SI Swimsuit Model Sixtine Learns From Garifuna Dancers and Drummers in Belize

The TikTok influencer traveled to the beautiful Central American country for her 2024 magazine photo shoot.

Sixtine was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Who knew SI Swimsuit model Sixtine was so musically inclined? The two-time brand star, who made her debut in Dominica last year, and returned to the fold for the 2024 issue after traveling to Belize, had a blast on her day off in the beautiful country.

While in Belize, Sixtine had the opportunity to learn some traditional dances and drumming patterns from the Garifuna people. She was a total natural, picking up each new move with ease and perfect execution.

She first met with Garifuna dancer Kenima Mae Williams, who demonstrated the Hunga Hunga dance, a simple rhythm involving kicking the heels with your arms bent at the elbow. Both the hand and feet movements are small, and you can even move around in circles as you dance.

“I dance every weekend,” Sixtine said of her love of a good night out in New York, which explained her ability to pick up the movements so quickly. “I don’t think I’m that bad at dancing. Let’s see how I do with drumming.”

She then learned a simple drumming pattern, involving both hands hitting the drum at the same time, quickly followed by only a single hand tap, two times. Sixtine sat across from Garifuna drummer Shakeem Augustine as the two created beautiful music together.

She learned a few more dances and drumming patterns and continued to impress both the SI Swimsuit team and Garifuna people with her skills and willingness to try something new.

The next dance, Paranda, is similar to a shimmy, where you have one foot ahead of the other and keep shifting your weight back and forth. The move is not too fast, and your hands, held in fists, should roll around each other at the same time. Sixtine had a blast and kept smiling as she made the move more complicated and turned around in circles.

Next up was Chumba, which “is an action beat,” Williams explained. “[Act out] whatever you like to do at home, and the drummer will play [a beat] accordingly.”

Sixtine immediately took to the sand dance floor and began moving, acting out an elaborate cooking scene. She put on an apron, chopped veggies, slid them into a pan, added oil, flipped everything up in the air, served herself and pretended to eat all while also moving her feet and keeping to the beat.