INSTRUCTORS

DANCE | SONG | DRUM | ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTORS

DANCE

Reynaldo Gonzalez in hat and suit

Reynaldo Gonzalez Fernandez was born in Matanzas, Cuba, and has been dancing, singing and playing percussion since early childhood. After graduating from the Escuela para Instructores de Arte in 1984, he became one of the principal dancers and choreographers for the prominent Cuban group Afro-Cuba de Matanzas and toured with the group to the U.S. in 1996. He has taught Afro-Cuban dance, percussion and song ever since his arrival to the U.S. He has a vast knowledge of ritual dances, chants and rhythms of Yoruba, Bantu, Abakua, Palo and Yessa.

Freila Merencio in dancing dress

Freila Merencio Blanco
was born in Havana, Cuba. She began her professional career in 1990 with the renowned folkloric group Raices Profundas. She later become soloist and then chorographer. She toured with Raices in Cuba and internationally. In addition to her time with Raices she also worked with the highly popular rumba group Yoruba Andabo as a dancer and back-up singer. She has also worked as an actress in national and international productions.

SONG/DRUM

Lazaro Galarraga is a native of Havana, Cuba. He was a founding member of the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. A world-renowned teacher, performing artist, choreographer and writer of Afro-Cuban music, culture and folklore, he has recorded, performed and taught across the U.S. and worldwide. He is now the musical director for the Caribbean Crew and for the Percussion Artists Workshop (PAWS) Afro-Cuban Folklore ensemble in Los Angeles.

DRUM

Jesus Diaz is a native of Havana, Cuba. He has taught and performed in the S.F. Bay area since 1980. He also performs and teaches internationally with his all-percussion group Talking Drums. He has made over a dozen recordings and co-founded Bombo Music Productions in 1993, producing four records under the Bombo music label. Jesus has toured with Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Womack, Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E, Carlos Santana, Conjunto Cespedes, Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana, Giovanni Hidalgo and Celia Cruz.

Erick Barberia was born in Havana Cuba. He began his studies in 1991 at the Escuela Vocacional de Arte Juan Pablo Duarte. He continued his studies in the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA), graduating in folkoric dances, and studying under professors such as Lazaro Pedroso, who was his first teacher of Cuban Folkloric song and percussion, and Alfredo Ofarril for dance. After graduating in 1996, Erick taught Cuban Folkloric song and percussion in the Escuela Nacional de Arte and in the Centro Nacional de Escuelas de Arte (CENSEA) for five years. Erick has played with drummers such as Angel Bolaños, Regino Jiménez, Papo Angarica, Nene Carvajal, and Cristóbal Larrinaga, among others. He currently lives in San Francisco and teaches private classes in Afro-Cuban Folkloric and Popular song, dance and percussion. He has also taught Cuban music and dance through the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Ramon "Sandy" Pérez joined Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas at age 17, and within a few years he earned the positions of principal drummer and soloist. He was a featured artist at the 1996 Havana Jazz Festival and performed at the 1996 Afrocubanismo Festival in Banff, Canada. Although the roots of his techniques are founded in Afro-Cuban folkloric styles, Pérez's open-minded approach has enabled him to adapt to styles ranging from Cuban popular (salsa) to fusion and avant-garde jazz.

Roman Díaz is a master percussionist from Havana, where he was trained by elders in the fine arts of classic Afro-Cuban musical traditions. He has performed with groups including Raices Profunda, Grupo T con E, Ochestra Sublime, Yoruba Andabo, and Grupo Anaki. In the U.S., Diaz has collaborated with many musicians including Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Paquito D’Rivera, Juan Formell, Pedrito Martinez and Oriando “Puntilla” Rios.

John Santos, multi-percussionist, is a major exponent of Afro-Latin music through innovative use of traditional forms and instruments with contemporary music, and record/event production. He’s worked with acknowledged masters such as Cachao, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Max Roach, Armando Peraza, Eddie Palmieri, Patato Valdés, Francisco Aguabella, Orestes Vilató, Batacumbele, Steve Turre, McCoy Tyner, and Carlos Santana. Santos is a member of the Latin Jazz Advisory Committee of the Smithsonian Institution, has contributed to several international magazines, and has conducted countless workshops, lectures and clinics in the U.S. and Europe. He is also founder and director (1985) of the internationally renowned Machete Ensemble. Its CD, SF Bay, was a 2003 Grammy nominee, and their current (seventh) CD, Brazos Abiertos, is receiving international critical acclaim.

Michael Spiro is an internationally recognized percussionist, recording artist, and educator known specifically for his work in the Latin music field. He studied for seven years in an apprenticeship with Francisco Aquabella. He has studied in Cuba with musicians such as Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana, Esteban "Cha-Cha" Vega Bacallao , Daniel Diaz, Juan "Claro" Blanco, Regino Jimenez, and Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTORS

David Peñalosa has taught each year at Explorations in Afro-Cuban Dance & Drum. A pre-eminent clave theorist, David is credited with conceptual guidance in several music instruction books, including The Tomas Cruz Conga Method, Volumes 1-3 and Conor Guilfoyle’s Odd Meter Clave. He wrote the book The Clave Matrix.

Howard Kaufman is the founder and coordinator of Explorations in Afro-Cuban Dance & Drum. He is a lecturer in percussion at Humboldt State University, an associate professor in percussion at College of the Redwoods, and has developed world percussion programs in Humboldt County high schools.

Scott Wardinsky has done extensive research and field work in Cuba, recording the masters and helping Cuban artists teach in the U.S. He has managed the U.S. tours for Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Lazaro Ros, Amalia Pedrosa and Régino Jiménez. He has taught Afro-Cuban folkloric percussion classes for the Dept. of World Arts & Cultures at UCLA.

Alison Hong began her dance studies at age 7, studying classical Russian ballet with Maria Dubrovsky of the Kirov Ballet. Her Afro-Cuban dance experience includes study in Cuba with members of Grupo Afro-Cuba de Mantazas. She is also an actress in TV and film.

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