P.E.I. dancer/choreographer fusing cultural patterns to create something beautiful

By Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan 

Nov.23, 2023

Reequal Smith, P.E.I. dancer bringing women of all ethnicities together to feel empower and comfortable in their own body. Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan Photo.

Reequal Smith started dancing when she was four. 

“Dancing was not my choice, my mother enrolled me.” 

Like any child, Smith wasn't particularly fond of dancing at first.  

However, she fell in love with her dance class after seeing kids her own age dancing with her.

Smith was born and raised in the Bahamas. She relocated to Prince Edward Island in order to enroll in Holland College's School of Performance Arts program. 

She had trained in ballet, jazz, African and fire dancing. But coming to P.E.I., she had the opportunity to study modern dance.   

“I wanted to do something that would represent me and my culture in the way I move.” 

When she was about to graduate from the college, Smith and her mentor had a discussion that led her to launch a new career.

"He was like, ‘Why don’t you just do your thing?’ and I am like,’ you know what you’re absolutely right.’” 

Following her passion, Smith opened her Oshun Dance studio in March 2020.

Oshun represents an African Goddess who stands for sensuality, purity, and love. Smith thought the name fit for her studio. 

It focused on bringing females of all ethnicities together to feel empowered through the art of dance.  

Launching a new business in a new place isn’t easy either, she said. 

"Being new to the Island and starting own business, not knowing if people would gravitate to your work and appreciate your art is kind of fair.” 

Still, she succeeded. 

She invited dancers from her college and the Island to join and perform her first show called “Calypso Secrets” in 2020. 

“It mainly gravitates to lot of my Bahamian culture and it’s a piece of home. It was my first show.” 

Only 50 per cent of the capacity was open to watch performances because it was happening in the mid of pandemic. 

Smith decided to stage her performances outside so that more people could see them. 

Smith believes that Island is becoming more inclusive, diversified, and eager to participate as time goes on.   

“Coming from an island we don’t necessarily see black and white and it’s very warming to have the reciprocation from people.” 

Smith is passionate about dancing, and it has always been her escape mechanism. 

“Dance allows me to freely express and show who I am without saying much words,” she said. “I just let the music just take me wherever it takes me. My teacher always says that ‘There’s no such thing called a dumb dancer.’” 

Reequal(Middle) is teaching Afro-Caribbean style to the dancers Charlotte Byrne (left) and Callista Mclssac (right) for their upcoming classes in Oshun Dance studio on Nov.14, 2023. Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan Photo.  

Charlotte Byrne is one of the main dancers in the Oshun dance studio.  

She started dancing when she was six.

“Dance is like a therapy, and I want to incorporate in my everyday life.” 

Byrne said there are not lot of opportunities on Island for dancers. She didn't hesitate to join the dance studio when Smith reached out to her.   

“There’s Caribbean and Afro beats which is interesting because I never had training in that. It’s definitely not something available here on the island before.” 

Byrne enjoys this dance because she finds it challenging and it’s out of her comfort zone. 

“With Reequal, I always find something new that I’m learning. And I always look like an idiot at first, but I just laugh it out.” 

Byrne joined with no experience in this dance style, but she loved it. 

Dancing isn’t about remembering counts or dance steps but it’s always about embracing yourself, she said.  

“Don’t be afraid to express yourselves. Movement doesn’t have to be in orders; it could be as free as possible.’ 

The most important thing that Smith wants people to take from her dance is to be comfortable in their own skin.

Smith is planning to open a dance class for the public in 2024 and she encourages people to join it. 

To learn more about the new classes, reach out to Reequal Smith through her Instagram page: Oshun Dance studio.