RODNEY ERIC LOPEZ
mad hot
Belonging Lives Beyond Words.
ARTS-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT EXPLORE IDENTITY, LANGUAGE, AND CULTURE—GROUNDED IN LIVED EXPERIENCE, MOVEMENT, AND STORY.
I work with schools and mission-driven organizations to help students, educators, and communities explore belonging beyond language fluency. Drawing from my lived experience as a Puerto Rican raised in New York City and from the world of Salsa and other social dances, my work uses story, movement, and reflection to affirm identity, build empathy, and expand how we understand culture.
You can revitalize your team dynamics with the transformative power of social dance! Rodney leverages the art of movement to mend the fabric of your team, fostering unity in the era of hybrid work.
Rodney is passionate about the potential of social dance to build cultural and leadership competencies. His programs are designed to develop embodied leadership and team cohesion.
a new book from rodney Eric López
I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH,
BUT I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING
WHEN I'M DANCING!
The language of shame is optional.
The language of dance is your birthright.
Rodney Eric López grew up a second-generation Puerto Rican in the Bronx, and the Spanish language was not a gift—it was a source of deep, lifelong shame. His parents, products of the Great Migration, spoke English to protect him, but this protection left him feeling like an outsider-ni de alli ni de aca (neither from there nor from here).
He became one of the "No Sabo" kids, convinced he was "not enough." But that personal failure was actually a structural outcome of American assimilation.
In this powerful social memoir, López chronicles his journey from the isolation of language shame to finding his voice as a professional Salsa dancer and teacher. He interweaves his story with linguistics and cultural analysis to reveal that true belonging is not about grammar; it is about embodiment.
Salsa became the non-verbal conversation that unlocked a joyful, powerful connection to his Afro Latinidad. I Don't Speak Spanish, But I Understand Everything When I'm Dancing! is a declaration that your culture is yours, and that the only language you need to speak is the language of resilient joy.
what we do
Featured in the hit documentary, Mad Hot Ballroom, Rodney builds connection with velocity! With inspirational energy, he can get a room full of hesitant strangers dancing and laughing together in minutes. This experience of connectedness builds a foundation for the more critical conversations that may need to take place in your organization.
mad hot™ movement
Ditch the boring professional development session for an experience that gets your employees out of their seats and connecting with each other in a dynamic way!
mad hot™ movement
for schools
You're looking for a creative way to engage your faculty or perhaps bring families to school for a celebratory day of movement. This program is for you!
"Rodney is a true professional. He is passionate about his work and as a speaker, he over-delivers! He is enthusiastic, upbeat and handles every question with intelligence and poise. He taught our employees basic dance moves and made it simple to follow no matter what their experience was with dance. Our employees are still asking about him!"
- Diane Dalzell, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, New York Presbyterian Hospital
I first experienced Rodney's social dancing workshop at AISNE's Health & Wellness conference, where I joined with some reluctance at the encouragement of a friend. By the end, I didn't want it to be over! Rodney is an incredibly gifted teacher and charismatic facilitator, infusing humor, compassion, and grace into a transformative experience. I enjoyed his workshop so much that I had him come to lead his Lessons from a Dancing Classroom workshop with our full faculty and staff on a Professional Development Day and he did not disappoint. The positive energy, joy, and connection was palpable among my colleagues and I'm so grateful that Rodney is doing this unique, and very much needed, work.
- Tara Hofherr, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Kingsley Montessori School
"He is a gifted leader who combines high social-emotional competencies, hard work, and diligent planning to build out ideas and connect with people in meaningful ways. His desire to serve, to be excellent, and his can-do spirit combine to set an inspired tone. It is not coincidental that others' skill development and leadership skills grow and blossom in his presence."
- Veronica Jutras, Assistant Head of School for Community Engagement, Gordon School
