Profile

"I'm not teaching a class; I'm teaching a lifestyle!"

Best described as an “organic stylist”, Aaron Richards has sought only to be the free expressionist spirit that he is.  Over the last thirteen years, his passions of Dance and Chinese Traditional Wushu truly rule how he lives his life on and away from the dance floor.  Seeking not to follow conventions, but to use them as only a doorway to greater consciousness of self, he formed Freedom Kinetic Arts to expose others to the potential liberty of their own soul through the study of Gung Fu and Salsa dancing; two art forms that have more in common than is immediately perceptible.

Being raised in the inner-city neighbourhoods of Toronto had exposed Aaron to grassroots Hip-Hop culture where funk, disco, and break dancing had become the first means with which to express himself via music.  It was not until his mid-teens did he discover the not-so-contemporary sounds of electronic music, allowing him to set free the loving, musical soul that was within.

By exploring the Toronto underground “rave” music scene, Aaron had further developed an acute ear for rhythm and musical arrangement that later saw him take an interest in electronic music disc jockeying and later to become the Technical Director of Seneca College Radio.  Aaron and his individual style had also been invited to appear multiple times on CityTV’s long running Electric Circus and New Music dance and music culture programs. But later, Aaron had desired to explore a passion he had long adored.

Aaron’s early college years had seen him rediscover the love of Chinese Martial Arts he had had since he was four years old, but had only until this time had the opportunity to fully immerse himself.  With the teachings of Grand Master Chan Yue (hailing from Taishan province) of Hong Luck Gung Fu Association, Aaron had tirelessly studied all aspects of the Cai Li Fo martial system and has earned competition medals in demonstrating hand and weapon forms and free-style fighting.

But the aspect that most speaks to his rhythmical abilities is that of the Zhongguo Wu Shi, or Chinese Lion Dance.  Calling upon his deep musicality and the agility brought by his dedication to the martial arts, Aaron had crafted a Lion Dance like no other that had become renown through Southern Ontario with him and his partner at the request of government politicians, aristocrats, and Toronto celebratory events time and again.  Now his soul sought a new challenge: the expression of music with another…

For Aaron, partner dancing was a new frontier of creativity as the unique rhythm and technique he had developed from funk and electronic music culture, and the precision and power embodied in Chinese Traditional Wushu, sought to share his joy, his passion, his transformation, and his freedom.

Upon discovering the beauty of Latin-style street dancing, a new part of Aaron had burst out to express all that he loved.  In Toronto night clubs like Lula, Acrobat, and Baba’luu’s, he was first taken under the proverbial wings of the Afro-Cuban Sage, Ana Machado and the Argentinean Hot-Stepper, Miko Sobrera who had first shown Aaron that he had special gifts to share with others.

Helping Aaron to translate his emotions through Latin music, he has benefited from the teachings of international performers Davin Li, Akila Venkatesh, Teddy Olaso, Caryl Cuizon & Angus Dirnbeck, Tina & Estelle Nicolaidis and Jerome Jean-Gilles, Sekou McMiller, Kevin A. Malabre and Orville Small with respect to Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Cha-Cha, Rumba and even Jazz.

Being empowered in dance and Gung Fu, Aaron had realized that both art forms are not at all dissimilar, “Fighting and (partner) dance are exactly the same thing, the only difference is the context; both are a connection, a conversation.”

Drawing upon his experience in both realms of expression, and as a Certified Martial Arts Fitness Professional, Aaron had combined his intuitive knowledge of movement and fitness to realize the Power Conditioning for Dancers Workshop that utilizes specific Shaolin Wushu exercises to develop dancer's abilities in frame control, lead/follow sensitivity, joint flexibility and posture stability.

Currently, Aaron Richards is the founder of Freedom Kinetic Arts and is the principle instructor for Chinese Martial Arts and Dance instruction.  He also is an organizer and instructor for Sidewalk Salsa events here in Toronto that brings the power and magic of salsa directly to people, and one of the principle instructors and creative directors for University of Toronto affiliated Salsaholics Anonymous.

- with editing by LYW