DanceAfroCuba

 

We are honored to have the following master performers on the DanceAfroCuba faculty:

 

 

 

Susana Arenas Pedroso

Susana Arenas Pedroso was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, where she danced professionally for 8 years before coming to the United States in 1998. Known as an explosive soloist, she studied and trained with some of the most renowned dance institutions in Cuba, including the Culture House of Matanzas and the National Folkloric Group of Havana and Raices Profundas. Ms. Pedroso has traveled throughout the U.S. to conduct dance workshops. Ms. Pedroso has been a recipient of the Artists in Residence grant from the California Arts Council for the years 2001 and 2002. She currently teaches ongoing classes at San Francisco and Berkeley.

 

 

Mona Estimè-Amira is one of Haiti’s top dancers. Born and raised there in the Vodou way of life, she learned the religion, the songs and the various forms of indigenous dance from her mother before going to New York. Once there, she earned her B.A. in health education at Lehman College and went on to establish a career in both dance performance and instruction. She has continued to return regularly to Haiti researching regional dance and song styles. Mona was the lead dancer with the Nago Dancers and Marie Brooks Dance Company and has performed at Carnegie Hall with Haïti’s top singer Emeline Michel. She has taught at many universities such as: Antioch, Bates, Dennison, San Francisco State, Sonoma State, Duke, Occidental, Middlebury, Kentucky State, and Vassar; and for organizations such as Naropa Institute, Omega Institute, Lisangua Ya Bato, Spirit Of The Congo, and Compaña Productions. Mona travels extensively to give lectures, demonstrations and workshops, and has ongoing classes at the Rod Rodgers Dance Studio in New York City, where she is based.

 

 

John Amira is a master drummer with over 40 years experience in his specialty of Haitian and Cuban music. Born and raised in New York City, he became fascinated with and began the study of African and Caribbean drumming in his early teens. While still in high school, he was performing with various bands, ethnic dance companies and at Cuban and Haitian religious ceremonies. John’s drumming has given him the opportunity to perform with top artists (Celia Cruz, Ruth Fernandez, Tito Puente and Emeline Michel); in theater (“A Season In The Congo”, “Shango De Ima”); in film (“Putney Swope”, “Fighting Back” and “American Gangster”); on T.V.and radio; and in recordings with Latin, Jazz and other groups. He teaches, performs and lectures at universities and institutes such as: The Hartt School of Music, New England Conservatory, Julliard, Yale, New York University, Mannes, New School, Duke, Bates, Occidental, Middlebury, Kentucky State, Naropa, Drummer’s Collective, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Museum Of Natural History, and KoSA International Percussion Workshop. He is the author of “The Music of Santeria”. Between his travels to teach and perform, John accompanies dance groups and classes, and teaches privately.

 

Mr. Amira will be accompanied by Jose Genua and Andrew Linsk.

 

Mr. Gonzalez will be accompanied by Vanessa Lindberg and Kevin Repp.

 

Vanessa Lindberg  resides in Northern California and holds a B.A. in Music from Humboldt State University.She is a dedicated student of Afro-Cuban folklore, having spent extensive time in Matanzas, Cuba studying with her batá teacher, Daniel Alfonso Herrera. She has studied Lukumí song with Reynaldo Gonzaelz, Arnelio ‘Petiti’ Urrutia Ruiz, Israel Berriel, and Osvaldo ‘El Montero’ Cardenas. She has also studied Arará song with lead singers from the ‘Cabildo Arará de Matanzas, Dahomey Sabaluno’. She is studying to become a ritual lead singer. Her latest project ‘El Lenguaje Del Tambor’, currently in its second edition, includes a transcription of the entire Matanzas style Oro Seco as taught by Daniel Alfonso Herrera. The accompanying DVDs include the complete Oro Seco as well as interviews and special toques.

Kevin Repp currently resides in Arcata, California. He is Omo Ochun, Omo Ana, and a Humboldt State University graduate with a B.A. in Anthropology as well as music/percussion under the direction of Eugene Novotney. He recently co-wrote/edited Kabiosile's release of bata transcriptions, "El Lenguaje del Tambor," from Matanzas, Cuba. Kevin studies music and religion in Matanzas with Reynaldo Gonzalez while playing ceremonies with Daniel Alfonso and Luis Cancino from Grupo Afro-Cuba Matanzas and Los Munequitos.

Dance Instruction will be given in the following styles:

 

Orisha- Dances of the Yoruba divinities. Origin: Nigeria.  Havana and Matanzas styles will be represented.

 
Congo- dances originating from the Bantu people. Origin: Gabon, Zaire and the Congo. Includes Palo, Makuta and

Yuka.

 

Arara- dances of the Arara divinities known as Fodun. Origin: Dahomey (present day Benin & Togo). They share

a similar pantheon as the Yoruba, but have different names and characteristics.

Rumba- dance/music originating in the 19th century that continues to the present. There are three forms of

rumba, yambu, guanguanco and columbia.

Son- Originating in the eastern provinces of Cuba, son is considered the national dance of Cuba. It is danced “contratiempo” or against the time of the music.

Casino- a modernized version of the son, originating in Miramar in the 1960s.

 

Traditional Haitian Dance. Ms. Estime-Amira will teach two classes in traditional Haitian Dance.