Yvana Romelus

Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up Haitian-American in Elizabeth, New Jersey, movement was how I first understood where I came from. The rhythms, the storytelling, the pride woven into every step — they connected me to my heritage in a way nothing else could. Dance was never just an activity for me. It was a language, a lifeline, and a mirror.

As I grew, that love deepened into a calling. I became a dance educator working with youth and adults across community and school settings, and I built communities — both online and in person — centered on growth, confidence, and honest conversation. Everywhere I taught, I saw the same thing: young people hungry for culturally rooted training, and too few places offering it with the depth and respect it deserves.

I kept meeting talented dancers — many of them from communities like the one I grew up in — who had passion and potential but no clear path forward. No structured training. No mentorship. No affordable studio where they could study their own cultural traditions taught with intention. Haitian and Afro-Diasporic dance, in particular, was too often treated as an afterthought rather than a rigorous, worthy discipline. That gap is not accidental. It reflects who has historically been given access to the arts and who has been left out.

I founded Lakayro to close that gap. “Lakay” means “home” in Haitian Creole, and that is exactly what I wanted to build — a home where young people and adults can train seriously, learn the history and meaning behind what they dance, and see themselves reflected in the art form. A place where culture is preserved, not diluted; where talent is developed, not wasted; and where dance opens doors to confidence, leadership, and community.

My vision is long-term. I want Lakayro to raise a generation of culturally grounded, confident young artists who know who they are and where they come from — and who carry that pride into every stage of life. I believe that when we give underserved youth access to high-quality arts education rooted in their own heritage, we don’t just train dancers. We build leaders, preserve culture, and strengthen entire communities.