Derrick Garcia ’17 says his passion for dance was nurtured at Loomis Chaffee. On Thursday morning, October 9, in the dance studio in the Nichols Center for Theater and Dance, he was the one providing the encouragement as he led students in salsa dancing.

Derrick is spending two days — October 9–10 — leading multiple dance workshops and meeting with various students and members of affinity groups. His visit is co-sponsored by the Center for Inclusive Excellence & Belonging and the Performing Arts Department in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.     

“Coming back to LC for dance seems surreal and yet feels right,” Derrick said. “It feels like a full circle moment ...  a way to say thank you for what I've been given and show what I've been able to do with their support.”

Derrick works as a freelance dance instructor/choreographer. He teaches hip hop dance to preschool children in a Brooklyn, N.Y., public school and also is a Latin & ballroom dance teacher/choreographer at Linda’s Studio for Performing Arts in Long Island, where he works with students ages 4 to 17, preparing them for competitions and performances. He also gives private lessons to clients.

On Thursday he wore his Loomis Dance Company shirt from the 2016–17 school year. On the back was his nickname: “Latin Spice.”

“I’ve always cherished [the shirt],” Derrick said. “It was one of my first pieces of dance merch [merchandise], and I’ve always been proud to have it.”

Dance Director Kate Loughlin brought along her shirt from those days, too.

“He was an important part of our company back then and was always curious and excited to learn new things,” Kate said. “He was innately a good mover and worked really hard ... always a blast to have in the studio, always a good time, and it’s a thrill to have him back.”

In an action-packed 45 minutes, Derrick kept the students on their toes, so to speak. Actually, more on the balls of their feet as they practiced salsa moves, first individually and then in pairs.

“I came into LC already having a desire to dance, and training under Kate Loughlin further empowered me,” Derrick said. “I remember my freshman year only being part of one or two pieces for the dance showcases. I admired those dancers older than me who were in every other piece and had friends screaming their name as they walked on stage. I was excited to be a part of anything dance-related at Loomis. By my senior year I achieved my goal. I was in a majority of the dances being showcased and recall enjoying the stress of quick changes and memorizing multiple choreographies.”

Derrick attended Claremont McKenna College in California, where he majored in neuroscience. He joined a collegiate dance team and became one of its choreographers. He said he then took a gap year, transferred to Hunter College-CUNY and changed to a dance major with a concentration in psychology. He graduated in May.

“During my time at Hunter I trained with numerous contemporary and hip-hop professionals in the New York City community,” Derrick said. “I also trained in Latin ballroom styles under Arthur Murray [Studios].”

Derrick has a stage name now: “Fingerscrxssed.” In 2019, he said, he taught himself music production and thought he needed a stage name for his art, whether it be competitive dance battles or creating music. He said he chose the nickname because the saying “fingers crossed” signifies good fortune, things going well.

Derrick said the main message he wants to give to students is to “find their passion and follow it lovingly.”

“If they truly believe in it and make hard decisions to build a path for it, then anything is possible,” he said. “We are so used to following the paths already created for us and believe it impossible to make our own. And that couldn't be further from the truth. Everyone has their own path, and maybe it hasn't been dug out yet, but that just means you can be the first to dig it. It will be hard and scary but never impossible.”