As a little girl, all Bernadette Lewis needed to hear was a beat and before she knew it, she was making her way to the dance floor. “Go ahead Babs,” her mom would shout at parties, where Bernadette would happily volunteer to participate in dance contests and often win money. As a Trinidad native, her migration to the U.S did not offer her many opportunities to officially train as a professional dancer. Nonetheless, her desire to dance persisted as she would attend classes at community centers and at the YWCA. It was at the YWCA that Bernadette met Audrey Madison and started dance classes with MoJazz on a consistent basis. In Audrey’s classes, Bernadette became exposed to many different styles of dance, inclusive of Horton, African dance, ballet, and modern jazz. Bernadette is a founding member and has been dancing and performing with MoJazz Dance since 1995. Her experience with MoJazz has been both uplifting and transformative. The camaraderie of the dance members, and the responses from the audience when MoJazz performs on stage, has created a feeling of confirmation that she has found her dance home.

Bernadette continues to spread love by engaging with her community and assuring that the passion for dance stays in the family. Her children and grandchildren have participated in classes and performances with MoJazz, which has allowed Bernadette to further bond with her family and for her passion to transcend generations.