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Hiram Jiminez
Afro-Caribbean Percussion
Instructor Photo

Master Drummer in Afro-Cuban Rhythms and Dance

Born in 1954 in Havana, Cuba, Hiram Jimenez from the earliest age was immersed in the music and dance of his native country; both in its popular forms and through the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria.

During his years in Cuba he played with several music ensembles. These include Los Chicos Del Filin (1963-1966), Cajunto Casinos (1968-1979), and Grupo Chabalonga (1972-1980). Hiram performed throughout Havana in social clubs, cabarets, and annual Cuban Carnaval festivities.

In 1980 he immigrated to the United States and from 1980-1981 lived in New York City. There he played with Los Seis Del Solar, a group led by Ruben Blades and Willie Colon, two of the biggest names in Latin music.

Moving to Syracuse, New York in 1981, he played primarily in Syracuse with El Combo Latino (1981-1986).They played throughout central New York at clubs, festivals and community and college events.

From 1987-1990 Hiram lived in Los Angeles, California. He was a member of the Salsa band Las Maravillas which played extensively at clubs and festivals in southern California as well as in Texas and Louisiana. The band also played annually at the New Orleans Mardi Gras during Hiram’s tenure.

During his time in Los Angeles, Hiram taught workshops through the music department at UCLA in Afro-Cuban percussion and dance.

Hiram moved to Rochester, NY in 1997. From then until the summer of 2007 he directed and played with the Afro-Cuban percussion ensemble Bonyoko Guimileri, which performed throughout central New York at colleges and festivals.

Jennifer Donello
Afro-Cuban, Afro-Fusion (Modern)
Jennifer Donello

Jennifer began her life as a dancer at an early age studying ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary. She is a performer, instructor and choreographer. Jennifer has performed and taught nationally and internationally. Upon receiving her BFA in Baltimore, Jennifer moved to New York City in 1995 and began working towards her MFA. In 2001, Jennifer began her training in Afro-Cuban and other dances of the African diaspora at Djoniba Dance Center, where she would meet her mentor, partner, and husband Felix “Pupy” Insua (1948-2011), an Afro-Cuban Master who transformed and guided her as a dancer and empowered her to become the performer she is today.

In July 2002, Jennifer debuted with Oriki Omi Oddara, the renowned Afro-Cuban Performance Ensemble founded by legendary Insua. She trained, performed, and taught with Insua from 2002 to 2011 while serving as Company Manager, Education Coordinator, and Costume Designer. She began creating her own choreography for Oriki in 2008. Jennifer carries forth the lifework of Insua and Oriki Omi Oddara in her current role as Director.

Jonathan Kline
Afro-Caribbean Percussion
Jonathan Kline

Jonathan Kline began study of the violin at age seven. By age fourteen he was attending the pre college division of The Julliard School in NYC on scholarship. His study of the violin and music continued at the Boston University School of Fine Arts. While in Boston, he played throughout the area with the jazz group Worlds led by bassist Jamyll Jones. Soon after leaving Boston, he joined the Free Jazz Ensemble led by the German multi-instrumentalist and composer Gunter Hampel. With them, Jonathan performed extensively in the New York City area and toured much of Europe. Interested in all types of music, he has been a member of groups playing Charanga, Klezmer, Celtic, and Balkan music. While in Colombia, he played with folkloric musicians from both the north and west coasts. Largely self taught as a percussionist, Jonathan has played hand percussion for twenty five years. Jonathan's focus on Afro-Cuban music has intensified through his meeting and friendship with Cuban-American percussionist Hiram Jimenez.

Juan Carlos Morales
Cuban Percussion, Theater, Mime
Juan Carlos Morales

Born in Havana, Cuba, Juan Carlos, or “Juanca,” has taught and performed in a wide variety of musical and performing arts. As a member of six years in the Cuban street and community theatre company, Giganteria, Juanca performed regularly at the International Dance Festival of Urban Landscape, the Havana Street Theatre Festival, the Theatre Festival Montaña-Escambray, and the International Street Theatre Festival of Matanzas. He performs as a percussionist, mime artist, juggler, and stilt walker. Juanca’s diverse teaching experience includes instruction in: percussion; physical theatre, mime and movement; stilting; juggling; and costume making from recycled materials. He also has experience in teaching children and individuals with mental or physical disabilities. Juanca moved from Cuba to California, USA, in 2008, where he played Afro-Cuban percussion with the Latin fusion bands Locura and Souljive. Having recently moved to Ithaca, NY, with his wife Annie, Juanca currently works as a musician and organic farmer. Most recently, he taught Cuban Comparsa for Palante, and led an ensemble of drummers and dancers in Cuban carnival style at the 2011 Ithaca Festival Parade.

Nana Kwasi Anim
Master African Drum and Dance Instructor
Instructor Photo

Nana Kwasi Anim is a master dance instructor, performer and choreographer of all West African dance.

In 1990, Nana traveled to Berlin, Germany to choreograph a function called Unity, when the country de-segregated.  He has collaborated with various groups in Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the United States. In 1994, he teamed with the group ‘Ekome’ from the United Kingdom for the Panafest, displaying a dance about the slave trade. In 1996, he was chosen to work as a leader with a national theater group in Ghana, called ‘Dance Factory’.  In 1998, he danced with the Ghana Cultural Ballet at the Emancipation Festival.    

Nana taught dance to over 10 educational institutions throughout Accra. In 1998, Nana choreographed a performance called ‘Anigye’, at one of his schools, for former US president Bill Clinton, welcoming him to Ghana.  Later that year, he decided to form his own dance group called Wassa Pan-Afrika Dance Ensemble. The group provides workshops for foreign students and they perform at many festivals and functions throughout Ghana and West Africa.  

In 2000, Nana was invited with his group, to Italy to perform at the Humanitarian Program.  In 2006, he choreographed a piece about HIV/AIDS and presented it with Djole, a dance company based in South Carolina.  In 2007, he was chosen to team up with three instructors from China to choreograph a piece for Ghana’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.

In late 2007, he came to South Carolina with a group called ‘Nkanbom’ for a fundraiser to build a center for orphans in Ghana. He will stay here in the US to fulfill the long-time vision of building a school here and in Ghana where students can participate in an exchange program for dancing and drumming.  His vision is to promote Unity, in that we are all the same.  He believes that drumming and dancing is the vehicle with which to achieve those goals.  Nana is currently teaching group and private lessons, and performs throughout the Ithaca and Central New York area.

Michael Luis Ristorucci
Salsa and Latin Dance
Michael Ristorucci and Uniit Carruyo Photo

Michael teaches Salsa Casino style and other Latin nightclub partnered dances. His passion for Salsa and Latin music originates in his Puerto Rican cultural roots and appropriation of a world-Latin cultural aesthetic. Michael has studied Salsa formally with instructors in New York City, central New York, and New Jersey, and has learned informally in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Spain. Dance classes are invaluable to new and experienced dancers alike. Yet Michael instructs that a true Salsa and Latin dance acumen also derives from music appreciation, self-teaching, persistent practice – alone, with a partner, and socially – and through the spontaneity of movement and expression generated through enjoyment of music and ambience. Michael helps provide his students with all the tools they need to become great dancers.

Michael began teaching Salsa in the Ithaca and Finger Lakes area in 2005. His instruction emphasizes rhythm, timing, music flow, body expression, lead-follow connection, confidence-building and having fun. Partnered classes combine open step arrangements (“shines”) with partnered turn patterns and guided social dance practice. His “Suelta” (loose) instruction develops choreographic arrangement in line dance format and aims to provide both a workout and great moves for the dance floor.

An added benefit for Michael’s students is immediate integration into a Latin social dance community. In addition to dance instructor, Michael is also a DJ and promoter of Latin music and dance in the Finger Lakes area. He treats his students to the best in dance instruction and to a social context where music and dance is enjoyed.

Chelsea Rose
Salsa, Styling and Latin Dance
Instructor Photo

Chelsea Rose is from California and began studying Salsa dance at California Polytechnic University where she attended college. She became an active member of the Cal Poly Salsa Club in 2004 (cpsalsa.com). She served as Performance Coordinator for the club from 2005-2006, choreographing routines, training dancers in footwork, styling and performance presentation, and coordinating venues for performances and demonstrations. She taught weekly classes for the club for 3 years, teaching beginning to advanced Salsa steps and styling, and basic steps of Cha Cha, Merengue, and Bachata. In 2006, she studied under the tutelage of world class Salsa instructors John Navarez and Liz Rojas of SalsaMania Dance Company in San Francisco. Later in 2006 she traveled to Mexico and performed at the 2006 International Salsa Congress in D.F. (Mexico City) with partner Roderid Reyes. Since then she has dedicated her time to teaching, performing, and giving Latin dance demonstrations in California and New York. She offers many levels of dance training including Salsa partner work, ladies styling, spinning technique, footwork and shines, lead and follow technique, and performance presentation. She loves teaching, loves the music, and most of all loves dancing ~ translating Latin rhythms into movement of body and soul.