Ramon Ramos Alayo is known and respected throughout the Bay Area as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and as the artistic director of the Alayo Dance Company. He began his dance life at age eleven in Santiago de Cuba, and went on to recieve his master's degree in contemporary and folkloric dance and dance education from the National School of the Arts in Havana. He was the principal dancer in Danza del Caribe and the Narcisco Medina Contemporary Dance Company, and has performed throughout Cuba, Europe, Canada, Belize, and the U.S. In 1997 Ramon moved to the U.S. and began his professional career in the Bay Area. He has performed with a number of the Bay Area's most respected choreographers, such as Robert Henry Johnson, Kim Epifano, Sara Shelton Mann, and Zaccho Dance Theater, and is currently a member of Robert Moses' Kin. Ramon teaches Cuban popular dance, Afro-Cuban Modern dance and children's movement classes at a number of dance schools. In 2003 he founded CubaCaribe, an organization which promotes Cuban cultural and artistic programs and produces Cuba Camp, an annual summer dance camp. His own company, the Alayo Dance Company is known for its unique fusion of Afro-Cuban modern, folkloric, and popular dance presented theatrically.
Susana Arenas began her artistry in dance at age twelve, studying at La Casa de Cultura in Matanzas, Cuba. Her professional career began when she moved to Havana and joined various popular, folkloric and theater dance troupes including Tierra Virgen, Alafia Ire, Oche Olorun, Oba wemilere, Ban Rarra and Oriki. She was the female soloist for Raices Profundas, Cuba's foremost folkloric dance company. Since moving to the U.S. in 1998, she has continued performing, choreographing and teaching in the Bay Area. She has taught at the Katherine Dunham technique seminar and at Humboldt State University's Afro-Cuban workshop. She is the artistic director of performance groups including Sandunga Cubana, Omo Olorun, and Raices Cubanas. Most recently she traveled to Mexico to choreograph and dance in a new project entitled Jarocho by the producer of Riverdance, Richard Neon.
Caren has performed and choreographed for several Bay Area rhythm-based dance companies and is a member of Aguas da Bahia, Dancers Without Borders, and Quimbanda, a percussion ensemble. She has studied rhythm tap, jazz, ballet, ethnic, hip-hop, and modern dance extensively and feels fortunate to have studied with great hoofers such as Gregory Hines, Eddie Brown, Brenda Buffalino and Savion Glover. Mission in San Francisco. She encourages her students to incorporate a lot of body movement with emphasis on rhythm and personal expression.
Clint has worked with many Hip Hop choreographers and instructors in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. He performed with a variety of dance companies/troupes, including Funkanometry SF, Culture Shock SF, Mind Over Matter, and Khaotic. He also performed as a back dancer for JEM Records recording Artist Jocelyn Enriquez, Universal Records recording Artist Ryan Duarte, and BMG recording Artist Deborah Cox. Currently, Clint is a choreographer and backup dancer for Upstairs Records recording Artist Angelina. Clint has taught at Dance Mission, San Francisco and at the Westlake School for the Performing Arts, Daly City . While at WSPA, he was the Artistic Director and one of the main choreographers for XPLICIT, the school's award-winning youth Hip Hop dance company.
Ito was born and raised in Puerto Rico and has been performing professionally since 1977. In 1980 he studied under "La Familia Cepeda."
Dhanda was born in Salvador, Bahia. She is responsible for staging many high-profile theater works in Bahia, all featuring the signature Free Afro fusion style of the group, Ile Aiye. She toured internationally with Ile Aiye and performed with many of the greats in Brazilian music. She has taught music in prisons, been a commentator on the Salvador-based radio show, Tambores da Liberdade, and has been published in pedagogical bulletins. Dhanda is sponsored by the Brazilian Center for Cultural Exchange (Santa Cruz) and has taught intensive workshops in Afro-Brazilian dance and drumming at California Brazil Camp.
Allan has been a leading force of the Bay Area Hip Hop scene for the last 8 years. He teaches 4 packed classes a week at Dance Mission Theater, not only Allan's base but also the home of his hip hop ensemble, Mind Over Matter, which performs throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Allan also directs and choreographs for the Junior Jam youth performance program at the Golden State Warriors and has appeared on Fox TV's So You Think You Can Dance. Allan, who looks more like a football player than your average dancer, shows firsthand that body type does not make a dancer. His enormous size and personality lend power to his teaching, stage presence and choreography and his performance quality is riveting.
Watch a video of Allan's class
Lena Gatchalian was born in Pittsburgh, PA. She began her dance training at the age of 6 in Manila, Philippines. She received her BFA in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design in New York, and also continued her dance training and performing. She has been performing with Dance Brigade since moving to San Francisco in 1994. She has also danced with Steamroller, Pearl Ubungen Dancers and Musicians, Terry Sendgraff, Arturo Fernandez, Stephen Pelton Dance Theater, Anne Bluethenthal & Dancers, and Jose Navarrete.
Bruce "Mui" Ghent earned a degree in Modern Dance/Choreography from CalArts
in 1990 and went on to perform with notable dance and theater companies such
as Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co. and Berkeley Repertory Theater.
He began his study of Taiko (Japanese Drumming) under Grandmaster Seiichi
Tanaka in 1993, where as a principal member of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo,
he toured internationally and performed with some of the great masters of
Traditional Japanese Folk Music. In 1999, Bruce created and directed Somei Yoshino Taiko Ensemble, a professional touring Taiko ensemble, and performed with the group until 2004.
Currently, he serves as resident Taiko Instructor/Composer at Dance Mission for GRRRL Brigade, and Dance Brigade for whom his work was nominated for a 2000-2001 Isadora Duncan Award. He also holds the position of Program Director for Olympic Gold Medalist-Herb Perez's Gold Medal Martial Arts Center in Foster City, CA.
LaKiesha Golden is a performing artist that has studied Congolese dance for over 10 years. Currently, Ms. Golden is an Artist in Residence, teaching dance in Oakland Unified School District high schools via Dimensions Dance Theater. At the end of each school year, she co-produces a community concert that is performed by the high school students. LaKiesha was one of the core members of Fua Dia Congo, directed by the late Malonga Casquelourd in Oakland, CA until 2006. Previous to residing in Oakland, CA, LaKiesha's dancing career was dedicated to Bichini Bia Congo Dance Theatre, directed by Biza Sompa in Ann Arbor, MI. She was the Director's Assistant and lead member for four of the six years she studied relentlessly with the company. She continues to work with her teacher Biza, and Bichini for special projects. Also, LaKiesha was featured in a contemporary Congolese (Soukous) music video that was released in the summer 2005 entitled "Knockout" by Shimita El Diego, (Soukous Stars); she was the choreographer for the production as well. Astonishingly, LaKiesha had the opportunity of studying Congolese dance and culture in Congo-Brazza (RC), Central Africa in 2005 and in Paris, France in 2002 and 2003. Due to living in the Midwest, Ms. Golden also learned an urban style of Ballroom Dance, which is a derivative of the Cha Cha Cha, which she gained a great passion for. Among training through Congolese and other African dance classes, LaKiesha has had experience with other forms of dance such as Afro-Haitian, Salsa, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Ballet, Modern, Stepping, and Dancehall.
Ndeye Gueye, born in Grand Dakar, Senegal, hails from a Griot family tradition (historical storytellers). At the age of 14, she was easily identified by her teachers and mentors as one with "gifts," skilled in dance, theater and song. She went on to perform and travel internationally with several companies including Ballet Diamone Tey, Ballet Bara, and Ballet Bougarabou. In 1993 Ndeye made her US debut and since then has performed at many dance festivals and with acclaimed musicians Youssou Ndour, Wycliff, and Salif Keita. In 2004 she received the Isadora Duncan Award for outstanding choreography and in 2005 her company, Chosaanu Africa Dance Company, was invited to perform at the Chinese Ethnic Dance festival. She currently teaches SABAR dance and music throughout the Bay Area and works closely with Dimensions Dance Theater.
Portsha Jefferson's dedication and exploration of Haitian culture have brought her to Haiti, where she has traveled throughout the country to research regional dance, rhythms and musical traditions. Her concentration of study took place in Gonaives at Lakou Badjo, where Nago (Yoruba) traditions are preserved, and through religious ceremony at Tanp Souvenance Mistik, a Vodou community that celebrates it's Rada (ancient kingdom of Dahomey) heritage. She studied at Ecole Nationale Des Arts (ENARTS) and at Vivian Gauthier's School of Dance with Cadet Jean Evens and Ansy Daphnis, as well as independent study with Peniel Guerrier of Ballet Folklorique Tamboula D' Haiti, and Daniel Brevil of Ayikodans Dance Company.
Portsha is the founder and artistic director of Rara Tou Limen, a Haitian folkloric dance ensemble composed of dancers, musicians, singers and practitioners who have studied with pioneers of Haitian culture in both the United States and Haiti.
Currently, Portsha is an artist in residence for Oakland, Berkeley and SF Unified School District. In addition, she is a faculty instructor at East Bay Dance Center and at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts. She also serves as a Cultural Arts Specialist with Oakland Parks and Recreation.
The U.F.O Movement originated in January 2007 by the tag-team duo and family cousins, Taina Larot and Algin Sterling. These two young choreographers have worked on numerous projects the past few years ranging from workshops, classes and up coming artist work. The UFO Movement is a small and unique group of individuals brought together through their addiction for all arts; music, graffiti and expression. Dance, being their first love, allows them to be free and express their individuality. The U.F.O's bring the Modern dance style to Hip-Hop culture; presenting a groove beyond this planet. Together they are not just a dance company, but a movement.
Michelle Martin, formerly the Assistant Artistic Director of Petit La Croix, has studied with Katherine Dunham, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Jean-Leon Destine, and Richard Gonzalez. Michelle has traveled throughout Haiti to study dance and music through ceremony and has taught at School of the Arts High School and Mills College.
Micaya has been a dancer, instructor, and choreographer for over 20 years. Formally trained in ballet, jazz, modern, and African dance forms, she began teaching hip-hop in the early 1990s. She began producing high energy, underground, sold-out hip-hop shows in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District in 1993. Those shows led up to the creation of the First Annual San Francisco Hip Hop DanceFest in 1999. Now with seven years of success and presented at the historic Palace of Fine arts Theatre, the San Francisco Hip Hop DanceFest has grown into one of the most exciting events of the year. Micaya's choreography has been featured in corporate events as well as music videos, television, nightclubs, festivals, theaters, cabaret, and touring productions. She is the founder and director of her own dance company, SoulForce, that performs all over the Bay Area and is the producer of the popular annual community show "Mission in the Mix" which features SoulForce along with up and coming local companies and students.
Micaya incorporates her many years of dance training and styles into her teaching. Her classes are popular due to her passionate teaching style. Expertly broken down, Micayas' choreography is taught in a non intimidating way that all people understand. Micaya teaches all over the Bay Area to students of all ages and backgrounds - as well as teaching throughout the country and abroad.
For more info on Micaya or the SF Hip Hop DanceFest , go to
www.micaya.com or www.sfhiphopdancefest.com
Ms Oliveira was born in Salvador-Bahia, the cradle of African Brazilian culture, where African traditions and the arts are constantly maintained and nourished. This is exactly from where and how Isaura built her cultural-artistic experience. She has devoted her extraordinary talents to work in academic, artistic, community, educational and health venues.
Isaura appeared in a PBS documentary entitled, "Dancing #5: New Worlds, New Forms" in 1993 as the representative for Brazilian dance. She has taught classes and lectured at many universities including, Smith, Radcliffe, Wellesley College, Brown, Wesleyan, University of Massachusetts, Stanford and UC Riverside. She performed ANCESTRAIS, he acclaimed solo performance of dance, theater and multi-media at MIT in 2001.
Chimene Pollard is a choreographer, improviser, performer, and teacher. She graduated from UC San Diego where she studied communication theories. In the past 7 years she has been honored to dance with Katherine Davis, aerial artist Terry Sendgraff, Anne Bluethenthal & Dancers, and Strong Current Dance Company, with whom her solo in "Awaken" earned her the Soloists Award from DanceRep SF, Vision Series Festival.
Chimene has been teaching for 6 years and holds weekly modern dance classes at Dance Mission Theater and Rhythm & Motion in San Francisco. Four years ago Chimene began an informal dance company setting for many students who expressed a desire to create and perform. The Collaborative Performance Troupe, as it is now called, continues to create each year, presenting works at local venues such as Dance Mission Theater, ODC and the Cowell Theater.
David has been teaching Hip Hop for more than ten years all over California. He has worked with many well-known Bay Area choreographers, including Alan Frias, Jesse Santos, Micaya, Ronnie Reddick, Cory Action and Culture Shock. His group, BODYslanguage, which he founded with his wife Elizabeth, has performed at the San Francisco Hip Hop Dance Festival since 1997. David recently completed a Master's degree in education from Stanford University.
Watch a video of David's class
Alain Soto is originally from Santiago, Cuba. He has been dancing since the age of nine and has studied at EVA School of Art and at the ENA (National School of Art) in Havana. He has traveled and performed internationally with the cabaret group, Lady Salsa, as well as the renowned folkloric group, Ban Rarra, and has appeared in numerous plays and on television. In the Bay Area he has performed with local companies such as Arenas Dance Company and the Alayo Dance Company and appeared in the 2004 production of Patakin. He also teaches Cuban Popular dances, Afro-Haitian and Yoruba dances at several Bay Area dance studios.
Alseny Soumah was born in Boke, Guinea and is highly respected in both of his continental homelands of Africa and the United States. His international acclaim as a performance artist includes work as a solo artist with the renowned companies of Guinea, West Africa Les Mervilles D'Afrique and Le Ballet du Guinea, including travel throughout Europe, the United States and Canada.
Silvana is a native of Goiânia, Brazil and has been with the group since its inception. After Aquarela's Maria Souza who officated as Queen of 1995, Silvana was elected Carnaval Queen of San Francisco in 1996. Today, Silvana is chief choreographer of Aquarela. Silvana is a registered nurse. She lives and works in Berkeley.
Sidney has studied Salsa, Rueda and Cuban movement in Cuba, Miami and the Bay Area. She currently teaches classes and workshops throughout the Bay and in Santa Cruz.
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