Faculty

Vladimir Espinosa – Cuban Dance

Vladimer Espinosa Vladimir Espinosa is a musician, actor, and choreographer born in Havana, Cuba. He graduated from the ENA (school of national arts in Cuba) in 1985. He also studied with the National Folkloric de Cuba with Regino Jimenes and Pelladito, both having...

Utam Moses – Creative Movement

Utam MosesCreative Movement  Utam Moses is a dance theatre artist, teacher, and embodied theorist. She currently teaches dance practices at Indiana University Bloomington. Utam is passionate about dance as a tool for transforming states, as a mode of...

Saturnin Ba – African Dance

Saturnin BaAfrican DanceSaturnin Ba is a Singer, Percussionist, Dancer, and Choreographer from the Cote D'Ivoire currently living in the U.S.A.

Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ Dioubate – Djembe

Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ DioubateDjembeFeatured artist with AfricaNashville’s Yeli Ensemble, Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ Dioubate was raised as a Djeli (also called a griot) , a ‘living archive’ of the West African people’s traditions. He grew up in Conakry, Guinea’s capital city where he...

Julio Llerena – Cajón

Julio Llerena Cajón Julio Llerena is a musician with more than 30 years playing several percussion instruments such as congas, bongos, güiro, maracas and cajón. Born in Peru into a family of musicians, Julio was always interested in rhythm and the way an ensemble of...

Andre Rosa Artis – Congas

Andre Rosa Artis Congas Andre Rosa Artis is a world renowned hand drummer who specializes in traditional west African, and Afro Caribbean traditional music. He resides In Indianapolis Indiana where he is the director of the “Indianapolis Pan Afrikan music and dance...

Obayana Ajanaku – Dunun

Obayana AjanakuDununOver the past 20 years as a performing artist and cultural music educator Obayana has rendered his art and edutainment services to a plethora of k-12 schools, universities, festivals, community centers, libraries and concerts throughout the United...

Julian Douglas – Frame drums / Rhythm theory

Julian DouglasFrame Drum/Rhythm TheoryJulian Douglas is a Remo Health Rhythms trained facilitator and a recipient of the Indiana Arts Commission On-Ramp Fellowship with 25 years of experience facilitating drum and dance circles, as well as a world percussion teacher...

William Brown – Bells and Clave

William Brown Bells and Clave With over 40 years of experience as a percussionist, William Brown has had the privilege of playing with some of the most respected musicians and engineers in the industry. From an early age, he was exposed to the rich musical traditions...

Vladimir Espinosa – Cuban Dance

Vladimer Espinosa Vladimir Espinosa is a musician, actor, and choreographer born in Havana, Cuba. He graduated from the ENA (school of national arts in Cuba) in 1985. He also studied with the National Folkloric de Cuba with Regino Jimenes and Pelladito, both having...

Utam Moses – Creative Movement

Utam Moses – Creative Movement

Utam MosesCreative Movement  Utam Moses is a dance theatre artist, teacher, and embodied theorist. She currently teaches dance practices at Indiana University Bloomington. Utam is passionate about dance as a tool for transforming states, as a mode of...

Saturnin Ba – African Dance

Saturnin Ba – African Dance

Saturnin BaAfrican DanceSaturnin Ba is a Singer, Percussionist, Dancer, and Choreographer from the Cote D'Ivoire currently living in the U.S.A.

Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ Dioubate – Djembe

Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ DioubateDjembeFeatured artist with AfricaNashville’s Yeli Ensemble, Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ Dioubate was raised as a Djeli (also called a griot) , a ‘living archive’ of the West African people’s traditions. He grew up in Conakry, Guinea’s capital city where he...

Julio Llerena – Cajón

Julio Llerena – Cajón

Julio Llerena Cajón Julio Llerena is a musician with more than 30 years playing several percussion instruments such as congas, bongos, güiro, maracas and cajón. Born in Peru into a family of musicians, Julio was always interested in rhythm and the way an ensemble of...

Andre Rosa Artis – Congas

Andre Rosa Artis – Congas

Andre Rosa Artis Congas Andre Rosa Artis is a world renowned hand drummer who specializes in traditional west African, and Afro Caribbean traditional music. He resides In Indianapolis Indiana where he is the director of the “Indianapolis Pan Afrikan music and dance...

Obayana Ajanaku – Dunun

Obayana Ajanaku – Dunun

Obayana AjanakuDununOver the past 20 years as a performing artist and cultural music educator Obayana has rendered his art and edutainment services to a plethora of k-12 schools, universities, festivals, community centers, libraries and concerts throughout the United...

Julian Douglas – Frame drums / Rhythm theory

Julian Douglas – Frame drums / Rhythm theory

Julian DouglasFrame Drum/Rhythm TheoryJulian Douglas is a Remo Health Rhythms trained facilitator and a recipient of the Indiana Arts Commission On-Ramp Fellowship with 25 years of experience facilitating drum and dance circles, as well as a world percussion teacher...

William Brown – Bells and Clave

William Brown – Bells and Clave

William Brown Bells and Clave With over 40 years of experience as a percussionist, William Brown has had the privilege of playing with some of the most respected musicians and engineers in the industry. From an early age, he was exposed to the rich musical traditions...