DANCE IS MY BODY’S VOICE— Clarisa aka SINO
Clarisa wears LEO Body in Black
Meet Clarisa (@la_sinofrancasie), a passionate Hong Kong Chinese and French dancer and creative. She’s been dancing for as long as she’s been walking and specialises in powerful Afro dance styles.
Clarisa wears IVA Body in Mocha
Clarisa hopes to create a safe space for her dance students that is judgement-free and validating.
Clarisa wears LEO Body in Black
What does dance mean to you?
I’d describe it as an extension of how I express myself in my everyday life. It’s another form of expression where I feel like I can really show my true self even more authentically than through words. One of my missions is that I hope everyone can experience this form of expression within their bodies.
In Hong Kong, we may feel a bit awkward or reserved, and are often scared of judgement. This can really hold people back from trying to dance. I want people to know that you don’t need to be a dancer to dance.
Clarisa wears IVA Body in Mocha
Do you have a favourite dance move that really resonates with you?
There’s a subgenre of dancehall called female dancehall which is a style preserved for the women of Jamaica. There’s a foundation move in female dancehall called the wine that I ended up noticing in a lot of other Afro dance styles. It’s a really empowering movement especially as a woman, because it's like a celebration of your body and your fertility.
What message would you like to send to other women on the journey of searching for themselves?
You’re valid as you are. When you “search for yourself”, you’re always going to be in a mindset where you don’t feel like you’re enough. Something I’ve learned on my own journey is that you’ll never be 100% where you want to be. It’s important to have gratitude for yourself and accept yourself as who you are right now.
