RAPHAEL XAVIER

Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Raphael Xavier, dancer and Breaking practitioner since 1983, has forged an exceptional approach to improvisation, notes Brenda Dixon Gottschild.

“A fine rhythm technician who transforms a bravado dance style into an introspective meditation.” Xavier’s understanding of movement and musicality allows him to structure beats, noises and sounds into captivating music that draws upon emotion and coincides with his choreography. His extensive research in the Breaking form has led to the creation of Ground-Core, a Somatic dance technique that gives the practitioner a better understanding of the body within all dance forms.

He currently lives in Philadelphia and is a Lecturer in Dance at Princeton University teaching Hip Hop and Breaking courses.