Have you ever walked into a Lane Bryant store and notice a curly hair, full of life Latina woman smiling her life away while dancing her life into existence. If you know anything about the curves with moves movement, you know who Jessie Diaz - Herrera is. New York native who experienced dance and sports and kicking butt in karate class. She began her first true love dance at age five and continued to discover herself as a dancer in Janet Dance Studios from tap, jazz, ballet. As a pre teen she began to doubt herself, at the same time proving to the dance gods she is worthy by taking a ballet program test and passing it. Jessie`s role model she admire, who even gave her a hand in her dance world expressed she needed to maintain her weight better Jessie didn't know how to deal with such criticism and kept it to herself. She started to eat less and ended up not eating dinner, to the point of sickness with a high fever and passed out. Hospitalize, she hit a turning point in her life to want to do better for herself. Stepping into the college arena as a marketing major, in college you know you get discovered in the hallways and as a true diamond, a junior walked up to her and said "you seriously need to join the dance team" and from then her excitement of dance came back in the form of hip hop.
What encouraged you to start freestyle Fridays & Teach it Tuesdays ?
"I stopped blogging. After my pregnancy I began to get depressed because of my shape, I always was a thick girl but my shape changed so I was going through postpartum depression and I would watch old inspiring videos of myself and be like "I use to be amazing" my mind set me back.Three months later I took a class I felt GREAT & missed dancing and just having a big personality. Dance is my therapy. I started to love my body through dance again and I did it for me and I'm happy I can say "I did it". "
Freestyle Friday clip click here
What inspired you to be a model?
"I never thought I would be a model it was by accident Lane Bryant DM me and ask me to be apart of their active line. I thought it was fake like "yeah right" till I realized it was really them ! so I was excited I thought it was a classes".
How was collaborating with Lane Bryant?
"During the shoot I was so nervous I felt self conscious I wasn't losing up at all in the beginning till they said do you want some music I was like yes!! Once the music came , on I was relaxed and my best shots were from me dancing".
What do you want to accomplish as a plus size model representative?
I want to accomplish making people feel more body positive with themselves and others. I want people to feel good in their skin and to flaunt it "just do it " because you never know who is watching and needs to see self love. Its it own art. Their "no rules in art".
How do you balance being a mom a wife and a entrepreneur?
Its not easy, everyday their is something new. I have a supportive husband he supports everything I do. My mother is always there for me, she got my back it ; would be harder being a mother without my support system. (which is sooo true her momma was in the building dancing with us and you can tell her mother is her best friend).
How do you see yourself showing your daughter self love & to fight the hate? #Self Confidence
she is so sassy already (grandma co-signed ) with a lot of confidence, however me and my husband are on the thick side so I would show her diversity in race & culture around the world and show her all humans are different and probably see if I could get her on dance moms (we all laugh) but seriously keep her active and let her do what she loves she already likes to sing.
What encouraged you to do "Werkshops "?
On social media majority of my followers are from New York and I was always asked where could I take dance classes at? or how can I learn to dance so I just felt why not have people attend my workshops I wanted it to be more about building confidence, self love & dance too. I have people start with self love word puzzles and end my class with having people reflect in the mirror realizing their self worth and what the accomplished during this class.
end of class we reflected back on our self love with ourselves
Jessie is a FABLOUS representative of the Dance community, she so personal and reminds me of every little girl story who danced and they were a thickums like me ! I danced in school forever and my mother also push me to join Alvin Ailey. There, I learn to build self confidence through dance and I loved every minute dancing with girls I grew to love and most importantly learned how to love me. I encourage every little girl to dance their heart out or every women to join a yoga class, do something for you and your spirit I promise at the end of it you will feel better then you did an hour ago. Practice self love then and only then you could spread your love with others.
Sidebar: you don't want to miss it, she's teaming up with exclusive people (promise to keep a secret) š If you want to learn some killer dance moves from Jessie check out the video below:
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