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February 25, 2025
At just 5 years old, Rafael Palacios first felt the power of movement when his father introduced him to dance — unknowingly igniting a passion that would define his son’s life and career.
“Dance, for me, is a sacred place,” Palacios says. “It’s where I communicate with the world and honor the roots that define me.”
Today, Palacios travels the world with Sankofa Danzafro, the dance company he established 27 years ago in Medellin, Colombia. His mission transcends performance — he’s challenging stereotypes about Black dance while mentoring new generations of artists including those at Northwestern.
For the past three months, Palacios and three members of his dance troupe have been sharing their passion for dance with dozens of Northwestern students. His winter quarter residency was co-presented by the dance program in the department of theatre and the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities.
“I’m trying to counter stereotypes of exoticism and eroticism in Black dance,” Palacios explained. “Afro-Colombian dance reflects the history of Black people, the struggle for existence, resistance and humanity. Dance allows us to reclaim the humanity that has always been denied to us.”
This philosophy resonates with Olabanke Goriola, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in performance studies. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from Rafael Palacios,” she said. “He has a humility you don’t see in many choreographers. He cares deeply about not just knowing the dance but embodying what the movement represents.”
For Goriola, whose research focuses on Black resistance, Palacios’ teachings are transformative. “Learning from someone who preaches Black resistance through your body — it perfectly aligns with my research,” she said.
