Line dancing cultivates joy, togetherness

It keeps people moving though Minnesota’s long winters

Lyntrell Dixson and Essence Jibunor were discussing ways to cultivate joy and foster togetherness last spring when they decided to share their love of line dancing with anyone who wanted to learn.

Whenever the two attended events together they would line-dance, Jibunor recalled, a tradition influenced in part by their Southern roots. People around them often asked for lessons in the steps.

“We were like, ‘This is a pretty cool concept.’ It gets people moving, grooving, and just kind of interactive with one another as well,” Jibunor said.

In the summer, they started She Cultivates and held their first class teaching line dances. Like many African Americans, particularly in Southern states, Dixson and Jibunor grew up line dancing.

“Down South, when you get together with your family, your friends — you can be at a barbecue, a party setting, it doesn’t matter — we always break out in a line dance and it brings people together,” said Jibunor, a Floridian who moved to Minnesota in early 2023. “It’s movement, and it’s something that we just truly enjoy.”

Bria Black, a product manager at a retail company who moved from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Minnesota about seven years ago, has attended multiple She Cultivates classes.

“It was something that I’ve never experienced in the Twin Cities before, outside of with my friend,” she said. “I’ve never been able to learn them in that type of setting.”

Black said the classes provide not only a nontraditional exercise outlet but also a cultural connection. “We’re dancing to Black music, and we’re doing things that are historically Black,” she said. 

“For the Black community, that’s something we always kind of connect over, dancing, and it’s important in a place where it might be harder to find that community.” Creating a safe space where Black women can be themselves and shine while cultivating joy for everyone is a key goal for She Cultivates, Dixson said.

Jibunor added that it is imperative to share their culture with all participants. “It doesn’t matter what color you are or where you’re from. We want to spread what we bring to the room.

“Our ‘Electric Slide,’ our ‘Cha Cha Slide,’ or our ‘Wobble,’ all of the dances we have, we want to teach people of all kinds because there is no race to line dancing. We want to introduce that to different ethnicities and spread our culture at the end of the day because our culture is rich,” she said.

Dixson said the classes also encourage movement, which is especially valuable in Minnesota winters.

“It’s cold. You’re stuck at home oftentimes, and especially around this time, the biggest thing is movement,” said Dixson, who moved to Minnesota from Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. “We know how movement is connected to the body and the mind and how, for people suffering from depression or challenges they’re facing, movement is so important.”

Jibunor said line dancing also helps people step out of their comfort zones. “If you compare the South to Minnesota or the Midwest, people are more shy, kind of waiting for someone else to start. Our line dancing brings people out of their comfort zone, out of their seat, and just gets them loose and having fun.”

She Cultivates has a temporary partnership with Brooklyn Center Community Schools that began in November, holding two classes each month at Brooklyn Center Elementary. Independently, the co-founders also aim for two classes a month and offer private and corporate sessions.

As the classes continue into their first full year, Dixson and Jibunor hope to expand into senior living facilities, continue working with school systems, and provide space for community engagement, such as a recent “mommy and me” session.

Creating networking opportunities is also crucial for the founders as entrepreneurs. Jibunor owns a decor and event planning business, Essential Events, and Dixson runs Herban Meals, a catering and meal prep business.

“One person can change your entire business, can introduce you to someone that can change everything,” Jibunor said. “Putting on events to get people together — women together, Black women together, anyone — is our next goal. It’s just to create those environments, cultivated by us.”

Black said she has experienced this intentionality first-hand at She Cultivates events, noting ice-breaker questions, breakout groups, and themed sessions that allow participants to meet each other and feel carefree.

Damenica Ellis is a freelance journalist and contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.