Hip hop dance has its roots in New York City – from street dance, to break dancing and pop and lock moves. But that isn’t where it ends.
In Barcelona, one dancer Mariona Roset (@nonaroset), aka Nona Roset is bringing her own Spanish flair to the world of hip hop dance. She hails from the world of sports, dancing as a cheerleader with Dream Cheers, the official dance team of FC Barcelona and Barca Basket, the city’s official basketball team.
Mariona first got into dance as a child, studying ballet. She then studied formal dance in Barcelona. Yes, we know Spain as a country known for its Sevillanas—a Sevilla-based variant of Flamenco—but this type of dance is rooted in tradition, and Mariona has a more unique narrative style.
She tells me: “I just immediately fell in love with dance, training in ballet and jazz. But I was a huge fan of basketball, so I combined the two things I love – dance and sports.”
Getting a dance degree in Barcelona is still too avant-garde of a career choice. “Dance is really my passion, so I realized I shouldn’t listen to society, but just do whatever felt right for me,” said Mariona.
“To be a good dancer, I knew it required passion, hard work, and consistency. I know that dance is teamwork. It’s like a sport, in a way.”
Drawing from her rigorous training in ballet and jazz—the staples of Spanish dance education—she ventured beyond the conventional boundaries to make hip hop her own. Mariona infuses elements of traditional Sevillanas and even aspects of basketball—a sport known for its teamwork and tenacity—into her dance style.
In New York City, she studied at the Urban Dance League under Anthony Rue II, a choreographer who toured with Madonna. At the UDL, Mariona won the Most Valuable Dancer Award in 2023.
Mariona’s style is cool, chic and simple. The best style for her are items she can move in. Whether it’s the right pair of jeans or a hoodie, each item she wears onstage is stretchy and flexible (but also, comfortable).
“I dress not for style alone, but for my story,” says Roset, who loves Italian brands like Icon Denim, as well as New York streetwear brands like Supreme, Kith and KidSuper.
She’s a fan of cutoff jeans, crop tops and bikini tops paired with jean jackets, and fuses streetwear with durable tights and bodysuits.
Check out Mariona’s Instagram @nonaroset for snippets of her performances, the stages she is gracing in NYC and beyond, and her ever-evolving style evolution.
