(Alphabetical by first name)
A
B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
-A-
Aicha
"Astou" Sagna (African) has been dancing for twenty-five years. During
this time, she worked with the African Ballet of Senegal and
the National Ballet of Senegal.
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AnaLinda
Marcus
www.tangoembrace.com (Tango) Argentine Tango is an improvisational social
dance that changes lives, and AnaLinda fell under its spell
6 years ago. Social dance has been the connective tissue of
her life since age 12. After dancing Jazz and Hip-hop in her
20's, she renewed her childhood involvement with Latin social
dance in her 30's and studied Salsa and Mambo intensively,
as well as Cha Cha, Bolero, Cumbia, and Bachata. She continues
to dance these genres, which influence her Tango style. AnaLinda's
method of movement in the Tango utilizes the concepts of stretch
and release/weight and counterweight that she encountered
as a student of both Tai Chi and Yoga. AnaLinda has taught
dance classes for more than 5 years, initially as an assistant
to Sharna Fabiano of the Boston Tango School. For the last
4 years she has led her own group and private classes. She
was a member of the faculty at the former Brookline Community
Center for the Arts, and is presently a member at the Dance
Complex in Cambridge, MA. In addition to performing in the
local area, AnaLinda has traveled extensively to pursue her
Tango passion throughout North America. She has also been
to Buenos Aires, Argentina several times to study Tango.
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Anna
Myer www.annamyerdancers.org
(Ballet) received scholarships
from American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet and a Ford Foundation
Scholarship from the School of American Ballet. Since 1978,
she has performed with various companies in the Boston area
such as Boston Ballet, Caitlin Corbett Dance Company and Copley
Square Ballet, as well as directing her own company, "Anna
Myer and Dancers" in contemporary works. Myer also directs
the Cambridge School of Ballet.
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April Genovese de la Rosa
www.aprilon2.com
(Salsa/Mambo) April is a salsa dancer, choreographer, and
teacher extraordinaire. She has worked in Boston, New York,
Connecticut, San Francisco, and internationally. April has
performed and danced with some of New York's finest Mambo
dance companies, including Eddie Torres, "The Mambo King
of Latin Dance", Descarga Latina, RAZZ M'TAZZ, Santo
Rico Dance Company, Stacey Lopez and Combinacion Magica. April
has been teaching in Cambridge since 1997. Her 4-week sessions
include partnering, styling, spinning, footwork and private
instruction for men and women of all skill levels. April was
the founder of Boston's first salsa night, WEPA WEDNESDAYS
at the Hong Kong Club in Harvard Square in 1998. She continues
to promote local salsa events, parties and workshops featuring
top salsa dancers and instructors from around the nation.
April is the promoter of the annual Boston Salsa Congress.
For more information on this event please visit www.BostonSalsaCongress.com.
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-C-
Carl
Alleyne
www.carlalleyne.com (Hip-hop) Carl has been involved with the entertainment
industry for over 15 years. A native Bostonian, he has spent
his time teaching, performing and making dances in the Greater
Boston area for The Boston Ballet, Jeanette Neill Dance Studio,
The Bank North Garden and other venues. As a performer, he
has performed in front of thousands of people, sharing the
stage with artists such as Gladys Knight, the late Ray Charles,
the O-jays, Fabolous, SPEECH of Arrested Development, Sir
Elton John, Neill Young and others. He did a West Coast tour
with his 3 time Boston Music Award Winning R&B Band Eye2Eye.
He performed at Symphony Hall at Hillary Clinton's event where
the Goo Goo Dolls were also special guests. He recently completed
a taping on MTV's made as a dance instructor to an aspiring
rapper. This fall of 2008 he will be featured on Hasbro's
Clue Game board cover as the character Mr. Green. Carl is
back to Boston full time. He was in New York working with
his Talent Agency that he started, TTE Talent Agency (which
has now merged with McDonald Selznick Associates). TTE represented
choreographers and dancers who worked with projects and with
artists such as Michael Jackson, Destiny's Child, Chris Brown,
The Rolling Stones, Don Omar, Coke Commercials, Bombay Dreams
National Tour, In the Heights on Broadway, and the list goes
on. Carl brings personality, style, and knowledge to the table.
God has blessed him to make great impact on the dance scenes
in New York and in New England.
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Carolisa
www.moonlightdjs.com (Bellydance and Zumba) has over fifteen years experience
as a professional entertainer and Bellydance teacher throughout
New England, teaching beginner through master classes at dance
studios, colleges and community ed programs. She is a Zumba
certified instructor, and found Zumba to be another fantastic
way to combine her love of music and dance as it is a fusion
of both! She especially enjoys motivating and inspiring others
of any fitness level or dance experience in a fun and friendly
class, and sharing her joy and knowledge with others. She
teaches Bellydance, Zumba, and Dance Fitness and conducts
Workshops for companies, wellness centers, groups, colleges,
private events, teen and children's programs. She is also
an experienced DJ with Moonlight Entertainment & Disc Jockeys
at weddings, corporate functions, theme events, clubs, family
and kids' parties.
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-D-
Daniel
McCusker (Modern) makes dances and teaches dance at Tufts University,
and the Dance Complex. He continues to explore a long-standing
interest in exposing young dancers to modern dance, the creative
process and problem solving by teaching young dancers during
the school year through the School of Classical Ballet. A
teaching position at Holy Cross College brought him to Boston.
Prior to that he lived and worked in Portland, ME where he
directed Ram Island Dance, a community arts organization,
with a company, a children's program and a sometime presenting
series. Before joining Ram Island, he lived and worked in
New York where he made his own work which was supported by
the NEA and NYSCA and presented locally. He has made or set
his dances for many university-level art and dance programs;
made dances for regional companies and taught at Harvard Summer
Dance, ADF, and for the ACDFA. He danced for many years with
the Lucinda Childs Dance Company.
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Danny
Swain www.dannyswaindance.org (Jazz Funk & Modern) holds a BFA in Theater from
Salem State College, where he studied under Caitlin Corbett,
Jennifer Uhl and Sallee Slagle. Danny teaches Jazz-Funk and
Modern at the Dance Complex as well as teaching Jazz Dance
at UMass Boston. In the past, he has taught classes at the
Boston Conservatory, Boston University, Salem State College,
Cambridge School of Weston, and the Boston Center for Adult
Education, as well as St. Anselm's College & Plymouth
State College in NH. He has been choreographing, performing
and teaching throughout New England since 1997. His choreography
has been seen in such venues as the Hatchshell on the Boston
Esplanade, Seacoast Repertory Theatre in NH, Salem State College,
Massachusetts College of Art, Green Street Studios, and the
Dance Complex. Along with being Artistic Director & Choreographer
for Danny Swain Dance Company, Danny has performed with Snappy
Dance Theater, Boston Dance Collective, Impulse Dance Company,
Kate Digby, Peter DiMuro Performance Associates in Massachusetts
and in Washington D.C.
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Debra
Bluth (New Dance, Improvisation, and Yoga - These classes have been postpones
until fall 2009) is a longtime dancer, choreographer, teacher,
and improviser. She is currently on faculty at The Boston
Conservatory (contact improvisation), and at Clark University
(Composition), as well as at Green Street Studios. She has
also been on faculty at Emerson College and Cambridge School
of Weston, and held residencies at Skidmore College and California
Institute of the Arts, as well as guest taught at colleges
throughout New England. Debra has taught/performed at improvisation
and movement festivals in Argentina, NYC, Russia, Western
Massachusetts, and Boston. She has had the pleasure of many
years of collaboration with fellow improviser Olivier Besson.
Her choreography has been supported by the Massachusetts Cultural
Council and CrashArts. Also a yoga teacher, she is certified
by Joseph LePage of Integrative Yoga Therapy, and is also
a certified practitioner of Zen Shiatsu. She maintains a private
bodywork and yoga practice in Cambridge. Debra is also a longterm
student of the martial arts.
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Dennis
Goldsmith (Tae Kwon Do, Cardio Kickboxing) holds a Masters
Degree in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from Harvard
University. HE is a fifth degree Clack Belt in Tae Kwon Do
and provides both private and group lessons in Tae Kwon Do,
Kickboxing, and Self Defense Skills. Dennis is certified as
a personal trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine,
the American council on Exercise, the American Institute of
Fitness Educators, and has an Advanced Personal Triaing Certificate
from the International sprots Medicine Association. In addition,
he was part of the Reebok University's Personal Training Program.
Dennis is also certified to teach Aerobics, Kickboxing and
Muscle Conditioning classes through AFFA, Cardio Athletic
Kick Box, and Martial Arts Trainings, and teaches Heartsaver
classes in First Aid, CPR and AED. Dennis teaches group exercise
classes and provides personal training sessions throughout
the Boston and Greater Boston Area including the Sports Club/LA
and Boston Sports Clubs.
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Deraldo
Ferreira www.bccne.org
(Samba, Samba de Gafieira w/
Glenio de Oliviera & Capoeira Angola) Mestre Deraldo Ferreira,
founder and Artistic Director of the Brazilian Cultural Center
of New England (BCCNE), brings a thirty-one year tenure in
capoeira and a similar lifetime involvement and commitment
to samba drumming, musical composition and choreography. Deraldo
is a Mestre (official master) of Capoeira Angola, Afro-Brazilian
percussion rhythms, the Artistic Director of the Afro-Brazilian
music and dance troupe, Samba Tremeterra, and a sought-after
samba dancer instructor. Mestre Deraldo began studying capoeira
at the age of 14, and was awarded certification as a Mestre
in 1984. He created and taught at the Academy of Capoeira
in his hometown of Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil. When he relocated
to the US, Mestre Deraldo was one of the first Brazilian Masters
to introduce Capoeira Angola and Samba dance to the US and
Montreal, Canada. He founded the Brazilian Cultural Center
of New England (Cambridge, MA) in 1996 where he continues
to serve as the Artistic Director. He currently teaches at
Hampshire College, Amherst College, Smith College, Wellesley
College, Wheaton College, and in Sardigna, Italy. Mestre Deraldo's
teacher and mentor, Grand Mestre Joao Pequeno de Pastinho
has awarded him with the title and responsibility of a Mestre
of Traditional Capoeira Angola. In 2006, Mestre Deraldo was
recognized by the Minister of Brazilian Culture, Gilberto
Gil, and the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England was
designated as one of three Brazilian "Cultural Points"
in the United States.
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Denny
Morrell (Teen Ballet) has extensive
dance training and performing experience. After graduating
from the Victorian Ballet School, Denny performed with The
Victorian Ballet Company. She received her classical ballet
training from Dame Laurel Martyn one of Australia's foremost
Ballerinas and Artistic Director of The Victorian Ballet Company.
Denny has a B.F.A. from The Boston Conservatory of Music and
a Ms.Sc.Sp from Emerson College. Denny has choreographed many
original ballets including Peter and the Wolf, The Wizard
of Oz, and Snow White. She has also choreographed many musicals
including West Side Story, Annie, and The Music Man. She founded
The All About Us Performing Arts Company Inc in 2000. Denny
is an artist-inn-residence at MassBay Community College in
Wellesley Hills, MA.
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Derrick
Davis (Jazz Funk) is a native New
Yorker who attended Fiorello H. Laguardia School of the Arts
and was a scholarship student with Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theatre. Derrick has taught Hip Hop, Jazz, and modern dance
in the New England area and in the Boston Public schools for
the past twelve years. He has also taught master classes throughout
the United States. Derrick has trained some of Boston's best
Hop and Jazz performers and has choreographed and performed
with such artists as: Nas, Eve, Kid Capri, Slick Rick, KC
& Jojo, and other national and international recording
artists. Derrick is a member of Impulse Dance Company, Expressions
of Christ and a featured artist with companies throughout
the U.S. He is currently a master teacher at Dance Theatre
of New England in Bridgewater, MA, under the directorship
of Debra Bianca.
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Dey
Summer (Contact Improv) has been a voracious student of Contact Improvisation
for about 18 years. She spent several years before that studying
Eric Hawkins (modern) technique, and making and performing
solo pieces. In 1995 she took Ruth Zaporah's month-long Action
Theater training, a powerful practice of embodied improvisation
skills. She is excited to be teaching now, and brings along
her love and respect for the moving body from her professional
work as a bodyworker and movement educator.
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Diane
Arvanites-Noya & Tommy Neblett www.promethuesdance.org
(Advanced Modern) As co-Artistic Directors of both the Prometheus
Dance Company and the Prometheus Dance Elders Ensemble, Diane
Arvanites-Noya & Tommy Neblett create powerful and provocative
dance/theatre that resonates with honesty and passion. Since
1997, they have choreographed nearly thirty works for Prometheus
Dance, Inc.; two operas, Nixon In China and Alceste, for OperaBoston;
and over fifteen works for the dance programs at The Boston
Conservatory, Emerson College, Walnut Hill School, Boston
Ballet Summer Dance and Harvard University. They, and their
company, regularly perform and teach throughout New England,
as well as in Spain, France, Denmark, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
Ms. Noya & Mr. Neblett have received numerous awards for
their work, including a Creativity Grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts, and four Artists Grants for Choreography
from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, individually in 1996
and 1994, and collaboratively in 2004 and 2000. Prometheus
Dance has also been named "One of the Years Ten Best
in Dance" by the Boston Phoenix (2004), the Boston Herald
(2002) and the Boston Globe (2000). As respected educators,
Ms. Noya and Mr. Neblett teach modern dance technique, partnering
and choreography at The Boston Conservatory and Walnut Hill
School. They also teach open-enrollment technique classes
for professionals (company class) and post-professionals (Dance
for 55+) at The Dance Complex in Cambridge. They are highly
involved and supportive of the local arts community, participating
in grant panels with the Cambridge Arts Council and the New
Hampshire Arts Council; on the Board of Directors of the Boston
Dance Alliance; and as mentors for The Dance Complex Shared
Choreographers Program.
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Dicki
Johnson Macy (Duncan Dance), ADTR, M. Ed. L.M.H.C creates movement/music
programs for children that encourages the development of resiliency,
awareness, honor, and grace. Dicki, direct lineage holder
in the Art/Technique of Isadora Duncan, distills her methodology
from this tradition; her work celebrates nature's unity and
rhythm, remembers ancient rituals and archetypes and dances
simultaneously, the tribal and the divine. Her programs for
the able and disabled have been presented and implemented
nationally as well as in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
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-E-
Eve
Agush (Children's Tap) has been teaching tap and flamenco in the Boston
community for the past fifteen years and joined the staff
of Boston Ballet the summer of 2001. Presently she teaches
at Boston Ballet, Brookline Community Center for the Arts,
the Dance Complex, and the Northeast Youth School of Ballet.
Ms. Agush began her professional career as a tap dancer at
the Leon Collins Tap Dancer's Paradise. She was first introduced
to flamenco by Ramon de los Reyes. Ms. Agush is a familiar
face on the Boston dance scene, contributing her considerable
experience to events such as Dance Across the City Day, The
Children's Dance Festival, City Dance and Kids Variety Shows
at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Ms. Agush is the Artistic
Director of the "The AdamAnt Eve Dancers" a children's
rhythmic dance troupe performing pure flamenco and traditional
jazz tap.
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-F-
Fatou
Carol Sylla (African) has been a dance teacher, performer, and
choreographer for over a quarter of a century. She has preformed
in several African as well as Modern/Jazz/Blues/Gospel dance
companies including Ballets Africaines and Ballet Bougouroubou
in Senegal and Ballet Fatala in Guinea, West Africa. She is
the current Artistic Director of Under the Sun Dance & Drum,
which is sponsored under the Mass Cultural Council's Events
and Residencies program and teaches at the Dance Complex and
for over ten years in the public schools for VSA arts of Massachusetts
Standard Teaching Certification in both Dance and Health K-12.
Ms. Sylla has also taught dance at the college level, including
ten years in the dance department at Bradford College. In
1985, Ms. Sylla designed and lead a month long seminar in
Senegal, Guinea and Guinea Bissau for Americans interested
in studying dance, music and the function (especially in health
and healing) that the arts play in these traditional cultures.
She continued this work at Bradford College by organizing
and teach a similar two-week three credit course in Senegal
as part of Bradford's Summer Studies Abroad Program.
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Fatou
N'Diaye (African) founder and director of the West African traditional
ballet company "Silimbo D'Adeane," has danced and acted professionally
for over twenty-five years. As a former member of the "Daniel
Sorano National Dance Theatre" of Dakar, Senegal and two of
its branch dance companies, Fatou has had the opportunity
to perform for the President of Senegal to accompany him on
official visits to other countries, including his visit to
China. Fatou's acting experiences include performances in
two popular television productions of her homeland and a dance
performance in the movie "L'lle de Diama" filmed in Morocco
and starring Michael Douglas.
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French
Clements (Ballet) From California, French Clements' early training was at
the San Francisco Ballet School, Juilliard and The School
at Jacob's Pillow. After graduating from The Ailey School
and Fordham University, he was immediately drawn to teaching,
and since 2003, he's taught ballet in California and the Berkshires.
For three years, he was the press representative for Jacob's
Pillow. As a journalist, he now writes for publications including
Dance Magazine, and participated in the 2008 dance criticism
fellowship at American Dance Festival.
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-G-
Glenio
De Oliviera (Samba De Gafieira w/ Derlado
Ferreira) Glenio de Oliviera has been teaching Brazilian ballroom
dancing for 15 years. He has done professional performances
on many TV shows, in theaters and for fundraising events in
Brazil. Glenio started dancing ballet at the age of 12 and
quickly progressed to staged performances. He has studied
the art of dancing with many famous Brazilian professional
dancers such as Jaime Aroxa, Carlos de Jesus, Carlinhos de
Jesus, Juliano Andrade, Vinicios Da Costa and many others.
Since moving to Boston, Glenio has taught at Ryles, MAPS,
MIT, BCCNE, and now at the Dance Complex. Glenio specializes
mainly in Brazilian ballroom dancing such as samba de gafieira
and forro, but he also teaches samba no pe, bolero, salsa,
zouk, merengue, bachata, cha-cha, swing, and even tango. Come
take a class and see for yourself how fast you will learn!
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Gretchen
Hayden www.chhandika.org
(Kathak) Chhandika Artistic
Director and Founder Gretchen Hayden is a senior disciple
of the renowned and innovative Kathak Dance Master, Chitresh
Das (from Calcutta). She began her Kathak training in 1972
and became a principal soloist with the Chitresh Das Dance
Company. (CDDC) at its inception in 1980. She has given solo
recitals and workshops in North America, Europe and India.
Ms. Hayden taught at the Chhandam School in California throughout
the late 1970's and 1980's, and in 1987 was presented with
a Senior Degree in Kathak Dance from the Nritya Bharati Academy
in Calcutta, founded by Mr. Das' parents in 1942. In 1992,
she moved to Boston with her husband, sardoist and musicologist
George Ruckert, where she established an offshoot of Chitreshji's
Chhandam School. With the assistance of several dedicated
students, this school blossomed into the non-profit organization
Chhandika. In addition to teaching at dance and arts centers
throughout Greater Boston, Ms. Hayden has also initiated accredited
Kathak Dance courses at Tufts University and Wellesley College,
and is an adjunct faculty member at MIT. Through her work
as a dancer and teacher she has contributed significantly
to fostering the art of Kathak in the West.
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-H-
Honey
Blonder www.HoneyBlonderDance.com (Street Funk) started dancing in New York City at the Lee Strasberg
Theatre Institute where she studied dance, theatre and voice.
Her choreography in the independent film Dance by Design screened
at the National Film Theatre, London; the Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston; the Boston International Festival of Women's Cinema;
the Ivy Film Festival at Brown University and the First Glance
Film Festival in Philadelphia. In 2006, Honey choreographed
The Berries, a pilot for children's television. Additionally,
Honey choreographed and danced in New York and Boston with
performance art / recording artists Countess and received
a Boston Music Award nomination for Best Live Act. She performs
frequently with her dance company, Disco Brats.
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-I-
Ife
Bolden (African) is a former member of several Boston based dance companies
such as The Art of Black Dance and Music and the Bamidele
Dancers and Drummers. She was co-founder & choreographer of
ACE (African Cultural Explosion) and founder, director & choreographer
of the We are Family Children's Dance Theater and the Kuumba
Watoto Children's Dance Company. Ife was the first instructor
to establish an African dance class at the new Dance Complex
and has now been teaching here for over 10 years.
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-J-
Jean
Josue Appolon www.JeanAppolon.com (Haitian Dance &
Modern Technique) grew up in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, where
he began dancing at the age of 13. In 1991 Jean received a
scholarship to study with Lynn Williams Rousier Dance School
where he commenced his training in Ballet and traditional
Haitian Folkloric dance techniques. Because of Jean's great
passion and aptitude for dance, he was blessed with the opportunity
to study and perform with several dance companies at that
time, including Viviane Gauthier Dance Company and the Folkloric
Ballet of Haiti. After moving to the United States, Jean was
able to continue his dance education at the Harvard and Radcliffe
Dance Program (1995-1996 Miami, FL), Alvin Ailey American
Dance Theater (1996-1998 New York, NY) and graduated from
the Joffrey American Ballet School (1998-2003 New York, NY)
in the spring of 2003. In addition to those listed above,
Jean has performed with many dance companies throughout the
US including, Rainbow Tribe Company, Elma Lewis Productions
(Black Nativity), Marlene Silva, North Star Ballet Company,
Black Door Dance Company, and the Atlantic City Ballet Company.
Jean teaches dance classes at various locations throughout
the New York City area. In addition to teaching classes, Jean
also aspires to develop his skills as a choreographer. For
Jean, dance is a special vehicle that affords him the ability
to communicate his life experiences in the visible realm.
Therefore, he hopes to bring his danced visions to the stage,
as well as the classroom, so that he may reach a larger audience.
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Johara
Cusick www.joharasnakedance.com
(Middle Eastern BellyDance) Johara, which means Jewel in Arabic,
is a passionate and innovative dancer, drummer, choreographer
and teacher in the Boston area. Johara's diverse background
in dance includes ten years of study in Middle Eastern dance
(Egyptian ,Turkish, and Gypsy) along with five of study in
West African and several years of Afro-Caribbean and Latin
dance styles. Beyond folk dance, she has taken courses in
Modern, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Ballroom, Yoga, and Pilates. Johara
also has studied at Berklee College of Music, and holds an
Associates degree in jazz and Contemporary Music from the
University of Maine. She has performed professionally in Istanbul
Turkey, Baiia Brazil, New York City, and throughout New England.
One of the highlights in Johara's dance history was on July
9th and 10th 2006, when she performed as a solo artist and
as part of the MAVI dance company for a crowd of 5000 cheering
fans in a folk festival in Inegol, Turkey. Johara is a compassionate
and committed dance instructor and workshop leader with over
11 years of experience. She has trained some of Boston's top
bellydancers and two of her students have passed auditions
to join the Bellydance Superstars International performing
company produced by Miles Copeland. She is director and producer
of Snakedance Theater, Serpentine Nights (semi-monthly dance
events), and the Bellisima dance troupe. She is creator and
host of the Boston Annual Bellydance Awards which began in
2004.
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"Joh"
Sidi Mohamed Camara www.JohOnLine.com
(African Dance) Sidi Mohamed Camara, popularly known as "Joh,"
was born in Bamako, Mali in West Africa. Surrounded by great
artists and musicians as a child, Joh started traditional
dance and drumming at the age of five. On his father's side,
he comes from the Camara ancestry that ruled in Mande Society.
However, he mastered the art of music and dance from his mother,
Fanta Kamissoko, a well-known Jali. Jalis, also known as Griots,
are highly venerated in their traditional society as skilled
oral historians who are singers, storytellers, musicians,
advisors, and mediators. Joh has participated in and founded
a wide variety of traditional dance companies in his career,
completing tours throughout West Africa. Under his guidance
as Chief Choreographer, Troupe Mande and Troupe Sewa became
among the most renowned and competitive troupes in the world
of West African dance and drumming. Since relocating to the
US in 1995, Joh has taught at: Brown, Princeton, Brandeis,
University of Pennsylvania, Berklee School of Music, Washington
University, Olympia (Washington State), and Boston Public
Schools (elementary, middle, and high). Nationally, Sidi has
presented at various museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum
in New York City. In addition to holding weekly classes in
Boston and touring the United States, Canada, and France,
Joh currently teaches at various community centers and instructs
a semester dance and drumming class at Boston University and
Harvard University. Through his willingness to share at national
conferences, community workshops, and academic engagements,
Sidi continues to enhance cross-cultural exchange and make
a positive imprint on the fabric of cultural arts and education
in America.
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-K-
Kelly
Silfies (Salsa) is a non-Latino female with a Latin
soul. Her inner Latina emerged six years ago, when she discovered
salsa while living in Chicago. She has studied salsa with
Colombian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and French instructors and
has been teaching Puerto Rican style salsa for four years.
Her motto is to enjoy the salsa experience - feel the music,
feel the connection to your partner, relax, and have fun!
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Kieran
Jordan www.kieranjordan.com.
(Irish Dance) Kieran Jordan works as a performer, teacher,
and choreographer of Irish dance. With over 25 years of dance
experience, Kieran has developed a musical and expressive
style, marrying deep-rooted traditions with contemporary innovations.
She incorporates award-winning Irish dance technique with
improvisation and other styles of dance, including modern
dance, sean-nós Irish step dancing, and Cape Breton
step dancing. Kieran has performed and taught in the US, Canada,
Sweden, and Ireland. She holds a B.A. in English and Irish
Studies from Boston College, an M.A. in Contemporary Dance
Performance from the University of Limerick, Ireland, and
the TCRG certification for teaching Irish dance.
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-L-
Lamine
Toure (African) www.laminetoure.com
Amadou Lamine Touré comes from a long line of griots,
a caste of musicians and oral historians among the Wolof people
of Senegal. Born into a family of griot percussionists, masters
of the sabar drum, Lamine has been drumming and dancing since
the age of four. Growing up in Kaolack, he received his early
training as part of his family's drum troupe, performing regularly
at weddings, baptisms, and neighborhood dance parties. In 2001, Touré relocated to the U.S. to pursue
his solo musical career and has continued to teach and choreograph
sabar dance. Since Fall 2002, Lamine Touré has been
serving as Artist-in-Residence at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, where he directs the Senegalese drumming ensemble,
Rambax MIT. He also teaches sabar dance at Suffolk University.
In May 2005, he co-wrote a pioneering composition with Evan
Ziporyn entitled Sabar Gong for sabar drums and Balinese gamelan,
which was premiered at the MIT Presidential Inauguration of
Susan Hockfield. He continues to teach sabar drumming and
dance classes in the Boston area, with ongoing dance classes
at the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England and at Springstep
in Medford, MA. He also conducts workshops and lecture-demonstrations
at local schools and universities.
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Lisa
Simon (Jazz, Stretch) has been a professional dancer/choreographer for
over 30 years and a stretch and personal trainer for over
20 years. She has taught and performed in a variety of dance
styles for many colleges and universities, and performed with
many local and European companies such as: The Opera Company
of Boston, The Kamikazee Jitterbugs, San Germaine Follies
European tour, Brazilian dance tours in Sicily, and TV and
film. She has taught master classes for many companies and
colleges throughout New England, New York, Italy, France and
Germany and has taught many couples how to be fabulous dancers
for their weddings.
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Liz
Lapuh (Ballet) is the Artistic Director of the Cambridge Chamber Ballet.
She has taught ballet classes in the Boston area for more
than ten years and is currently teaching at The Boston Conservatory,
North Atlantic Ballet Studio, and at the Dance Complex. She
has performed in the Boston Area as well as in Virginia, Florida
and the south of France with such companies as the Virginia
State Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Boston and the North Atlantic
Ballet. Ms. Lapuh holds a BA in dance and an MFA in choreography
from the Boston Conservatory. She currently heads the dance
program at UMass Boston.
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-M-
Margot
Parsons www.dancevisions.net
(Ballet) Margot Parsons trained
in Chicago with Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay, and
in New York with Richard Thomas, Barbara Fallis, Maggie Black,
The Harkness School, and the Martha Graham Studio. Along with
being invited to dance with American Ballet Theater, Agnes
deMille, and Pearl Lang, she performed with Yuriko, The Ballet
Ensemble of New York, in the City Center production of the
King and I, and in Boston with Ken Pierce Baroque Dance Company,
and the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble. Her degrees include
a BS from the University of Wisconsin and an MA from the University
of Utah. She is an instructor of ballet at Boston College,
Boston University, the Dance Complex, Harvard University,
and Suffolk University, and she is President and Artistic
Director of DanceVisions, Inc. Her work has been seen across
the United States and in Europe. She choreographs for her
own company and has choreographed for Boston College, Boston
University, Wellesley College, and Boston Ballet II Company,
and produces numerous shows including Dance on the Top Floor.
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Marianne
Harkless (Afro-Jazz) was a member of Danny Sloan Dance Company,
Ballet Theatre of Boston, Impulse Dance Company, Bandanca
Afro-Brazilian Dancers & Musicians, Brasiliero, Inc. and the
Arts of Black Dance & Music. She has performed and taught
at colleges, public and private schools and dance studios
throughout New England, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Jamaica.
Marianne was a 1996 recipient of the dance Belt Award and
is a former member of the Board of Trustees o the Boston Dance
Alliance. Marianne currently teaches at Wellesley College,
the Cambridge School of Weston and Move for Youth, Cambridge.
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Maureen
Cosgrove (Tap), teacher, choreographer, and Director of Boston
Tap, has been teaching and performing tap dance in the Boston
area since 1977. She teaches at the Dance Complex as well
as at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Her company
has performed throughout the area at various events, schools,
and clubs, including First Night, Cambridge River Festivals,
and Boston University. Maureen received her MFA from Massachusetts
College of Art where she is currently a part-time instructor.
She has been the recipient of grants from the Massachusetts
Council on the Arts and Humanities, the Cambridge Arts Council
and the Massachusetts Arts Lottery.
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-O-
Olivier
Besson (Movement Improvisation Jam & Contact Improv) is
a improvisational movement artist who hails from France and
is based in Boston (USA). From 1980 until the early 90's,
Olivier studied contact improvisation with Nancy Stark Smith,
Lisa Nelson and Andrew Harwood, and improvisation with Daniel
Lepkoff and Julyen Hamilton. During that time, he also trained
and performed Bugaku (Japanese court dance) with Arawana Hayashi.
Most notably, Olivier's work has been presented: in the US
- at Dance Theatre Workshop (NYC), Judson Church (NYC), New
York Improvisation festival, Walker Art Centre (Minneapolis),
Boston Dance Umbrella, Florida Dance Festival, Dance Place
(Washington DC), Radford University (Virginia) & internationally
- at the National Institute of the Arts (Taipei, Taiwan),
Die Pratze (Tokyo, Japan), Art of Movement Festival (Yaroslav,
Russia), Studio 303 (Montreal, Canada) and with Cie Vertige
(Nice, France). He has collaborated with many individuals
including Chris Aiken, Lisa Schmidt (formerly of Trisha Brown
co.), Debra Bluth, Liz Roncka, Min Shen Ku, Pamela Newell
(formerly of Marie Chouinard co.), Toshiko Oiwa (formerly
of Bill T. Jones co. and Angelin Preljocaj co.) and musicians
Mike Vargas, Peter Jones, Jane Wang and Grant Smith. Locally,
he has guest danced for Dawn Kramer, Micki Taylor Pinney and
Diane Noya. His current and upcoming performance projects
involve collaborations with musician/composer Mike Vargas
in Paris, Emmanuelle Pepin in Nice and Jane Shockley in Minneapolis.
The Boston Conservatory senior class will perform under his
direction, Nov 15-18th. Olivier is currently on faculty at
the Boston Conservatory (dance division) and teaches regularly
at Canal Danse (Paris) and the French national circus school
(C.N.A.C). He has been on faculty at Emerson College, Boston
University and Bates Dance Festival. He has taught residencies
at the National Institute of the Arts (Taipei, Taiwan), the
Centre Choregraphique de Danse/ Daniel Larieu (Tours, France),
the University of Minnesota, and Radford University (Virginia)
among other places. His current and upcoming performance projects
involve collaborations with Liz Roncka in Boston, musician/composer
Mike Vargas in Paris, Emmanuelle Pepin in Nice and Jane Shockley
in Minneapolis. This fall, the Boston Conservatory senior
class will perform under his direction, Nov 15-18th.
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-P-
Paa
Seck (African, Sabar) Yeumougor "Paa" Seck (African) has
been dancing and drumming from the age of four, when he joined
his father's drum and dance troupe, Jeri-Jeri, based in Kaolack,
Senegal. Paa has also played with Senegalese groups such as
Pape and Cheikh, Nder, Pape Diouf, Titi, Abdou Guitte and
Yorro. Paa has taught at the Djoniba Drum and Dance Center
in New York City, and is currently based in Boston, where
he continues to teach at The Dance Complex and The Cambridge
YWCA, both in Central Square, Cambridge.
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Pape
N'Diaye www.papendiaye.com
(African, Sabar) Pape N’Diaye is a master dancer,
instructor and choreographer from Senegal , West Africa and
has toured throughout Africa and around the world. Since 1989,
he has danced with numerous world-renowned companies, including
the National Ballet of Senegal: L’Aliguère du
Senegal, Cinquihme Dimension, Compagnie Jant-Bi, Ballet Sinomew,
Forêt Sacrée, and the Manhattan Dance School
. He has extensive training in all styles of traditional West
African dance as well as in contemporary dance forms. A dynamic
teacher, Pape N’Diaye is responsible for training many
noted sabar dancers in Senegal , and he is known in the US
for teaching high-spirted djembe, kutiro, sabar and contemporary
dance classes.
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Patricia
Adelmann (Children's Ballet) is co-founder and director of The
School of Classical Ballet. A former member of the Copley
Square Ballet, Anna Myer and Dancers and Dances by Isadora,
Ms. Adelmann began her training with Ana Roje in Boston. She
also attended the International Ballet School of Yugoslavia
and the Legat School in London. Ms. Adelmann has her teacher's
certificate from the American Society of Russian Style Ballet.
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-R-
Ramon
de los Reyes (Flamenco) was born in Madrid, Spain and since an early
age has been dancing flamenco. At only 13, he was performing
flamenco and classic Spanish dances around the world while
continuing his training under great Spanish teachers like
Manolo Vargas, Enrique "el Cojo", Perice, La Quica, Antonio
Marin and others. He has performed worldwide in prestigious
theatres and danced as a soloist with the Spanish National
Ballet, Ximenez Vargas Company, Pilar Lopez Dance Company
and Alba-Reyes Spanish Ballet. M. de los Reyes has performed
on television and has won many awards and grants: National
Endowment for the Arts; recognition for Excellence in Dance
from Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival; Recognition for Artistic
Contribution to the people of Massachusetts from Governor
Michael Dukakis; Gold Medal, World Olympics, Mexico, to name
a few. He has also taught in universities including Boston
Conservatory, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Walnut Hill School, Boston Ballet and many
more.
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Reynaldo
Gonzalez (Afro-Cuban) hails from Matanzas, Cuba. For 14 years
Reynaldo was a dancer in one of Cuba's top national folkloric
dance companies, AfroCuba de Matanzas. For the past six years
Reynaldo has lived and worked in the Boston area, teaching
Afro-Cuban dance forms and performing and teaching master
classes on a national and international basis.
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Ricardo "Psy-Fa" Foster (Hip Hop Explosion) Using his special talent as a Dancer,
Choreographer, Performer, Actor, and Model, Ricardo Foster
has single-handedly made a name for himself amongst many of
today's popular artist. Working and performing with artists
ranging from Jay-Z to NSYNC, En-vogue to Uncle Cracker, and
Destiny's Child to Old School Classics like Naughty by Nature,
and RUN DMC he has seen it all. Ricardo is presently the Associate
Director/Instructor of his own company, Street Feet Choreography.
With an outstanding personality, he has a way with audiences,
students and his peers a like. By using comedy, simple physical
analogies, and a story like premise behind all of his dance
movement, he looks to have people understand, enjoy, and enhance
any performances or classes he has. And at the same time hopes
to help people find a new appreciation of Dance and Themselves..
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Roseann
Ridings (Ballet) danced with the Boston Ballet and the Copley
Square Ballet. She was the director of the Cambridge Ballet
Center and has taught at the Cambridge School of Ballet and
Marie Paquette's Classical Ballet School.
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Rozann
Kraus (Modern) has served on the faculties of the Yale School of Drama,
New England Conservatory of Music and Boston University. Winner
of an Artists Foundation Choreography Fellowship, a Choreography
Fellowship from the State of Ohio, the Paul Robeson Award
and Arts Lottery Grants from five cities, her work has been
commissioned by a wide range of sponsors, including the Cleveland
Museum of Art, the Women's International League for Peace
and Freedom, The Yale Art Gallery, Composers in Red Sneakers
and (for nine consecutive years) Boston's First Night. Touring
throughout the country as teacher, choreographer and performer,
Ms. Kraus has been a guest choreographer at MIT, the Cambridge
School and Tufts University and was an Artist in Residence
at Clark University's Center for Contemporary Performance
and many other institutions. A published author and poet,
Rozann Kraus is the founder and President of the Dance Complex.
She currently is a dancer with McCusker/Dance.
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-S-
Seemore
Johnson & Christina Pujol www.hipsonfire.com
(Salsa) Hips on Fire was founded with the commitment to preserve
and transmit the traditional Salsa style form most of the
Latin-American countries, under the direction of Seemore Johnson
and Crisina Pujol. Seemore Johnson from Costa Rica, has been
dancing for over 15 years. He is a professional dancer, choreographer
and instructor of more than ten different dances from Latin
America. He has preformed on all the main stages of Costa
Rica and traveled around Latin America expanding his knowledge
and learning the proper technique for each Latino dance. Cristina
Pujol from Spain, dance choreographer and instructor, has
been dancing Latino dances for over 7 years and has also traveled
to Latin American countries improving her skills and knowledge
of the Latino dances. She has also been teaching other forms
of dancing like the Spanish folkloric dance Sevillanas. Both
have performed at the Symphony Hall as part of their Centennial
Celebration, been invited to perform at the annual fundraiser
of WGBH Boston and have been guests of the BNN-TV 3 Boston
"It's All About Arts" show (dedicated to promoting and educating
in the world of art). They have performed in several MDA fundraisers
in Maine, and have performed in the movie "Blue Dinner"…
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Seydou
Coulibaly (African) is one of Mali's leading choreographers and
dancers. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning
TROUPE KOUMME DIOSSE. In America, Seydou teaches at Brown
University, the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, Babemba USA.
The Music School, Roger Williams Middle School, and privately
in Boston and Connecticut.
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Sharon
Montella www.hiphopballerina.com
(Hip-Hop) holds an MFA from
the Boston Conservatory. Her choreography has been presented
by Project Concern nationwide and in Paris. She choreographed
the jazz dance section of the Moses Project performed by members
of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Her work Pie Jesu
was presented at New Dance Group in New York in June of 2008.
Sharon has danced with Boston Dance Company, her own SK2 Dance
Company, Dance Collective Young Audiences Program and Impulse
Dance. She trains in ballet, kung fu and in hip hop with Bev
Brown in NYC.
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-W-
Wendy
Jehlen (Modern) Wendy Jehlen is a Contemporary dancer/choreographer, whose
unique approach to movement incorporates elements of a wide
range of dance and movement styles including the South Indian
dance forms of Bharata Natyam, Odissi and Kuchipudi, Capoeira,
West African dance, and a wide-range of Modern and Contemporary
dance styles. Jehlen also collaborates with Deaf performers
and poets, and uses the language and aesthetic of American
Sign Language poetry in her choreography. Jehlen's emotionally
powerful choreography has been performed in the United States,
Europe, India and Japan.
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