About
Christina was born on the paradise island of Mauritius and immigrated to Australia when she was 6 years old. She has a Bachelor of Science degree and a background in medical laboratory and pharmaceutical research, which makes her mind hugely curious, analytical, and always seeking solutions. Her work led her to a realisation that there was more to life, and wanting to delve deeper into what that meant, plus to explore her love of dance & rhythm, led her to discover Cuban folkloric dance and roots. After a 5-year post in Sweden as a medical researcher, Christina spent one year in Cuba studying Cuban dance & spirituality, and then took that knowledge and experience to Australia, where she pioneered Australia’s 1st Cuban Dance Academy in 1999 in Melbourne, which gained national & international recognition, and contributed to the authenticity and popularity of Cuban dance in Australia today.
Christina has now dedicated herself to using her creativity & exuberant passion to bring people together, mainly through a Cuban dance and music focus, and also through encouraging all cultures to exchange & share their folklore. Her full initiation into the spirituality of Cuba reconnected her to her West African ancestry.
Before recently relocating to the Gold Coast, Christina had been based in Coffs Harbour for 7 years, where she had the opportunity to diversify what she does in her small business Kulturithmik, teaching Cuban dance to both adults and in schools. She became a major part of the arts and cultural development of the community as a whole and did this through supporting and enhancing the various existing community and cultural festivals on the Coffs Coast like Harmony Festival, Sawtell Chilli Festival and Woolgoolga Curryfest, plus introducing new festivals like Afrekete Afro-Cuban Summer Dance & Music Camp, WOW Women of the World and International Women’s Day (IWD) Celebrations. She is passionate about promoting arts and culture and advocates for all intercultural groups and the local Indigenous peoples to represent, share and exchange. Afrekete brings people from all around Australia and NZ to participate while local groups are also invited to showcase and share their culture. Christina had also been an active member of Coffs Harbour City Council’s Cultural Reference Group.
Recognising and self-actualising her own core values for connection and belonging, Christina became a facilitator of Women’s Sacred Story Circles. The circles were developed by core members of the WOW Women of the World Community in collaboration with local Indigenous elder and mentor, Aunty Bea Ballangarry, and supported by the Coffs Harbour Women’s Health Centre. It was through this work and at WOW events that Christina was awarded the 2015 Coffs Harbour IWD International Woman of the Year. She promotes self-confidence and self-esteem through dance and especially advocates for women and young girls to find their voice and follow their calling.
