Daily Inspiration: Meet Raw Groove

Today we’d like to introduce you to Constance Harris and Taylor Madgett. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Raw Groove is a highly dynamic and sought-after dance duo that specializes in dance education, choreography, and performance. Constance Harris and Taylor Madgett formed the group in 2021 after meeting during their graduate studies in dance at the University of Colorado Boulder. After graduating they decided to team up to work on creative projects.

Both specialize in Afro, House, Hip-Hop, and Twerk dance styles. They have been on faculty at the Mi Chantli dance studio of Boulder, are regular contributors to the Raqs Online dance platform, and have been featured frequently as performers for some of Colorado’s most lively dance festivals (CRAFt, Freeform, and Viva Brazil!) and parties (Scatta Afrobeats, Love Language and HYPE!).

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Constance: I think the most challenging part of our journey has been consistency. Consistency specifically in training because we specialize in pretty physically intense styles. To gain proficiency, you have to be disciplined even when you feel lazy or even when you don’t feel like you’re the best dancer. It’s easy to get discouraged but consistency will always reward you.

Taylor: I’d say that overall we have had a pretty smooth journey. Just as any career has its ups and downs, we roll with the punches as they arise. In the past year, we have had to navigate the challenge of being extremely busy, which can be overwhelming at times when all of the rehearsals, tech rehearsals, and performances start to take a toll on our bodies. However, we are extremely thankful for how busy we have been and look forward to more opportunities in Denver to come.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are dance educators, choreographers, and performers and the styles we specialize in are Afro, House, Hip-Hop, and Twerk. We’re most known for our high energy, virtuosity, and style. Some things we are proud of include becoming regularly featured dancers for Scatta Afrobeats and HYPE! 90s & 2000s Dance Parties.

One of our dance choreography videos was also recently selected to be in our first film festival, Sans Souci, earlier this year. We love being able to take all of our hard work from the studio to such lively spaces and interact with audiences in real-time. It’s one thing to just dance in the company of each other versus hundreds of people. We are grateful to be able to help elevate the energy of these events.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the COVID-19 crisis?
Constance: I’ve learned that the hustle never stops for independent artists. Your job security is reliant upon how much time and effort you put into your craft and how well you stay connected to the communities where you want to work.

I found during the beginning of Covid there was a lot of fear and insecurity about so many things and I also found myself wanting to fully acclimate to the slower pace of the new reality. However, I used the time to prepare for opportunities I wanted in my future. I choreographed, buckled down in my Afro-dance studies and training, and collaborated on small dance projects with friends. Staying active kept me ready for new opportunities and also helped me to build and maintain confidence in my artistry.

Taylor: I’ve learned to never take anything for granted. During Covid, we had to dance with masks on which was incredibly hard to do. Dancing is already a difficult feat in and of itself, especially at this altitude. When you add a mask on top of everything, dancing feels three times harder. I also realized how blessed I am to be able to perform for audiences regularly. During Covid, a lot of our gigs were canceled and there was an uncertainty for any further gigs to come for a long time. It felt amazing to return to the stage after a two-year hiatus.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thisisrawgroove

Image Credits
Asa Zalles-Milner, Armando Geneyro, Gretchen LaBorwit, and Dana Erlichman