Meet our Artists
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Djenane Saint Juste | Dance
Djenane Saint Juste | Dance
Djenane Saint Juste, a native of Haiti, is trained in ballet, hip-hop, modern, jazz and ballroom, as well as a vocalist specializing in Haitian traditional dance and folklore. With her inventive and nurturing teaching techniques, she inspires children to dance and let go of their inhibition while learning and having fun.
Djenane is the founder and artistic director of AFOUTAYI, an Haitian, Dance Music and Arts company based in Minnesota. Djenane has trained in ballet, hip hop, modern, jazz and ballroom at the Institute de Danse JAKA, Institut de Danse Vivianne Gauthier, Artcho Dance Company in Haiti and Dancing Classroom by Pierre Dulaine in New York. She is currently pursuing a license in ESL and a Master in Education at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis.
“Djenane was fantastic!! She was extremely friendly, outgoing, and personable with the host site and the audience. Her son was very nice, as well. You can tell Djenane loves performing and sharing her cultural heritage with others, and she did it in such a way that the young children in attendance were engaged throughout. She explained things at their level, which I appreciated. And she also took care to present to the older demographic in our crowd. Our performance was booked by the public library but held at a senior nursing home, with residents in attendance along with families from the library community. Everyone was smiling and dancing in their seats (or on their feet) at times during the performance. Afoutayi came highly recommended from a previous librarian, and I am so glad I booked her. I would definitely have Djenane back again.”
She is a faculty member in the world dance department at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts and an artist in residency at Hamline University and St Olaf University. Ms. Saint Juste is also a Ballroom dance teacher for Heart of Dance in the Twin Cities. Djenane has experience working with newcomer families or people who have been the victims of major catastrophe by using dance therapy from her Haitian dance back ground. Djenane also has experience performing at Juvenile Center and Seniors community center. Djenane has more than fifteen years of experience working with K-12 students in public and private school in Haiti and the US. Djenane teaches in four different languages: French, Creole, Spanish and English. She is also the recipient of the 2016 Knight Arts Challenge Grant as well as a nominee at the Sage award for Dance. Additionally, Djenane is a board member at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.
“Your positive energy rubs off on all of us every day and makes us happy every time we have your class.”
In 2020, Djenane became a published writer with her first children book, “The Mermaid and The Whale” [Lasirèn ak Labalèn, La Sirène et La Baleine, La Sirena y La Ballena]. The Mermaid and the Whale is a story inspired by the Haitian folk song of “Lasirèn ak Labalèn” a song that have been passed down from generation to generation through traditional dance, music and oral storytelling in Haiti. Written in four languages (English, Haitian Creole, French and Spanish), The Mermaid and the Whale is a story about love, integration, resilience and true happiness. This is a book for youth of all ages to inspire them to discover their inner gold and inspire them to connect and value others despite their differences.
Learn more about Djenane in her December 2016 Artist Spotlight interview.
I teach to inspire, to connect, to communicate, to share my knowledge, and to express my love and joy of dancing. I am responsible for providing rich experiences for all types of learners to grow from. My goal as a dance educator is to instill in students a strong sense of self confidence, personal connection with their surroundings, and various life skills that they can use to function appropriately in society. In order to achieve this goal; I would consistently encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, self- motivation and discipline. It is important to create an atmosphere where students can feel comfortable enough to take risks as they explore their bodies through movement and other dance elements such as space, time, and energy.
Sample Programs: Customizable To Site’s Needs
Workshop
Lakansyel (Rainbow)
Performance is our way of recognizing Haiti and its vibrant mosaic cultural. Each workshop will be centered around Folkloric and Traditional Haitian Rhythms. Students will learn about the syncretic origin of Haitian dance, a conglomeration of French, African, and Taino indigenous movements and rhythms born in Haiti.
Students will also learn about the costumes used in the traditional dance forms, traditional games and the color symbolism of the costumes. They will learn the relationship between song and storytelling in traditional Haitian and popular Creole culture.
The workshop will conclude with students learning choreography to be performed in a group performance dramatically with the master artists on stage. The students are left with a deeper understanding of Haitian history and forms of traditional cultural expression.
