As a dancer, creator and educator, Gale Harris, known professionally as Royal Gale, has created a meaningful cultural impact both online and in physical spaces. Here is how it all started. Royal Gale’s love for dance was sparked by culture before it was about performance.
Growing up, my father was a DJ who brought the soul of Caribbean music everywhere we went.
Before she fell in love with the movement, she was drawn by the music.
The way it brought us together and how it made us move organically. Some of my earliest memories are of our family gatherings in Barbados, where I was first introduced to ‘wukking up’ (or wining). The way the music made us move naturally in unison was when I realized movement for me was a love language.
Her Early Years and Muse
Royal Gale has been teaching dance full time since 2018, and from the inception, most of her support came from those who shared the culture or people who were familiar with the sound and movement of Caribbean music. Although she was at the beginning stages, Gale says it felt like a continuation of a shared language, rather than an introduction to something new.
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The dancer and educator, however, recognized the taboo surrounding the style, specifically when people who were unfamiliar with the genre would frequently over-sexualize the movement.
While that response provided a trigger, it also made her tenacious and committed to shifting the narrative. It provided the impetus to dive into history, study her mind-body connection and begin to highlight the wellness benefits that were always present. Ultimately, it led her to shift focus on teaching technique and creating safer spaces for the style to exist.
Royal Gale says her Bajan heritage is the foundation of her artistry. It shapes the kind of music she gravitates toward, and the sounds that speak to her soul rather than rush her body. The choreographer says what draws her in the most is the presence of basslines or live band instruments.
It’s why I love movement that’s rhythmic and free flowing like wining. My country of Barbados has done a phenomenal job at creating music that takes its time working through the body and sending signals straight to your hips.
She says that particular quality in the music influences how she creates her flows. She prioritizes musicality, grounding and fluidity over speed and exaggeration. This focus allows her movement to be performed and embodied.
The Bajan daughter of the soil declares that she is largely self-taught, with her foundation formed outside of traditional spaces. Her training consisted of unsupervised studio sessions throughout Brooklyn, with friends who shared a similar passion for Caribbean styles. She says those spaces allowed her to explore movement freely, build confidence and develop her own relationship with the style.
My earliest inspiration came from my cousin in Barbados who ‘turned up’ all the family functions with her ‘wuk up.’ She’s part of the reason why I absorbed the movement so naturally at a young age.
Later, artists like Tanisha Scott drew her further into mainstream dancehall through her dynamic hip and waistline moves, while Dancehall Queen B-Randi’s high energy, impressive flexibility and fearless headstand tricks showed her the athleticism and creativity that lived inside of the dance form.Royal Gale says ultimately, her responsibility is to represent Caribbean dance with accuracy and authenticity so that when people come into contact with it, they are more informed, connected and respectful of where it comes from. For her, that involves showing the more intentional and sophisticated side of winning through her dance videos, in-person classes and online tutorials.
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She believes the work she’s doing with Born To Wine classes teaches the style in its purest form — prioritizing technique and intentional movement so people can learn the foundation and appreciate it as an art form, rather than simply an aesthetic. She aims to build a bridge between generations, adding another layer of opportunity for the culture to evolve while staying rooted in its origins.
Her approach to social media expanding access to Caribbean movement globally is a simple one. In terms of staying authentic while building a digital presence, her sentiment has always been to create from a personal space first.
My lived experience with tradition and my love for movement is what fuels my desire to create them. I use social media as a tool to invite others into my world. It’s never been about exposure or opportunity, but the fulfillment that comes from engaging in work that feels embedded in my DNA.
However, Gale says she is intentional about showing the balance between the trends and the technique so that when people see her work, they see care, discipline and connectivity that’s deeper than just performance.
A Woman of Faith
Being a woman of faith, Royal Gale has grown to understand that a part of her purpose as a woman is to be a helpmate to others, which is what she does through Born To Wine. Selling out her tour in an hour was one defining moment in her career that affirmed that the years she’s dedicated to nurturing her craft and building her brand were meaningful and impactful.
To hear how much I was able to add value to someone’s life in just a 2-hour session gave me the reassurance I needed that I’m walking in my purpose.
The dancer’s advice to young women is that talent will get you noticed, but real effort and dedication are what bring longevity. The time spent in training, research, refining and experimenting is what will allow opportunities to find you instead of you trying to find them.
She wishes more people understood that Caribbean dance form is an extension of us and the physical intelligence the body requires to perform it.
Our movement wasn’t created in a formal setting; instead, it was developed in our homes, on the streets, in social gatherings and celebrations. It tells our story for us and represents our history.
Additionally, she shares that Caribbean dance form is just as technical as any other dance form. Wining trains the body to move with fluidity, consistency and precision, which requires intentional training and mind-body connectivity.
Anyone who has attended any of my classes will tell you NOT to sleep on it.
Honoring Tradition and the Evolution of Her Work
Royal Gale says her work represents what has been passed down to her, as she draws inspiration from the greats who came before her while exploring new ways the style can exist.
Evolving my work isn’t just about making my performance better. It includes taking the time to understand why our movement in particular makes me feel the things I feel and how my body should engage, in order to express these feelings in a way that everyone can relate to — from the average woman, to a professional dancer in a completely different genre.
In addition to that mind-body conversation, evolving her work means offering different ways people can learn, gain a deeper understanding of our movement and appreciate it.
The educator’s ideal demographic of customers are women and young women who are ready to reconnect with their bodies on a deeper level, to train hard and apply themselves.
It’s less about age and more about intentions, because I remember being a young girl looking for formal spaces that allowed me to connect with my culture while building a foundation. You’re never too old to participate in class and become a student again.
She gets a lot of beginners who simply want to move without pressure to perform, though she also attracts seasoned dancers who want to refine their technique or pick up a new genre. Born To Wine provides a space for everyone to embody their true intentions, whether they’re seeking something fun to do, a one-off experience, healing, connecting with their culture or learning a new one.
In terms of the future of our art form being archived and preserved for posterity, Gale explains that she records her classes. She vlogs her routine as a dancer, is in the process of blogging about her work and partners with like-minded individuals to provide a lifetime digital guide others can constantly use as a reference.
Motherhood & Balance
The new mother, creator and dancer says motherhood is truly a blessing and has helped her move further into her purpose as a helpmate and a nurturer. She says her perspective on career and creativity began to shift prior to becoming a mom; however, motherhood has solidified it. Now she chooses to create impact over impressions and produce quality over quantity.
I prioritize fostering meaningful connections and delivering unforgettable experiences rather than selling out venues or getting views. This perspective has helped me mature and act as an anchor to my family and my community.
The proud business owner says she had to put certain boundaries in place to protect her energy, especially as she navigates motherhood and other aspects of her life. She says that she is very meticulous about who she allows access, as well as monitors the things she consumes.
I only give my time to people who I align with spiritually and mentally, and say no to things that will throw me off my path.
Lasting Legacy
The legacy she wishes to build for her son is the idea that his mother built something sustainable from her passion — that she turned something she loves to do into something she was known for, by being tenacious and holding on to her values.
The dancer says she would like him to grow up knowing that passion requires discipline, structure builds longevity, and integrity protects what you produce.
For Caribbean women watching her journey, she hopes her legacy shows that our cultural movements are worthy of respect inside and outside of formal spaces and global recognition.
We do not have to dilute ourselves to be understood or break off from our roots to be accepted. We can be expressive and technical in all areas of our dance, and I hope my work expands how Caribbean dance can be perceived — and that is, for the art form to be viewed as art and wellness.
To learn more about Royal Gale visit her website here.
