Dancing In The Streets
When the sun comes out and you’re wearing something amazing, what else can you do but dance?!
Photography by Sarah Burton Fielding
Dancer Micah Barnes didn’t take the traditional route into dance but she got there nonetheless and couldn’t be happier for it. We caught up with her on a sunny day in London to chat about the pure, unadulterated joy that moving brings to her life.
How instinctive is it when you're dancing or are you consciously thinking through each move?
It depends on if I’m performing choreography or doing my own thing. With choreography, I’ll repeat the routine so much until the moves become so engrained in muscle memory that you don’t as much have to consciously think about them and instead just focus on performing. When it comes to freestyle I’ll listen and just let the music guide my movements.
What's your background? Did you train at dance school or has it been a more organic journey?
My dance training has been pretty unconventional. I started taking dance classes while I was studying journalism at university, where I quite quickly discovered that I hated writing and loved dancing.
I made it my mission to take as many different classes as I possibly could and from there, was lucky enough to start training with some amazing hip hop dance companies in London.
My modelling work has taken me all over the world these past 9 years from New York, to Cape Town and Paris and I’ve taken as many classes as humanly possibly everywhere I’ve lived, soaking up as much training as I could.
I’ve loved every minute of this unique, patchwork type of dance journey. Starting out at such a late age forced me to lose any inhibitions and care less about possibly starting off as the shittest in the room, but instead letting that motivate me to to quickly push to a higher level. I feel incredibly lucky have been taught from some of the most talented dancers around the world.
How does movement help with your mental health?
It’s kind of hard to put into words how happy dancing makes me feel, the goofy huge smile on my face when I’m in a class is probably a better indication.
For those 90 minutes that you’re training, you forget any other outside worries and instead feel only complete joy and happiness. Also being in such a social and supportive environment makes me feel really connected and I’ve gained so many close friendships from dancing.
When have you felt most liberated dancing - was it with a specific choreographer or performance?
Kenrick Sandy is one of my all-time favourite dancers and teachers. He literally exudes passion for his craft and it’s infectious. Training with him and his company was probably the time I’ve felt most liberated and powerful.
What are your thoughts on fashion and movement? Do certain things you're wearing make you move differently? How the styling for this shoot affect your movement?
What I’m wearing massively affects how I move, it helps me take on a completely different persona for each different style I’m doing. For me, fashion and dance go hand in hand.
I’ll choose more oversized outfits for more grounded, strong, hip hop type of movement. When training ballet I’ll wear something form fitting to feel strong and poised. And for my most recent obsession, pole dancing, I’ll use crazy heels and more daring outfits to create a completely different character.
In this shoot, Lauren mixed quite elegant and flowy pieces with some beautiful structured suits, so my movement reflected that with long lines and quirky shapes.
What's your favourite song or music to dance to?
My favourite music to dance to is neo soul and alternative R&B, from Erykah Badu, to Frank Ocean and 6lack. These genres tend to call for long, flowy movement and grooves mixed with sharps hits, that I feel compliments the long limbs.
READ OTHER STORIES IN THIS MONTH’S MOVEMENT ISSUE
Photographer: Sarah Burton Fielding
Stylist: Lauren T Franks
Hair and Makeup: Oonagh Anderson
Suit, Fillipa K; Top and Shoes, Cos
Suit, Joseph; Shoes, Rejina Pyo
Suit and shoes, Rejina Pyo
Suit, The Kooples, Shoes Rejina Pyo
Suit, Paul Smith; Top, Nanushka; Shoes, Cos
Suit and shoes, all Cos
Jacket, Paul Smith; Dress, David Koma; Shoes, Cos
Suit, RadaRada; Shoes, Rejina Pyo