This is the story of the JUMANO.

Back in 2011, I was scheduled to lead a 1-month workshop and creation process in Merida, México. Two weeks before I left for the project, I under-rotated a standing backflip and broke my left toe. The doctor told me that he would need to protect it and wear shoes when I danced. Normally, I teach and dance barefoot, so I compromised and wore only 1 shoe for the duration of the workshop.

During the workshop, in my basic (that’s being generous) Spanish, I continually referred to “human movement” as “movimiento de humano”. I incorrectly kept pronouncing the “h” even though in Spanish the “h” is silent. One patient student in particular kept reminding and correcting me, and yet I kept making the same mistake.

At the end of the 1-month process, this student gifted me with this whimsical handmade shirt with original image of a human being. If you look close, you can see the single shoe, and underneath, it is named “JUMANO” to honor and commemorate the fact that I never learned how to pronounce “humano” correctly.

To this day, JUMANO stands as a reminder to fight for something worth fighting for, and do so with humility, humor, and art.

JUMANO is my endearing colleague, friend, and logo.