Meet Ines Tavares Duarte | Dancer/Choreographer/Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ines Tavares Duarte and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ines, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
One of the most important decisions I have made in my career is the commitment to always believe in myself, even in times of doubt. This decision has been pivotal, shaping my approach to both challenges and opportunities.

Believing in myself means trusting my abilities, even when the path ahead is unclear or obstacles seem daunting. This self-confidence has been my anchor, providing stability and motivation.

This mindset also helps me navigate career transitions. By believing in my ability to adapt, I’ve made bold decisions that have enriched my career and personal growth. Additionally, this commitment influences how I view setbacks, seeing them as opportunities for learning and improvement rather than reflections of my worth.

So deciding to always believe in myself has been a cornerstone of my career. It reinforces my resilience, engages a proactive attitude, and propels me forward, ensuring that self-doubt never keeps me away from any opportunity. While it is easier said than done, the response to every challenge becomes more manageable with a prior commitment to self-belief. By not letting doubts speak louder than my confidence, I give myself no other option but to just go, give my best and jump on opportunities as much as possible.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I see myself as a creative individual, which drives me to pursue art in various forms. My primary focus is on dance, movement, and direction, through which I express my passion, ideas, and messages. In my career as a dancer, I strive to balance performing, creating, and teaching. These three fields complement each other and provide a fulfilling path: performing helps me grow as a mover, choreography allows me to express my creativity, and teaching is the most rewarding, as it lets me inspire others and share the knowledge I’ve gained along my journey.

As a creative, my main goal is to express ideas, tell stories, and connect with others through my art. I hope that one day my work will inspire others, move them emotionally, or ignite a passion for dance in them. While it’s important for my art to convey a message, I also focus on aesthetics. I’m deeply inspired by images, figures, and colors, and I admire how these elements can evoke emotions through their composition and presentation.

One of the biggest challenges in this field is the lack of stability, which can lead to stressful moments, such as uncertainty about meeting living costs. This type of situation can create instability and anxiety. However, facing these challenges has made me more resilient and creative in finding solutions. I like to think that these obstacles only strengthen my resolve and commitment to my art.

In this industry, focus is crucial for staying grounded and mentally healthy. Pressure can build in your body and mind when things don’t go as expected. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I make a constant conscious effort not to seek approval and security from the dance scene but rather from within myself. It’s essential to separate who you are from what you do, which can be challenging in a field so deeply rooted in emotional and holistic connections. However, maintaining this separation is key to preserving your well-being.

This journey hasn’t been easy. The dance field demands constant training and growth. I’ve been dancing for over 13 years, and I still practice every week, whether through classes, learning new styles, or simply working out at the gym or doing mobility work. This not only strengthens my body but also helps prevent injuries, allowing me to continue dancing with confidence.

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is to be okay with missing out on things and understanding that maybe they aren’t meant for you, even when you believe they are. Accepting loss is a powerful lesson. I used to be the dancer who wanted to be everywhere, learn every style, and seize every opportunity. But along the way, I realised I might have missed some chances because I was too focused on being everything at once, instead of appreciating how special it is to simply be myself and trust my uniqueness. I’ve learned to be confident in what I have to offer and let things flow naturally, rather than trying to control the outcome all the time.

Another crucial lesson, especially in recent years, is the importance of balancing work with rest. If you don’t prioritise rest as much as you do work, you will eventually burn out, and your body will force you to rest—often at the worst possible times. The resistance we have to proper rest, and the guilt we feel when we try to, is understandable in a society that glorifies hustling and pushing limits. This pressure comes from comparison, self-pressure, and the constant feeling that we are not enough. As dancers, we are naturally ambitious, eager to achieve our goals as quickly as possible. But with maturity, you learn to respect your body, mind, and soul, understanding that time away from your craft is just as important as time spent perfecting it. Sometimes, it’s the act of letting go that actually brings you closer to where you want to be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since I’m originally from Lisbon, Portugal, I’d love to share what makes my native city so special and so I am gonna answer that question towards that. There’s so much to see and experience. We would start with a day at the beach, connecting with nature and the ocean. Afterward, I’d introduce them to Portuguese cuisine, which is absolutely incredible and unique. As a nature lover, our next stop would be the forests of Sintra, where we could take a hike and explore the area’s rich history.

We would definitely visit the heart of old Lisbon, strolling through its traditional streets with their iconic ups and downs, and countless stairs—providing a bit of a workout along the way. To end the day, we’d enjoy a delicious dinner near the Tejo River at one of the many charming restaurants with an outdoor seating area, where we could relax and take in the nighttime view across the water.

Given that Lisbon is a very cultural city, we’d fill the rest of our time with visits to iconic and historic sites, as well as museums. And, of course, we’d make sure to take some time to simply relax, soaking up the laid-back energy that the city naturally offers.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my close friends who supported me throughout my journey, helping me face numerous challenges and obstacles. They were truly my strength during the ups and downs, keeping me grounded and stable when life felt off balance. I owe a great part of my success and mental and emotional well-being to these incredible individuals.

I would also like to highlight the team of teachers I connected with in the early stages of my training. They significantly influenced my growth in dance, my understanding of movement, and my appreciation of the artistic world, instilling in me many important values that shape who I am as an artist and person. These teachers guided me through my training for several years and eventually invited me to join their professional team, the Jukebox Crew, a Street Dance company based in Lisbon, Portugal led by Vasco Alves.

Beyond their obvious impact on my dance journey, from imparting theoretical knowledge about dance styles to guiding me through the practical learning process, they also became influential figures in my personal life. We became a family, and they often supported me with the best advice and an enormous amount of encouragement. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience than meeting these individuals, who remain great examples to me to this day.

I would also like to highlight the incredible support and growth I have received from Motus The Company – a worldwide online & in person dance platform and training company dedicated to professional dance training led by Diana Matos. The presence of this program in my life had a great impact. Being one of the first people joining it once it was launched back in 2020, during the pandemic, it has definitely the made a big difference in my process and I would even say the space where I grew the most throughout my training journey, both mentally and physically. I feel that the way I embrace movement and dance truly changed since I have been through this experience and I am very grateful for it and for every person I had the pleasure to meet worldwide due to its existence.

Website: https://www.inestavaresduarte.com

Instagram: @inesduartee_

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@inestavaresduarte4095

Image Credits
– Amy Cook @amycook_photography
– Jeanette Gonzalez @photography_aura
– Mafalda Ratola @mechanicaldevil
– Alex Ferrelly @ferrelly_