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Faculty

(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 

 

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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