This series document a Haitian Dance Class at the Beach. This was a beautiful, magical and healing dance class.

Something about dancing water dances at the beach and water gives Yanvalou, Mayi, Parigol a different feeling. Yanvalou honors the spirit Damballa, the primordial creator of life in the Vodou tradition. We were dressed in white to symbolize the life-giving spirit of Damballa.

Damballa is one of the most important of all loa, spirits in Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo traditions. He is portrayed as a great white serpent, originating in the city of Wedo (Whydah or Ouidah) in modern-day Benin.