had a homie who told me about this weekly group at a neighbor college so every Wednesday I’d go there and link up with other people and get down. After college and a bit of time has passed since then I’d say it definitely gets better as you mature and adapt over time but it is very much a learning experience!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an artist who likes to use dance & movement as my main form of expression. I’ve decided to be an artist among other things for about 6/7 years now and my first “love” per se would have to be the street style known as popping. I’ve been studying the style for 5/6 years. I’m most proud of the connections and shared experiences I’ve made through dance, especially how much I’ve been inspired by the people around me, also being able to move with love and share it with others too! In my dance, I tend to be as funky & groovy as possible. I love to get down, have a good time, and let loose. With popping, it holds a very special place in my heart and the funk music that connects me to the street culture too.
How do you think about happiness?
A lot of things make me happy but the first thing that comes to mind is expression. Being able to express my feelings, thoughts, etc. Through dance, expressing through dance to where it feels like a conversation and feeling better or lighter after my so-called “convo” with either myself or others.
Pricing:
- Hot house dance studios Fridays $10
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Nebula1796
- Facebook: Nebiy esayas Tesfaldet
Image Credits:
Reid Jarvi
Waswa Kalema
