EXPRESS YOURSELF
BY ANTONIO MESSAM
My name is Antonio Messam and I'm a professional Dancer and Personal Trainer. I have performed
for stars such as Ariana Grande, Jason Derulo, and I choreographed for Juno Winner Simone Denny.
At the age of 18, I was homeless and attempted suicide at the age of 19 because of this. After my
failed attempt, I decided that if I were to survive, I would help dedicate my life to ensuring others
would never have to experience the pain that I had.
A few years later I established myself as a dancer. Performance opens up a side of myself that
allows me to feel emotionally connected to myself. My students tell me the same thing. A feeling I
never understood until later in my life. I decided to dance because I needed money to survive and
at the time I saw opportunities in the dance industry. I taught a young boy how to dance and his
mother told me that I inspired him. Before meeting me he never listened in school or got along well
with others. After working together for a short time, in difficult situations he began to ask himself,
"What would Antonio do?” I never understood how I made an impact on him or others until later in
my life. His mother told me that she loves dance fitness classes and asked if I could create one that
was unique and different. At first I refused because I didn’t know where to start. She encouraged me
to try and KAI Dance Fitness was born.
KAI means "life". I chose this name because I did not create this program for myself. I created it
for others. After I learned more styles of dance and my skills improved; I decided to call it “Anto-
nio's Dance Fusion” because of the mixture of many styles including pop, reggae, African, and belly
dance. What makes Dance Fusion unique is that I do not teach you how to dance; I encourage you
to express yourself. Expression is the key to most of our decisions in life because it dictates our
emotions. If I can have you express joy, love, and passion, I made a difference in your life to live
healthy and well.
If you are looking to start dancing or build your skills, I encourage you to take a class! Classes allow
you to learn from a professional and you feel comfortable in a private area where others are not
judgmental. Improvement comes from taking your time to train your mind when executing a move.
Many people believe that dance is purely physical, but in reality it's more mental. I always practice
my techniques mentally before I execute the movements because my mind controls me. This will
make you sharper and keep you safe while practicing or performing.