Dexter Santos

Dancing with the wonderful and lovely Biancamaria Tedesco @marieblanche2 at Good Time Blues Fest in Guglionesi, Italy last July. One of the wonderful memories from this event. Video courtesy of @suekim.art . ❤️ #blues #bluesdance #bluesdancecommunity #dextersantosbluesdance #goodtimebluesfest #goodtimebluesfest2025

Here's a mostly improvised solo Blues performance I gave last month in Shenzhen, China at Groove the Bluesy Bay湾区布鲁斯节. The song is called "Hoodoo Man Blues" by Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. What I didn't plan is for the audience to request another performance on the spot, which is a first in my experience. Who am I to deny them? You can check out the other performance in my account. ☺️ Thanks to @kongkong_china for capturing this performance.

It’s Nina Simone’s birthday today! In honor of Nina, here is a choreography I created in 2017 to her song, “Tell Me More And More And Then Some” performed with my dear friend @noemissima at bluesSHOUT 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Inspired from the song, it’s an interpretation of desires between two lovers as expressed in dance, one wanting more and the other only able to give so much. When creating this choreography, I wanted to challenge myself from the typical performance and present something that felt more like a contemporary dance, simple yet expressive in its movements, that tells a story, very much steeped into the Blues, and guided by Nina’s soulful singing and expressive piano accompaniment. I wanted to explore feelings of vulnerability, longing, desire, and the simple joys in fleeting moments. I have various inspirations that went into creating this, but the performances of Alvin Ailey Dance Theater heavily influenced the look and feel of this choreography: the groundedness, the lines, shapes, asymmetry & symmetry, and more importantly the emotions as expressed through the body. I hope you enjoy it and give a listen to Nina Simone today. Happy birthday, Nina Simone! ❤️ #bluesdance #ninasimone #bluesdancecommunity #dextersantosbluesdance #bluesshout

Belta - Newcastle’s blues and fusion weekend, is back again. Teachers inc Annette Kühnle and Dexter Santos Live music from Stef Rosen, Newcastle’s King Bees and Andrea Harris’ band Ace & the Wild Cards www.hoodooblues.dance/belta-weekender #blues #bluesmusic #Dance #HoodooBlues #Newcastle

A lindy moment with a blues soul @bojangles215 🌟 #lindyhop #swingdance #blues #rome #ballodicoppia

This performance meant more to me than most people realized. A throwback to my improvised performance at The Spoonful in Edinburgh, Scotland during this same weekend in May 2025. This event marked my return to the European Blues dance festival scene after years of relative inactivity following the pandemic, aside from a few teaching opportunities in Spain, Lithuania, and Asia beginning in 2023. At this time last year, I was navigating major life changes, heartbreak, and loss. I had recently moved to Stirling, Scotland to begin a new chapter, uncertain of what the future would look like. But one thing I knew for certain was that I needed dancing and teaching back in my life — they were things that truly made me happy. At The Spoonful, I reconnected with people who knew me from years before and thought I had retired or stepped away from dance entirely. I also met many new people whose warmth and energy helped reignite my love for this community and this dance. ❤️ In many ways, this performance felt both like a reintroduction and a return to myself. The song I performed to is “Blisters” by The James Hunter Six. Endless thanks to @leighanderbard and the wonderful Spoonful team for inviting me at the last minute to teach, perform this piece, and also share another performance with my students. Special thanks to @zak_dance_travel_geek for capturing this performance. #bluesdance #dextersantosbluesdance #bluesdancecommunity #teachingtheworldtodance #blues

Heidi Fite @heidifite is coming to Europe in July! We will be teaching at various workshops in Europe and at Good Time Blues Fest in Guglionesi, Italy. We have the weekends of July 18 & 25 available if you’d like us to teach for your scene or community. So, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We will be based in Barcelona, Spain. #heidifite #dextersantosbluesdance #bluesdance #bluesdancecommunity #teachingtheworldtodance

It’s Duke Ellington’s birthday today! To celebrate his legacy and musical genius, I’m sharing a choreography of mine to one of his classics, “The Swingers Get The Blues, Too” performed at Sweet Molasses Blues in 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. Duke Ellington is a musical inspiration of mine and his songs are filled with such emotion, energy, and stories. For this piece, I wanted to reflect the contrast of human emotion between the feeling of despair and the feeling of joy – the range of Blues expression in the body. I wanted to convey how our spirits are revived as we rise from our “blues,” how we celebrate life and feel on top of the world…but also how our happiness can be taken away from us at any given moment. You can see my character’s progress from feeling low, a sense of loss, and despair, to feeling cool, confident, and high and back again. There’s jazz, some swing, a bit poppin’ and lockin’, but all Blues with influences of African movement and Michael Jackson. Happy birthday, Duke Ellington! #bluesdance #dextersantosbluesdance #bluesdancecommunity #dukeellington #sweetmolassesblues

Meet our Guest Teacher: We’re thrilled to welcome Dexter Santos! Dexter is one of the world’s most renowned Blues dancers and teachers. His dancing, charisma, and groove will make you move without even realizing it (at least that’s what happens to us when we watch him dance). You can find more about Dexter on his website: (/mydancesite/bio)

Hound Dog takes the floor 🖤🔥 Easter Blues in Rome✨ 🎥 Video by @marchese__marco #hounddog #bluesdance #performance #showcase #dancecommunity

Il Blues vissuto, condiviso, ricordato🖤 Gli scatti di Easter Blues in Rome with Dexter Santos✨ #bluesdance #workshop #weekendrecap #liveblues #danceevent

Three days of blues, connection and unforgettable moments🖤 From inspiring workshops and meaningful talks to live music, social dancing and those late-night moments that stay with you long after the weekend ends. Easter Blues in Rome was everything we hoped for and more. Thank you to everyone who joined us with such warmth, openness and incredible energy. To every dancer, every smile, every hug, every conversation, every song shared on the dance floor: you made this weekend truly special♥️ A heartfelt thank you to Dexter Santos for bringing his art, vision and beautiful energy to Rome. Special thanks to all the venues and spaces that welcomed us, to Simone Nobile and his band for the amazing live music and to the entire Swinghaus team whose passion and dedication made every detail possible. Our hearts are full❣️ See you on the next dance floor✨ #swinghaus #bluesdance #blues #eastertime #dancecommunity