A Salsa Celebration of International Women's Day
Finally sharing a very special ladies salsa performance I did with some very special ladies! Watch the video and discover the full story!
Celebrating my incognito ladies today!💃
Thinking back to this time last year when we were hard at work rehearsing for our show 🔥Aves de Fuego🔥all part of the @incognitodanceproject!
So many hours went into crafting this performance and it is my pleasure to finally share what the results were! Here we are performing at Incognito's Saturday Club in Putney last year!
So proud of what we all achieved, not only in the dedication to training, but all the costume detailing, amazing chats and time spent together. These are memories that I shall truly treasure!❤️🙏
💃Dancers featured
🔥 Project by Incognito Dance
👗 Outfit by Dance and Sway (customised by the dancers)
💎accessories by @nelly.incognitodance
🎥 Video edit by Susie Nathanson
🎵Song: La Malanga · Mercadonegro
🤗 Also big hugs and shout out to my other incognito ladies present & past 🤗
Happy international women's day ladies! ❤️
team in training -Featuring (clockwise): Alex, scarlett, Nelly, Aliki, Corina & Susie
Introducing Bachata Twist
Sharing the story behind my new painting Bachata Twist. Discover what inspired it and watch how the painting developed.
My painting called Bachata Twist is now finished!
Watch the journey from a loose sketched beginning, to the final printed artwork, all inspired by the amazing @mgdanceteam and a show they did at Labksfestival in 2015.
My goal was to find 'that moment' within the dance that captured something special. This dynamic pose, held for a split second, struck a chord with me.
Click the button below to watch the whole performance, see if you can find the moment I’ve chosen!
The shape, emotion, power and intensity of it, really fired up my imagination and led to a whole new dance in paint, where the dancers became interwoven in a piece of narrative graffiti of my own devising.
Bachata Twist is now available as a striking, lively art print, which hopefully gets the eyes dancing when you look at it!
Available in a variety of sizes and finishes, check out the product listing below to take a look
Thank you @mgdanceteam for doing what you do, I love watching the innovation, skill and powerful expression of your choreographies. Keep up the excellent work!
To everyone reading this, please go check these guys out if you haven't already!
This fine art print is of my original digital painting of two Bachata dancers, inspired by then amazing MG elite dance team. It was painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer.
Each print from this digital painting is an original; professionally printed on beautiful Hahnemühle photo Rag paper, 308 gsm thick, with top grade, light fast, fade-resistant inks.
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please CLICK HERE for a quote
Introducing Tango
Pleased to introduce my now finished painting called ‘Tango,’ inspired by two wonderful dancers, Dmitry Vasin & Esmer Omerova. Discover the ideas behind this painting and watch how it developed from start to finish.
Introducing my finished painting Tango.
Inspired by the wonderful @dmitryvasintango & @esmer__omerova and their spellbinding performance of Argentinian tango in 2015, which utterly transports me every time I watch it - click button below to see them in action.
I loved how this performance paired power with grace, strength with delicacy and underlying all of it, an exquisite, intimate connection between lead and follow.
The moment I chose to paint was a split second, held just before Esmer is lifted overhead. This is where the idea for the King Fisher came from, rooted in this feeling of taking flight, both literally and emotionally.
I also wanted to play with what the digital watercolour could do, loading my virtual brush with water and tilting my virtual paper in different directions, to let the paint run and drip and express itself, searching for the balance between control and spontaneity.
I am pleased to announce, Tango is now available as a beautiful art print, in a range of sizes and finishes. For buying options see listing below.
If you are quick you can see it up close in person at Putney library [5-7 Disraeli Road London, SW15 2DR] until 5pm today, all part of an exhibition called Performers in Paint, showcasing artworks by myself and fellow artist Stella Tooth.
Any Qs, let me know!
This fine art print is of my original digital painting of two beautiful Tango Dancers, inspired by Dmitry Vasin & Esmer Omerova. It was painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer.
Each print from this digital painting is an original; professionally printed on beautiful Hahnemühle photo Rag paper, 308 gsm thick, with top grade, light fast, fade-resistant inks.
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please CLICK HERE for a quote
A Royal Academy Experience
An extraordinary collaboration, bringing together two of my favourite things in a truly magical way. Discover what Incognito Dance was doing at the Royal Academy of Arts last week!
On the 7th July something rather extraordinary happened.
An immersive drawing, dancing workshop in one of London's most prestigious centres of Arts and culture, inspired by David Remfry's wonderful watercolours of people dancing.
The Incognito Dance team and I were invited to participate and journeyed up to town on a beautiful summer's eve to dance in a whole new way, within the stunning rooms of the RA!
Our brief was to move in slow motion for the artists attending, holding shapes for them to draw. Used to the fast, dynamic energy of the dance floor, this was a novel and fascinating experience for us all.
Influenced by a dream-like mix of music, curated by the brilliant @tom_h_visualsound - we found ourselves exploring movement in a powerful and meditative way. It felt very calming and beautiful to see the subtle dialogues that emerged between us and the people drawing.
A particularly special occasion for me to see two of my greatest loves, dancing & drawing, come together in such a harmonious and magical way!
Massive thank you to:
For making this possible and to the fantastic enthusiasm of all the people attending!
Also huge love to the wonderful dancers from @incognito_dance
Jeff Tarpinian - @incognito_dance
Mia Amorbaila - @mia.amorbaila
Alex Boneva -@bonevaalex
Aliki Siganou - @aliki.siganou
Phil Araujo - @philippearaujo1
Jorge Gomez - @jorgeedugona
Deimante Politovaite - @diamonddancestudio31
Stefan Korac
Florian Naejus
Sean Jennings
Anthony
Last Night's Big Reveal
The special moment when I presented a new dance inspired painting to the dancers that inspired it, the wonderful Jeff Tarpinian and Mia Amorbaila, at Incognito Dance’s monthly social, last night in Putney.
After an intensive couple of months of dancing and painting, it was a real joy to reveal the first of a new series of work, at Incognito Dance's Monthly social in Putney last night.
The artwork in question was a particularly special piece, inspired by the wonderful Jeff Tarpinian and Mia Amorbaila who have done so much to encourage and support me as a dancer, teacher and artist.
They didn't know I was working on this painting of them and this is the moment they saw it for the first time!
I will soon be sharing the time-lapse of this painting, along with other dance inspired works, all of which will be on display for the first time at my upcoming exhibition 'Performers in Paint' at Putney Library from the 14th June - 15th July, in collaboration with my friend and fellow artist Stella Tooth
For all the info about this click the WAF 2023 button below.
For more info about Jeff & Mia and all that the wonderful Incognito Dance company do, click the INCOGNITO DANCE button below
Also, in case you were wondering, I am all dressed up having just performed an energetic new show with the Incognito Dance Project team . I will be sharing a video of this performance in the near future, so keep watch!
Turning a dance into Paint
Transforming an inspiring Bachata dance into a dynamic, energetic and romantic painting! Watch a timelapse of my latest work in progress.
What’s the next best thing to Bachata dancing?
Painting it! Here’s little behind the scenes, of another work in progress, for my upcoming 'Performers in Paint' exhibition this June.
Inspired by a beautiful moment from a Bachata show performed by the MG Elite Team at the Los Angeles BKS Festival in 2015.
I've let my imagination run wild, creating a graffiti background with ideas bursting out all over the place! What do you think?
This is one of a few dance themed works I'll be showing, alongside a mix of other performer related pieces. The exhibition will also be featuring artworks by my fellow artist and collaborator Stella Tooth.
EXHIBITION & WORKSHOP KEY DATES
Performers in Paint, Art Exhibition | 14th June - 15th July 2023, Putney Library opening hours, free event
Salsa Dancing Beginners Workshop | 22nd June 2023, 5.30-7.30pm, £12 / £10 concessions
Dance Themed Life Drawing workshop | 24th June 2023, 2-4pm, £12 / £10 concessions
Artist Talk | 29th June, 6-7pm, free, RSVP required
Bookings are now open for the workshops. Availability is limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!
For further info on all the events & to book tickets, click the button below.
This is all part of the amazing Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival which is hosting over 130 lively events across Wandsworth Borough between the 9th and 25th June 2023.
For the full events programme click the button below.
Any Qs, do let me know!
The Incognito Dance Project
An exciting new collaboration of dance teachers, in partnership with the Incognito Dance Company, revealing our first debut show!
An exciting new collaboration of dance teachers, in partnership with Incognito Dance, have come together to create The Incognito Dance Project
Featuring the following dancers
So proud and honoured to be part of this fantastic group of ladies whose energy and passion for dance are endlessly inspiring!
Come see us perform our new show Aves de Fuego for the first time tonight at Incognito Dance’s Hammersmith Salsa & Bachata Club, 11 Rutland Grove, Hammersmith, W6 9DH
👗 Outfit by the brilliant @danceandsway_official
UPCOMING SHOW DATES
12TH APRIL - HAMMERSMITH - TONGIHT!
20-24TH APRIL - IBIZA
27TH APRIL - EARL'S COURT
30TH APRIL - MAMBO CITY CONGRESS
15TH MAY - WIMBLEDON
27TH MAY - PUTNEY
MORE DATES TBC
Do get in touch, for more info about the project or to inquire about booking us for festivals and corporate events.
Introducing Incognito's New Ladies Salsa Student Team
Incognito Dance’s new Ladies Salsa Student Team are taking to the stage this week, after a 12 week intensive course with the wonderful Mia Amorbaila. Watch a little overview of our story and find out more about where and when you can see us perform!
Say hello to Incognito Dance's wonderful new ladies styling student team!
After 12 weeks of training hard, our new show, choreographed by the fabulous Mia Amorbaila, is launching this week!
Catch us performing on the following dates:
13TH APRIL - EARLS COURT
15TH APRIL - BOS
17TH APRIL - WIMBLEDON
19TH APRIL - HAMMERSMITH
20-24TH APRIL - IBIZA
28TH APRIL - MAMBO CITY CONGRESS
29TH APRIL - PUTNEY
5TH MAY - QUE RICO, BALHAM
MORE DATES TBC
These courses are always such a joy to see unfold. A powerful mix of committed students and passionate teaching, all of us moving toward a common goal together, trusting in the process and watching the improvements develop week by week, making us all stronger and more confident, building wonderful friendships along the way.
For more details check out www.incognitodance.com
A Tango in Paint
My latest dance in paint, exploring the passion and power of Argentinian Tango. Watch how the early stages of this new painting unfolds along with the incredible dancers that inspired it.
Connection, power, emotion, grace and elegance - the extraordinary energy of Argentinian Tango is mesmerizing to watch!
It is a dance I would love to learn one day. For now, I pay homage to it in paint, beginning my journey with two extraordinary dancers Dmitry Vasin & Esmer Omerova and their spell binding performance in 2015.
Every movement deeply felt, a triumph of nuance, expertly expressing the music and creating an electric intimacy. At times gentle as a feather and sensuously slow, at times exhilaratingly quick and passionately strong.
Click HERE to watch them in full swing!
This painting is in its early stages, with various elements still to add. My aim is to visualise and conjure the sensation of the dance, let's see how things progress!
Dancing in Paint
Ben and Jovana’s performance story captured in a special painting. Watch all whole journey from show stopping finale lift, my painting’s evolution and the finished framed canvas presented to Ben in the Dance Attic rehearsal studios in Fulham!
This is the story of Ben & Jovana's finale moment at the Edinburgh Salsa Congress, where they performed in January 2020 and how it inspired a painting.
I performed in the same show and wanted to see if I could explore the feelings & mood of the experience using their wonderful pose as the starting point.
These shows are a powerful synergy of elements; connecting music, movement, you with your dance partner and the audience; not to mention the weeks of training and drills that go into these precious few minutes of amazing energy.
Needless to say it was a really lovely exercise visualising these ideas in a painting.
Following completion, I discussed display options with the lovely Ben @benchaiofficial, who opted for a framed printed canvas.
I then had the honour of presenting the finished artwork to Ben after an Incognito dance training session - a beautifully fitting context given the circumstances!
Dance and painting are two of my biggest joys in life and it was magical weaving them together for this project.
Like the idea of capturing a special moment in a painting? I have something exciting in the pipeline, launching in April, so keep an eye out!
In the meantime, check out my commission service [currently fully booked until March] and feel free to contact me with any questions!
Quick shout out to the fantastic Jeff of @incognito_dance & Valentina @valedq for putting together the dance choreography that got this creative ball rolling!
Our Bachata Performance Story
Happy to announce after 12 weeks of hard core training the Incognito Bachata performance team are now show ready! Watch a short video showing our journey & where you can see us perform!
I am hugely happy to announce that the Incognito Bachata performance team are now launching their brand new show!
Here's a look back over the last 12 weeks of smiles, sweat and pizza!
It has been such a beautiful journey, lead by the incredibly generous and knowledgeable Jeff & Mia who have guided, encouraged and, where needed, issued us with additional press ups to get us show ready!
Thank you @incognito_dance & @mia.amorbaila for all your hard work & support!
I've been performing with Incognito since 2018 and am in awe of the incredibly special experience they deliver with their performance courses. You learn so much and meet the most wonderful people!
And, I love this idea of striving toward a common creative goal as a collective of people, fired by passion and a desire to learn. It makes this 'show time' moment all the more rewarding and memorable!
There is also a fabulous Bachata Ladies styling show launching at the same time, created by @karolina.klave & @bonevaalex which is truly sensational and should not be missed!
Come see us at Incognito's Salsa & Bachata clubs on the following dates:
5th Dec - Wimbledon
10th Dec - Putney [special Xmas Part]
15th Dec- Earl’s Court
All info at www.incognitodance.com
Look forward to seeing some of you there!
Dance Update
Catch a glimpse of this Monday’s Bachata Improvers class at Incognito Dance company's Wimbledon Salsa & Bachata Club.
Another happy Monday teaching at Incognito Dance Company 's Wimbledon Salsa & Bachata Club
Playing with lock & drop variations, teaching Improvers Bachata 😊
Thank you to the lovely student who helped demo the routine with me and to the amazing Grace for filming it!❤️🙏
Come find me at Incognito's Hammersmith Salsa & Bachata Club this Wednesday for more dancing experiments!😅
All info 👉 https://www.incognitodance.com/
Celebrating International Dance Day 2022
In tribute to the day I share a little dance inspired poem! Also watch a short video telling the story behind this painting of Jeff & Corina and it’s journey from digital canvas to the framed print that now hangs in Jeff’s dance studio.
Some words & a painting story in honour of International Dance Day 2022!
Dance is…
A feeling in movement
A connection with sounds from outside and within
A connection with community
Listening with all our senses
A connection to the present moment,
We move in our entirety,
Alone and together
And something,
Far beyond words, emerges.
See below the story behind my dance inspired painting of two beautiful dancers and human beings Jeff & Corina.
Thank you also to Bubblegum Media whose photo inspired this painting.
The more I see and learn of dance the more in awe I am of its magic.
Whatever you are doing tonight, I thoroughly recommend you take a moment, wherever you are and play with some free movement, see how it makes you feel!
It's Showtime!
Aside from painting, I have also been doing a lot of dancing the last 12 weeks, training for a new mambo salsa performance. It is now showtime! Read on for the full story and where and when you can see our live performances!
Hair spray, sequins & smiles - it's show time!!
12 weeks of hard training, buckets of sweat, piggybacks, blindfolds and a lotta laughs along the way!
I am very honoured to be part of this awesome team - aka Incognito's Mambo team of 2022!
Huge thanks to Tara Balfour and Jeff Tarpinian who are the brains behind the team and choreography and whose dedicated support, patience and sense of humour have been amazing!
Look out for our April shows (more dates to be announced in May & June)
11th April - Wimbledon Salsa & Bachata Club
14th April - Gabeto, London
20th April - Hammersmith Salsa & Bachata Club
22-25th April - Ibiza, Spain Bos Dance Festival
28th April - Earls Court Salsa & Bachata Club
30th April - Putney Salsa & Bachata Club
More info at: www.incognitodance.com
Dance, Paint and Play
Letting loose in a bit of playful paint play with this study of two dancers mid-performance. Watch a little glimpse of this in action.
This is a very quick, quiet experiment, listening to some bachata tunes and having a good old fashion play with paint.
I was deliberately going loose and free to see what would emerge.
Been a bit locked into a mindset of trying to polish and refine everything before sharing it, so as a little challenge to myself I'm throwing something very unpolished out there to say, just now, I'm letting my hair down!💃
Freedom in paint, freedom in mind, freedom in dance - vive la liberte! ✊😊
A Valentine Dance
Sharing the story behind this Flamenco duo and a new Valentine inspired painting series
A Flamenco Serenade, digital oil painting (work in progress)
Valentine Day greetings to you all!
Inspired by the theme of couples and love I have embarked upon a new series of paintings, charting different aspects and timelines of love through the magic of vintage toy characters.
Today I share with you the first of these, A Flamenco Serenade!
I encountered this duo at a Barry Potter toy fair and was instantly engaged by their energy.
I studied them in the round and found the pose that, for me, best captured the essence of them - eyes locked, hearts, feet, arms and bodies beating to a unified rhythm - a moment suspended in time!
The power and intensity of the flamenco dance seems to me the perfect analogy for those first passionate steps of courtship.
Not quite finished but nearly there, this fiery couple will eventually be available as a fine art print and card - so watch this space :)
Wishing you all a beautiful rest of day, filled with love!
A Lively Start to 2022!
Welcoming in the new year with a new and energy bursting painting of a fantastic dancing duo! Discover the story behind this piece and watch a time-lapse of how it was created.
Happy 2022! I thought a dance inspired piece would be a joyful way to greet the new year!
Presenting my painting of the lovely Ben ( @benchaiofficial )& Jovana in the finale pose of an energy bursting dance, choreographed by the fantastic Jeff ( @incognito_dance ) & Valentina ( @valedq )of the Incognito Dance Company.
It is a dance I also participated in and I was curious to see how I could weave in the feeling and magic of it into a painting!
I hope there shall be a great deal more dancing in 2022 and I look forward to sharing some more of these paintings along with some new dancing exploits of my own!
Do you have a memorable dance or performance you would like me to paint? Click the button below for more info.
Wishing everyone a fantastic start to the year!
Painting Memories
Today I’m talking about portraits that celebrate a special moment in time; in this particular case a salsa performance. Read on to hear about my latest salsa portrait of the wonderful Ratnanjali.
Today I'm sharing a little portrait I did this week of the lovely Ratnanjali, who has accompanied me on my Incognito ladies salsa journey over the last couple of months.
In performance costume, looking dazzling, my aim was to capture this special moment for Ratnanjali, and create a happy reminder of a joyful experience!
I'm using a painting programme called Rebelle 4, whose digital oil brushes and canvas textures are just such a pleasure to work with. I feel like I'm at an easel rather than a computer when I'm working.
My focus was keeping my brushwork loose and playful, picking up the rainbow of colours I could see in the light and shadow. Hopefully the painting in itself becomes a bit of a dance!
Are there any experiences you would like me to capture in paint, perhaps celebrating a special occasion for you or a loved one?
Click the button below to find out more about my commission service and how it works.
The Power of Dance
Today is International Dance Day and I wanted to mark it with something special celebrating someone who, both in dance and spirit, I am truly inspired by. Read on to discover the amazing dancer this digital painting pays tribute to.
Ezgi Zaman, Dance Allegory, Digital painting, April 2021
Today is international dance day and I wanted to mark it with something special celebrating someone who, both in dance and spirit, I am truly inspired by.
Before lockdown I was dancing several times a week but over the course of the last year, dance gradually became an absent friend. That is, until I signed up for Ezgi Zaman’s zoom classes a few weeks ago.
Since then I have rediscovered what joy and magic dancing can bring, especially when guided by Ezgi’s amazing energy and warmth.
Her classes are as much a lesson in dance philosophy as technique, creating a space to talk about the roots of salsa and our experiences of it. It was one of these conversations that triggered the idea for this painting. Namely how dance helps us to wind back the clock to our childhood when movement is uninhibited and a fully integrated part of our self-expression.
Ezgi says it beautifully (to visit Ezgi’s instagram page CLICK HERE):
Dance is a way to understand who we are! It's not for success in society! It's just a way to find peace in our souls and with all lives around us!
Dancing is not movement which is well matched to the music; dancing becomes real when you take the music out from your body, the melody from your heart always tells the truth.
You can see these thoughts in shining life when you watch Ezgi dance.
In an attempt to capture this spirit, I used a freeze frame of her dancing as my reference point. As such I had to keep my brush strokes much looser, as the detail was out of focus. It was the overall energy and gesture that I was looking at. The background design is very much rooted in this energy and the ideas Ezgi’s dancing and teaching inspired in me.
Watch the timelapse below to see how this painting evolved.
World Burlesque Day
Read all about the collaborations that led to today’s digital painting which celebrates World Burlesque Day!
I am excited to share with you my latest digital painting, literally just finished, of the wonderful dancer Corina!
In celebration of World Burlesque day I reached out to Corina for this collaboration.
This painting was actually based on a circus themed performance she did and, whilst you can't see it, the rest of Corina was on stilts!
So whilst not strictly speaking a Burlesque, I nevertheless felt the razzle dazzle mix of sequins, feathers and general va va voom still hit the mark, hopefully you think so too!
It was a lovely opportunity to really explore ‘drama’ in costume and makeup and what an amazing mood it can conjure.
Watch the time lapse below to see the action unfold.