Overview:
He was born and raised in some of the conservative Christian households in Bombardopolis, Haiti’s northwest. Nonetheless, Caleb Exantus has discovered his calling and mission by doing what most individuals least anticipated of him: touring the world to show Konpa dance as a substitute of preaching the gospel. Exantus is primarily pushed to advertise Haitian satisfaction and tradition across the globe. The dancer rose to prominence, profitable accolades and prestigious awards. He has amassed a faithful following worldwide by his signature firm, CEX Crew—quick for Caleb Exantus Crew—whereas influencing the enchantment of Konpa dance music.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Whenever you first meet Haitian American dancer and choreographer Caleb Exantus, you may by no means guess that this mild, smiley-faced, soft-spoken 33-year-old is similar electrifying performer who packs dance flooring and conference halls all over the world. Clips of his viral movies additionally appeal to tens of millions of viewers throughout social media platforms. Raised in some of the conservative Christian households in Haiti’s northwest area, males like Exantus had been anticipated to change into preachers, following in his patriarch’s footsteps. As an alternative, Exantus discovered his calling within the pulsing beat of Konpa music, utilizing dance to share Haitian tradition with the world.
“Kite Konpa mache [Let Konpa rule],” Exantus typically says with a giant, fascinating smile. “I consider God gave me a unique type of ministry. As an alternative of preaching from the pulpit, I unfold the message of Haitian tradition by each Konpa step I educate.”
Born in Delmas 19, northeast Port-au-Prince, Exantus was raised—till age 5—in a small Bombardopolis community the place church life was paramount. After that, he moved along with his mother and father and siblings to South Florida, the place he largely grew up, singing hymns and attending church providers and Bible research a number of occasions every week. Whereas these early experiences instilled in him a way of self-discipline and dedication, they left little room for artistic expression exterior of non secular actions.
At this time, he performs on phases and teaches the signature rhythms of Haiti worldwide.
From Bombardopolis to South Florida
Rising up amongst many Haitians who know his household nicely, the younger Exantus has carried a heavy evangelical management legacy courting again to the early Fifties. His grandfather, the late Rev. Paul Exantus, was the pastor of a Nazarene Church in Faligan, Bombardopolis, Haiti. His father, Rev. Steve Daniel Exantus, is likely one of the most outstanding and revered figures within the Haitian immigrant group of Broward County, Florida, the place he has been pastoring since arriving in america within the Nineties.
“Individuals could also be shocked as a result of I’m a pastor’s son, and my grandfather was a pastor, too,” Exantus says. “However dancing and educating Konpa music, a vital a part of our tradition, will not be sacrilege to my religion. I’m simply making Haiti’s values, traditions, and tradition recognized and appreciated whereas having fun with myself.”
Exantus’ appreciation for Konpa has tremendously advanced. “It’s not only a mere pastime,” he insists. “For me, Konpa has change into a robust connector between Haitian People and their heritage and between Haitians and the remainder of the world.”
“Individuals could also be shocked as a result of I’m a pastor’s son, and my grandfather was a pastor, too. However dancing to Konpa music, a vital a part of our tradition, can also be a approach to present affection and pleasure. Whether or not they’re devoted worshipers or not, individuals don’t make love whereas listening to the Christian songs reserved for worshiping God. They use music to spice issues up, and as a rule, Konpa music accomplishes this.”
Caleb Exantus, Konpa Dance Teacher and Founding father of CEX Crew
Moreover, Exantus considers Konpa music a means for individuals to share affection and love with each other. “Whether or not they’re devoted Christians or not, individuals don’t make love whereas listening to Christian songs or music. They use music to spice issues up, and as a rule, they use Konpa music to realize that,” Exantus provides.
Nonetheless, the self-declared household man and soon-to-be father of two argues that embracing Konpa doesn’t make him stop the church or diminish his devotion to God, as some may assume. However, the rhythms of Haitian music—pushed by vibrant guitars, regular percussion, drumbeats, and soulful horns—have captured his coronary heart.
Exantus started training Konpa dance within the Haitian-heavy Miami cultural golf equipment and good friend circles throughout his faculty years, emulating the steps and strikes he noticed at native celebrations.
Though up to date Haitian church buildings undertake completely different variations of Konpa music, some conservative communities regard social dancing with warning and look at the musical type as too secular. “Sa a se mizik lemond,” many typically say, referring to Konpa.
Raised with modesty, humility, Christian values and traditions
“My father all the time says,” Exantus remembers: “‘Sa males dwat bay, males goch pa bezwen konnen,’” a Creole expression emphasizing discretion and humility.
The dancer is usually reminded of the modesty and custom espoused by his household. “Regardless that my father has by no means pressured me to be a pastor,” he says, “skilled dancing was not precisely on his radar for me.”
“How are you Haitian, and also you don’t love your tradition? You don’t wish to dance Konpa, communicate Creole, and even acknowledge you might be Haitian. Look how large Haitian tradition has change into!—our music, our dance, and our meals.”
Caleb Exantus, Konpa Dance Teacher and Founding father of CEX Crew
The Konpa Dance trainer, the firstborn of a household of 4 kids—together with three boys and one lady—reveals nice gratitude towards his mom, Mercenieuse Petithomme Exantus, who sadly handed away in 2023 as a consequence of most cancers.
“In distinction to my father, who typically and maybe unconsciously behaves embarrassingly towards me, my late mom was all the time there for me and really supportive. She inspired me in my endeavors,” the younger man confides to The Haitian Instances, nearly in tears.
“My mother taught me to all the time deal with individuals respectfully,” he stated. “She would inform me: ‘Don’t be soumoun [don’t be fresh with others]; all the time be calm and assured in your work; by no means be cocky. Individuals may have an opinion of you even once they don’t know you.’ I preserve these phrases near my coronary heart.”
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Being a son, father and husband, Exantus can also be grateful to his spouse, Wilande. She has supported his time-consuming profession as a dancer and monetary banker for the previous decade. “Making room for each and elevating a younger household concurrently is a balancing act for me,” he says. “I owe a debt of gratitude to my spouse, whose help has been impeccable and unwavering. She understands what makes me pleased and appreciates my skilled life.”
Instructing the world by a replicable system
“Konpa to the World,” Exantus typically exclaims, describing his system’s mission and imaginative and prescient to beat the globe by making individuals perceive Haitian tradition.
The 33-year-old is outspoken concerning the significance of cultural satisfaction, typically encouraging fellow Haitians to rejoice their language, meals, and music overtly wherever they reside.
“There are three issues that bond individuals collectively essentially the most: meals, music, and sports activities,” he stated. “Our meals is doing very nicely. However our music is phenomenal. Individuals don’t perceive our vibrant tradition as a result of we don’t promote our music sufficient. For me, Konpa, an expression of our Haitian voice, is the way in which to do it.”
Exantus believes that educating the world makes individuals respect Haitian tradition extra. Whereas working onerous on the world stage, he continues to affect youthful generations of Haitians and people of Haitian descent within the diaspora as nicely.
“How are you Haitian or of Haitian origin, and also you don’t love your tradition?” Exantus just lately requested in a Fb put up. “You don’t wish to dance Konpa, communicate Creole, and even acknowledge that you’re Haitian. I perceive that again within the day, a few of you had been afraid to inform individuals you had been Haitians as a result of they might battle or disrespect you. These days, nearly everybody respects our tradition. Look how large Haitian tradition has change into!—our music, our dance, and our meals,” he added.
The dancer has amassed a faithful following worldwide by his signature firm, CEX Team—quick for Caleb Exantus Crew. Initially, he taught small Konpa workshops, which grew by phrase of mouth alone. What began as a sideline ardour rapidly turned a full-time vocation as Exantus traveled throughout america—and ultimately the world—to share Konpa’s distinctive strategies and cultural roots.
Video through Caleb Exantus
Every place he goes, he’ll educate after which set up a CEX Crew with instructors prepared to steer and prepared to proceed spreading the tradition there whereas replicating his educating mannequin.
At this time, Exantus stands among the many most acknowledged Konpa dancers and instructors internationally, touring festivals, competitions, concert events, dance congresses, and cultural occasions from Tampa, Florida; Paris, France; and the Netherlands to Ukraine; from Las Vegas, Nevada; to Brooklyn, New York; to Montreal, Canada; and from Thailand to Nairobi, Kenya; and Dubai, UAE. The CEX Crew is now current on six of the seven continents. Courses mix the structured grace of conventional Haitian Konpa steps with fashionable and fusion kinds, delighting each novices and seasoned dancers.
Past strategies, Exantus weaves tales about Haiti’s distinctive and illustrious historical past, in addition to the excellence and endurance of Haitians all through his classes. He believes that this context is important for actually understanding and respecting the artwork type.
Exantus has gained recognition for his work selling Haitian tradition by Konpa dance, with a number of main achievements highlighting his influence. In December, he received the Mundi Music Awards (MMA) for Greatest Worldwide Dancer at a glamorous ceremony in Dubai, beating opponents like Sydney Blaylock, Jenny Bosenge, Kkaylee Bays, and Lévy Cayuga. He sees this award as proof of his success in sharing Haiti’s tradition with audiences all over the world.
His journey began in 2017 when his workforce took first place at Florida Atlantic College’s Greatest Haitian Dance Troupe competitors and earned second place the next 12 months. In 2021, Haitians Who Weblog named him Dance Artistic of the 12 months for his distinctive choreography and contributions to the Haitian diaspora’s artwork scene.
The whole lot you should learn about Konpa
Konpa, typically spelled “Compas,” its French morphology, is the trendy dance music of Haiti, credited to bands led by musicians Némours Jean-Baptiste and Webert Sicot within the Fifties. Identified for its full of life tempo, joyful taste, and the shut, sleek dance type that accompanies it, Konpa has lengthy been a staple of Haitian festivities and social gatherings.
Exantus teaches all three main types of Konpa kinds: conventional (Konpa Dirèk), fashionable, and fusion.
- Conventional Konpa, also referred to as Konpa Dirèk, is the unique type of the Konpa dance that emerged alongside the music style created by Jean-Baptiste and Sicot. Structured rhythms and harmonic preparations characterize it.
Key options of Conventional Konpa:
- Emphasis on shut accomplice work.
- Clean, flowing actions.
- A two-step dance/basic referred to as “kare” (sq.).
- Formal and structured method to dancing.
- Fashionable Konpa, typically referred to as Konpa Gouyad, advanced from the normal type as Konpa music underwent some transformations. This type emerged as dancers and stage choreographers sought to precise themselves extra freely and sensually throughout the Konpa framework.
Key options of Fashionable Konpa embody:
- Slower, extra sensual variation of conventional Konpa.
- Deal with physique isolations, significantly hip actions.
- Emphasis on emotional and sensual expression by dance.
- Extra adaptable to up to date music tendencies.
- Incorporation of parts from different dance kinds and concrete tradition.
- Fusion Types, together with Mini-Jazz Konpa, symbolize the newest evolution of Konpa dance. These kinds mix conventional Konpa parts with influences from different dance kinds and musical genres.
Key options of Fusion Types Konpa:
- Incorporation of parts from numerous dance traditions (e.g., salsa, zouk, kizomba).
- Extra experimental and eclectic in nature.
- Typically carried out to music that blends conventional Konpa rhythms with fashionable influences.
- Smaller bands and the incorporation of city tradition parts (particular to Mini-Jazz Konpa).
- Higher freedom for particular person expression and creativity.