How I Sakara: Fatima Robinson

You’ve probably seen Fatima Robinson’s visionary choreography in action, whether it was in a Pharrel Williams or Rihanna music video, gracing the stage of Pepsi’s Super Bowl LVI halftime show, or, say, the Beyoncé Renaissance tour. (It’s no surprise she’s been dubbed “one of the most sought-after hip-hop and popular music choreographers in the world” by The New York Times.)

When we see someone standing in their power so fully, we can’t help but want to spend time in their light. Fatima sat down with us from the sanctuary that is her home in Ojai, California—a picturesque city set in a valley in the Topatopa Mountains, about two hours from Los Angeles—to discuss the path to unlocking her most empowered and authentic self; her spiritual, emotional, and physical sustenance; and creating space for inspired creation.

On Dancing:

“It's always been the place where I felt the most freedom, the closest to the universe, closer to source. [That’s] what dance is to me.”

On Early Days:

“I have two younger sisters, and I used to make up these elaborate dances whenever my mom would have guests over. When I got to high school… I would enter dance contests and eventually started going to these 18-and-over dance clubs [here in Hollywood]. I was at the right place at the right time… and my hobby became my career.”

On Clubs As Her Classrooms:

“I used to tell my mom dancing was like going to church for me. Clubs were my classroom, but really dancing and listening to music and being free with my body, that was like going to church.”

On Body Intelligence:

“For me, being able to be one with my body and really understand what it's telling me [is important]. When my iron is too low, my body expresses to me that it's tired and to be more conscious of my intake of spinach and certain foods. Your body doesn't lie and it definitely will let you know what's going on—and, as a dancer, you're just more in tune with what that feeling is.”

On Nutrition With Sakara:

“When I'm eating well, I feel alive. I just love not having to think about it. Not having to worry about preparing, not having to think about it. And then it being so nourishing, you know, sitting out here and just putting my salad together. It was just so good.”