Michnella Eugenio

“I’ve always been told that I had a history of creative arts and dancing within my family,” says Michnella Eugenio, a dancer of 22 years. Her journey began around 2001 when she attended The New Life Family Church. She had the opportunity to worship through dance, which led to her performing during the Sinach concert.

“My dance life changed when I went to study in the Netherlands. I joined Cadence & Co as a backup Dancer to Mischulaikah and Roxxy Richardson. My first performance was at the event DJ OR DIE. Due to changes, the backup dancers became the “Tha Company” dance group managed by Ms. R. Richardson.

This dance group was focused on the genre of Dancehall. I enjoyed being a part of this dance group because of the socializing and traveling to various provinces to perform at multiple events. We performed at Jamrock and in Tilburg before the artist Sizzla’s performance at La Vida., to name a few.

For me, dancing is a way of showing what I feel inside because when I hear music, I have the urge to express myself through movement.” We are human beings, which means we have emotions, which for me means energy in motion. That energy of happiness, sadness, anger, etc., can be expressed in various ways through dance. When I saw my older sister, Miranda Patterson, and my brother, Uri Eugenio, dance, it inspired me! Whenever I hear music, I would make a choreography in my head and see if I can do it.

My favorite aspect of being a dancer is being in different environments and the performance itself.

Art is vital to society. We get to feel people through their art. It makes me think and opens my mind to something else - especially if I see a new form of painting or dancing. I feel connected to the artist.

The community can do a lot to help artists, such as collaborating, donating, and hiring. It would be great to have an art center in St Maarten where we could go to dance shows, a gallery for visual arts (paintings, photography, etc.), cooking, and other various forms of art. There should be a database for artists to sign up where the community can look for the multiple artists where they will be known to the community, region or even as far as internationally.

I want to congratulate all schools, entrepreneurs, etc., who have embraced within their hearts a place for the creative arts within our society. To my fellow artists, silence the noise and look within! Also, to my fellow beings, remember, dance to the beat of your own drum.”