Behind the Name.

Dancing Barefoot Photography. I first coined the name back in December 2017.

This was seven months after I’d studied abroad in Latin America. While the rich culture taught me so much, there’s a story that will forever be burned into my memory. It was told to me my first day on Costa Rican soil:

In a town near La Cordillera de Guanacaste, there was a city. In the middle of this city was a beautiful garden where a huge party was being held. Music, lights and delicious food was being served to the wealthiest in the city. They wore colorful dresses, sombreros and pristine white clothing, but the most treasured item was the leather boots the men would wear. You could tell a man was of wealth by the quality of boots on his feet. So, there they danced and laughed and enjoyed in the spoils of their privilege.

But right outside of this garden space, the city was dusty and drab. The people were poor, with little to wear and even less to eat.

Along came a man of privilege, with the sharpest clothing and nicest demeanor you ever did see, an on his feet were the fanciest leather boots. He was a man of great privilege and wealth - of course he'd been invited to the party to dance and drink and enjoy himself.

But at the gate of the party, he looked to his right and saw an elderly woman with tattered clothing and no shoes on her feet. She wouldn't even meet his gaze as he stared down upon her. He paused.

In one determined swoop, he took off his shoes, set them at the door of the party, and asked the woman to dance.

As they twirled and danced in the dirty street, others came to join in.
Using the music from the privileged party, they celebrated life with even more joy than the wealthiest among them.

. . . all while dancing barefoot.