By day, Retha Minnie dazzles audiences with her mesmerising Spanish dance routines. But when the stage lights dim, she swaps her ruffled dress for a jeweller’s loupe … crafting some of the most stunning pieces you’ll ever lay eyes on.
A self-proclaimed drama queen, Retha Minnie grew up on stage … dreaming of becoming an actor, or basically anything to do with a spotlight and an audience. In the same breath, Spanish dancing had always been a family affair. Her mother was a dancer, so were both her older sisters. So, it was just a natural progression for Retha to follow in their twirling footsteps. Plus … there was a stage.
“It’s such a passionate dance and I’ve heard some people say they find it almost ugly. But that’s where the beauty lies. You don’t have to pretend to be perfect as long as you can feel what you dance.”
Retha has been dancing for more than three decades now, a third of it spent teaching. In 2010 she opened her own dancing studio called Mendes School of Flamenco … a combination of her family’s stage names. And she’s been loving it. She’s a firm believer that no-one’s ever too old, or too young to take up the craft.
“I’ve taught four-year-olds and 80-year-olds. That’s also part of why I love this so much. There is no real age constraint to the dance form like some other dances might have. I truly believe it’s something everyone should try at least once in their life.
“It also doesn’t mean you have to be good at it. Passion and a love for dancing definitely trumps ability. If you love it then the technique will follow. And, it takes a lot of time, so you have to be committed to it. It’s also important to be musically inclined. You just have to be able to hear and feel the music.”
Now, while dancing has always run through her veins, Retha never imagined she’d fall in love with the shiny world of metals and pretty gemstones. As a child she would always play around with coloured wires and beads, making all kinds of rings and bracelets. But she’d never thought she’d be able to pursue it as a career.
This was until she discovered she could study jewellery making. (Yes, it’s a thing)! So, she got her degree in jewellery design and manufacturing and opened her own jewellery business – Dust Designs. A natural born teacher, it wasn’t long before she started taking in students to teach them about the craft. Walk into the workshop where Retha teaches, and you’ll see the words ‘Do what makes you happy’ against the main wall. And just that – it’s what Retha is all about.
“Today, Dust Designs is a jewellery brand that creates beautiful, unique, bespoke jewellery. Everything is created from scratch by myself and my design team. I do a combination of handmade bench work and wax castings that are 3D printed. This helps when clients bring specific ideas to us that they want made.”
More than a decade and hundreds of designs later, she’s still looking for ways to refine her style and bring new and exciting design elements into her work. Her latest project a traditionally inspired range where traditional clothing and fabrics like shwe shwe are used.
And, she’s not stopping there. “Although my jewellery is currently on display at Silverline Jewellery in Brooklyn Mall, I’ve always wanted to open my own shop. And hopefully that will happen at the end of this year. It will be my 40th birthday present to myself. I also dream of collaborating with a fashion designer and design an exclusive range that fits their clothing range.”
At home Retha is a wife and a mom to her very busy four-year-old son, Declan. And, if she ever gets a moment to spare, she loves painting and reading. Watching a good movie is also high on the list from time to time. (When she’s all caught up with the newest designs and Flamenco choreography, that is)! And she says a full night’s rest every now and again also never hurt anyone.
One thing is for sure, Retha knows the meaning of hustle. It just comes to show that once you set your mind on something, add heaps of passion, and don’t wait for life to hand opportunities to you on a silver platter, you can achieve anything.
Details: Follow @Dust Designs by Retha Minnie and @Mendes School of Flamenco on Facebook and @dustdesigns on Insta.
Your fave part about dancing? The fact that it’s not just good for you physically, but also emotionally. Although it’s a traditional dance form from Spain you have to respect, the birth of Flamenco came from strive and you can hear it in the music. It’s soul deep and sometimes very heavy.
Your biggest achievement in the world of Spanish dancing? Sharing the stage with some amazing dancers throughout my 33 years of dancing. I have done shows with Angel Muños who has inspired me greatly for many years. I’ve also done courses with people like Isaac de los Reyes, Domingo Ortega, Inmaculada Ortega and La Truco.
Would you say that anyone can dance? Anyone can dance. I’ve had dancers who struggle, but due to the joy they got from dancing, they kept on going. Dancing is for yourself and what you feel and express. You don’t always have to share it with the world. It’s yours and it helps you to learn something about yourself. It makes you more confident and teaches you to trust yourself.
How would you describe your jewellery-making style? My go-to or natural style is quite rough and artistic. But I’m still very versatile. My latest work is a beautiful African Range that is inspired by the different cultures. It’s colourful with clean lines and geometric shapes. Then I also love to do botanical or floral jewellery along with Moorish style designs.
The piece you’re most proud of? Definitely the ring I designed and manufactured for PlatAfrica in 2012. I used about six boxes of 0.5mm drill bits to make a lace pattern in a solid platinum plate that I then folded up and rounded to make a flower bow shape with a pretty pearl in the middle.
Advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs? It’s good to have dreams. Realistic dreams. And if you want it bad enough you can accomplish them. Don’t look at everyone around you and worry about what they think. Similarly, don’t focus on other people just to put them down.
Your life motto? Bruce Lee once said that you need to be like water running into the cracks. Being like water also means that you can carve your own way as well as bend to be accommodating. To me that’s life.
