Meet Yoland Chavez of Fusion World Dance. Yoli as her friends call her, has been in the dance world for some years now, 25 to be exact! In 1999, Yoli attended her very first belly dancing class which inspired her to begin her dancing journey. In the early 2000’s Yoli traveled the West Coast and that’s where she was introduced to the recreational fun as well as the healing aspects of cannabis. Studies in Bali, Indonesia only honed her passion for dance and she returned to her hometown of Portales, NM to teach belly dance classes at Easter New Mexico University. While instructing students in the art of belly dance at ENMU, Yoli also took a role as an Advisor and Director of a dance collective, appropriately named, Fusion Funk Collective. Yoli held this position with Fusion Funk from 2008 until 2014. Fusion Funk grew to be the largest student organization on the ENMU campus comprising of fire dancers, artists, drummers and of course belly dancers. Some of her best memories involve dance, like in 2008 and 2009 when she attended The Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp on a scholarship. Yoli has hosted Bollywood Superstar Queen Harish and even participated in events like Amaya’s Shimmy Shake and the Colorado State Dance Championship. Yoli’s dance experience comprises of many diverse styles including East Indian and Rajasthani Folk dancing, Tribal and Cabaret Style Belly Dancing, and Spanish Folk.
In 2021, Yoli faced a massive challenge when she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, but she didn’t let that hold her back. Using the mental and physical tools she has learned through years of dance and yoga, along with the healing properties of cannabis and energy medicine Yoli defied the odds and beat breast cancer.
As a certified YogaFit Yoga instructor and accomplished belly dancer, Yoli now teaches Yoga and Belly Dance at Clovis Community College. She recently began her journey into the business world as well, starting Fusion World Dance in Portales, NM. When Yoli is not teaching and instructing she also participates in different dance events like; The Ethnic Fair and The Peanut Valley Festival where she celebrates diversity and artistic expression with her like-minded peers. Yoli also serves as an Advisory Board Member for the New Mexico Belly Dance Association. In her business life, Yoli offers private yoga sessions where her clients have her full attention. She also offers pricing plans for clients as well as a “Student Warrior Plan” for $30/month. When I asked her, “If you only had one sentence to give someone your best tip, what would it be?” She replied, “Let go of expectations. Let go of judgements. Let go of competition.” Yoli said this is something she expresses at the beginning of every yoga class she teaches and believes that that statement is true both on and off the yoga mat.
You can find Yoli co-teaching a beginner’s belly dancing class at The Canna House by High Society Rentals titled, Shake and Bake Belly Dancing on Saturday, March 23rd at 4:30pm with her friend and fellow dance aficionado Melissa Adams. There is a $5 love based donation at the door and please feel free to bring your own cannabis.
See Her Instagram here
See Her Facebook here
Peace, Love and Cannabis.
Matt
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