Desta Deekman
- * (African) Modern Dancer/Teacher
- * Artistic director
- *Choreograph
- *Artist development trainer
Who am I?
I have always had this creative energy in me, waiting to come out. I knew I had to cultivate it, after a long time I discovered that dance was my passion. Dance opened up many roads for me, when I was younger I started in a independent dance group named Ordinary Illusions. We were a passionate group and we didn’t follow mainstream dancing. Everyone had their own personality and that is what made us stand out as a dance group, we toured in Europe and had the ambition to show the world what we had to offer. This experience made it clear. I had to continue in developing myself creatively. After following a preparatory course, I was given entry to the Amsterdam Performing School of Arts (AHK). There I did not only learn how to dance, but it gave me a wider perspective on all aspects of art. I concluded that I could put this knowledge to use in many different ways; I use art to inspire myself and others.
I teach dance classes and workshops, where I mainly use the elements of nature. After my internship in Senegal at the school named Ecole des Sables, I knew that if people could understand and accept the power of nature, many doors would be opened. Nature is the most powerful energy there is and it has healing abilities.
In order to inspire myself and others I need to be inspired. I draw my inspiration from individuals and their ingenuity. This inspires me because to me creativity equals communication, and art is the language that I speak. This insight is the reason why I do not limit myself to only teaching dance classes and (empowerment) workshops but I am also an artistic director, give lectures, make choreographies and help artists develop themselves. All these elements of art and inspiration have made me an artistic healer.
“Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.”
― Maya Angelou
