Hand in Hand
Sponsored by:
Co-sponsors:
UF Center for African Studies
With support from:
UF School of Theatre & Dance
Studio Percussion
Performances & Artist Biographies
Please find information about confirmed performances below. We are still working with other artists to finalize performances and will post additional information soon. Please check back with us.
Afro-Haitian and Dunham with guest dancers
(Martial Dance Company)
Elizabeth Chin has a BFA in Drama from NYU where she trained with Anne Bogart and Stella Adler; she has a PhD in Anthropology from City University of New York where she worked with Delmos Jones and Vincent Crapanzano. She has studied, taught, and performed Haitian Folklore for over 20 years, both in the U.S. and in Haiti. Her teachers include Jean Leon Destiné, founder of Haiti’s national ballet, Emerante de Pradines Morse, Mona Amira, Florencia Pierre, Elle Johnson and Katherine Dunham. A professor of Anthropology in the department of Critical Theory and Social Justice at Occidental College, she is at work on an ethnographic project examining contemporary dancers, race, and the preservation of Dunham Technique.
Sarah Anindo Marshall enjoyed a successful solo career in her homeland of Kenya and in Europe as a teenage vocalist, dancer and percussionist, becoming known as “Kenya’s Singing Sensation”. As a dance student in Kenya studying ballet, modern, jazz and African, she was introduced to the Dunham Technique in Nairobi at age 14 and in 1983 moved to the USA to study with Miss Dunham. Today Ms. Marshall is one of less than 20 certified Dunham Technique instructors in the world, conducting Dunham Technique residencies in LAUSD schools, as part of the Arts Community Partnership Network. She is also frequently called upon to lend her expertise in the performing,recording and Film-TV communities, such as her recent position as Music and Technical advisor for Survivor-Africa. Ms. Marshall also teaches at Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Lula Washington Dance Academy, Occidental College and LMU.
Performing Afro-Brazilian Dance and Silva Technique:
Leandro da Silva (Professor Alegria) was born in Salvador, Bahia (Brazil). He currently lives in New York City (NY), where he teaches capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian martial art incorporating dance and acrobatics) and Silva Technique, his own unique blend of Afro-Brazilian dance, capoeira and contemporary dance. A professionally trained dancer of various styles and capoeirista, Leandro da Silva has toured internationally for several years as a member of the highly acclaimed company DanceBrazil (9 years NY/Bahia), Brazarte Dance Company (Miami-FL), Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (Denver-CO), Orquestra Popular da Bahia (Brazil), and Ballethnic Dance Company (Atlanta-GA). He has also participated as director and choreographer of National Black Arts Festival (Atlanta, GA) and assistant choreographer of Fox’s hit series “So You Think You Can Dance” (Canada). Visit Website
Capoeira
(Photo by DanceBrazil featuring Alisson Silveira)
Bohasha Porto, Alisson Silveira and local artists will perform capoeira and modern dance choreography.
Bohasha started his performance career with The Capoeiras of Bahia, a dance company for teenagers, directed by Jelon Vieira. With The Capoeiras of Bahia he performed in Brazil and participated in several exchange programs with the Capoeira Foundation Inc. in the United States. While in the US, he performed and participated in several demonstrations at Universities, Colleges and K-12 schools. In 1997 Bohasha joined DanceBrazil and toured with the company all over the world as a principal performer until 2002 when he was hired by Capoeira St. Louis as their head instructor.
Bohasha made a special appearance at the Camai Arts Festival in Bethel, Alaska and was featured in The Egg, a program produced and aired by PBS. He also participated in the New Millennium Celebration in Times Square on December 31, 1999, with DanceBrazil. He has also performed for Nike, the Hippodrome State Theatre and at many other festivals and performances across the country.
Musical Guests
Macaxiera Roots
Founded in 2000 in the Vasco da Gama neighborhood of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil by childhood friends Victor “ Sapo” Souza and Hermogenes Araujo, Macaxeira Roots was the result of conversations regarding the necessity to create something that could expose the ideas, experiences and influences of a generation raised in a city whose richly diverse cultural tendencies are expressed in a fascinating manner. It was determined that Macaxeira Roots would play various styles fused with Reggae. This was a natural result of the band members’ intimacy with Reggae rhythm and the similarity of the messages that they wished to share.. Macaxeira Roots made appearances in the principal show houses in Salvador and participated in Carnival in Salvador and in other Bahian cities. In 2007 Sapo became a resident of Florida with his North-American dancer and singer wife Corey Souza. Together they continue to present shows in the U.S. and are promoting the Macaxeira Roots CD at their events.
Arsun Fist
From Panama City, Panama currently performing out of Jacksonville, FL
Visit Website
Mas Appeal
The People’s Champ!!
Mas Appeal is an Independent Hip Hop Artist, Promoter and the Host of the Online TV Show “The Lyricist Hour.”
Mas Appeal is 1/2 of the Esteemed Hip Hop Group Simple Complexity, who recently released their 3rd album “In Us All” in May of 2009. He has had the honor of sharing his talent on stage with legendary artists to include: Little Brother, Black Sheep, One Be Lo, Blackmilk, Hezekiah, Rahzel, Akrobatik, Mr Lif and many more!
His group, Simple Complexity, has performed at many festivals including the Warped Tour, The A3C (multiple Years) and Summer Time in The City.
Welson Tremura is well-versed in Brazilian Jazz, classical, and vocal music as well as traditional European classical forms, also specializes in ethnomusicology (folk religion, technology, and interdisciplinary projects) and world music. Welson is also the co-director for “Jacaré Brazil” (Brazilian music ensemble) where he teaches guitar and vocal repertoires and organize performances.
Welson has performed extensively throughout Brazil, United States, Europe, and New Zealand including the International Double Reed Convention (Rotterdam), Festival de Inverno (Campos do Jordão, Brazil), Nashville Opry Theatre Christmas Concert with Barbara Mandrel (Nashville), and the American Cancer Society Benefit Concert with Bernadette Peters (Tallahassee). He has also performed solo concerts for João Figueiredo and Ernesto Geisel (former Presidents of Brazil) and won second place for his composition with RTC (Rádio e Televisão Cultura).
Larry Crook is a professor at the University of Florida’s School of Music and teaches a variety of courses in Latin American, Caribbean, and African music as well as specialized courses in ethnomusicology. At UF he is Co-Director of the Center for World Arts and an affiliate member of Anthropology and the Centers for Latin American and African Studies. A percussionist, he is Director of the UF World Music Ensembles (Jacaré Brazil and Agbedidi Africa) and gives staged performances regularly.
