Current Performers
Patricia
Patricia Martinez conceptualized the now ten-member dance ensemble in the fall of 2008. Born and raised in an Afro-Venezuelan community on the Central Coast of Venezuela, Patricia was trained in traditional dances, ballet, flamenco and jazz. She was exposed to salsa early in life because it was simply part of the culture. When she moved to Los Angeles, Patricia began learning Rueda de Casino from Rueda in the Park, the premier local Cuban Salsa group. Today, Patricia is a popular instructor of Rueda de Casino. Classes are held at Candela at Leonardo's in Los Angeles as well as other venues.
Sophia
Daughter of two Colombian immigrants, Sophia Gonzalez was born and raised in Los Angeles. She learned to dance salsa at a young age, but it wasn't until Fall of 2006 that she joined the CSU Long Beach Salsa Dance team. Her mission is to bridge cultures through music and dance: We are all one tree with separate branches, but fundamentally we have the same roots.
Stefanie
Stefanie was born and raised in Redwood City, California, a suburb of San Francisco. She came to Los Angeles in 2003 to attend college and graduated in 2007 from Loyola Marymount University with a BA in History. Growing up dancing ballet, Stefanie began dancing salsa in 2007, focusing predominantly on Rueda and Casino style. She is currently living and working in Los Angeles.
Jennifer
Jennifer Pulver joined Afri-K-Sineras because she loves to dance and, in particular, loves to dance Cuban Salsa. Her mother is from Havana, Cuba so dancing is in her blood.
Initially, she could not imagine herself performing in front of a crowd as she is not comfortable on stage but decided to take a risk and see if she could overcome her stage fright. Jennifer has been dancing salsa for 10 years and recently has taken on the very challenging task of learning to lead, not just follow, while dancing.
By night Jennifer loves to dance, but by day she is a Film Editor for TV series and is currently working on ABC’s Ugly Betty. In addition to dancing, she loves to travel and tries to take a significant trip overseas each year. She hopes to continue dancing and traveling until she is very old!
Initially, she could not imagine herself performing in front of a crowd as she is not comfortable on stage but decided to take a risk and see if she could overcome her stage fright. Jennifer has been dancing salsa for 10 years and recently has taken on the very challenging task of learning to lead, not just follow, while dancing.
By night Jennifer loves to dance, but by day she is a Film Editor for TV series and is currently working on ABC’s Ugly Betty. In addition to dancing, she loves to travel and tries to take a significant trip overseas each year. She hopes to continue dancing and traveling until she is very old!
Eboni
Bio coming soon!
Juana Rosa
Bio coming soon!
Jennie
Jennie recently moved to Los Angeles and became an Afri-K-Sinera. Though she first became interested in rueda while at a small club in Valencia, Spain, she learned to dance and perform Cuban Salsa and Rueda de Casino in 2004 in Washington, DC initially with Salsa Casino at Maryland (S.C.A.M.) and Saoco DC, but primarily from 2006-2008 with the amazing dancers of DC Casineros. It was thanks to these outstanding groups that she was exposed to timba music, which also led her to play timba for two years with Orquesta Ashe. In addition to dancing with Afri-K-Sineras, Jennie, a former teacher and youth development worker, currently devotes her professional life to developing community schools.
Afri-K-Sineras Company Dancers
Valerie
Valerie grew up being a fun fitness and dance enthusiast, having worked out for over 16 years to countless dance and fitness classes, including cardio kickboxing, step, strength training, salsa, hip hop, belly dancing and more. While attending the University of Pennsylvania, Valerie served as percussionist, singer, dancer and Executive Board member of UPENN's premier African drum and dance troupe.
Valerie expanded her dance repertoire learning Cuban Salsa and Rueda de Casino when she moved to Los Angeles. Her passion for Cuban Salsa led her to become a member of Afri-K-Sineras.
Valerie's passion for fun fitness and dance doesn't end there. She was a recent cast member in fitness legend Richard Simmons' Toning to the Oldies 2010 workout video and Total Gym(R) fitness model.
More information about Valerie can be found at www.ValeriePaule.com.
Valerie expanded her dance repertoire learning Cuban Salsa and Rueda de Casino when she moved to Los Angeles. Her passion for Cuban Salsa led her to become a member of Afri-K-Sineras.
Valerie's passion for fun fitness and dance doesn't end there. She was a recent cast member in fitness legend Richard Simmons' Toning to the Oldies 2010 workout video and Total Gym(R) fitness model.
More information about Valerie can be found at www.ValeriePaule.com.
Fumi
Fumilayo Bankole has been "making her way around the world through dance" for two decades. She was featured on That's So Raven and in a Fox Network Sports commercial campaign. She performed in six music videos including Janet Jackson's Got Till It's Gone. "Fumi" has performed most notably with Kouman Kele, The Central Avenue Dance Ensemble and Ceedo, the dance performance company's of Nzingha Camara, Chester Whitmore and Abdouli Djiakite respectively.
Fumi is also a published author, musician, painter, high school teacher and blogger. You can learn more about Fumi's other interest and read excerpts from Canaan's Labyrinth, her first novel, at http://www.fumibankole.com
Fumi is also a published author, musician, painter, high school teacher and blogger. You can learn more about Fumi's other interest and read excerpts from Canaan's Labyrinth, her first novel, at http://www.fumibankole.com
Adunni
Adunni is a native New Yorker and has made her home in L.A. since 1979. She brings with her an extensive background of traditional West African dance. Her professional experience has been with The Chuck Davis W. African Dance Co. in New York, and here in Los Angeles with such notable African Dance companies as Kuman Kele (Director: Nzingha Camara) and Sona Sane (Director: Malang Bayo, former principal dancer of the Senegalese Ballet and Les Ballet African Dance Company). Adunni was also a principal dancer with Black Ballet Jazz (Director: Chester Whitmore) and Jazz Movement Exchange (Director: Wayne Bascomb). Her dance disciplines are the Lindy Hop, Charleston, Swing, Boogy, Tap, Jazz and Ballet. Adunni toured with BBJ through the Midwestern USA, Korea and more than 13 countries throughout Europe and the Middle East.
Percussion is also a feature of Adunni's repertoire of talents, namely the following West African instruments: Songbah, Kinkini and Shekere.
Since living in L.A., Adunni has expanded her dance experience through learning Salsa. Although she's been studying L.A. Style Salsa and Cuban Rueda de Casino for the past seven years, salsa has been in her blood since childhood. Having grown up in Spanish Harlem, salsa was fun and just part of the New York culture. The style of salsa danced in NY is known as Mambo and is danced on the two Clave. However, it wasn't until seven years ago that Adunni actively pursued salsa again.
When not dancing, Adunni pursues her business passion of making handmade crystal jewelry and homemade aromatherapeutic soaps, both of which will be on her upcoming website.
Percussion is also a feature of Adunni's repertoire of talents, namely the following West African instruments: Songbah, Kinkini and Shekere.
Since living in L.A., Adunni has expanded her dance experience through learning Salsa. Although she's been studying L.A. Style Salsa and Cuban Rueda de Casino for the past seven years, salsa has been in her blood since childhood. Having grown up in Spanish Harlem, salsa was fun and just part of the New York culture. The style of salsa danced in NY is known as Mambo and is danced on the two Clave. However, it wasn't until seven years ago that Adunni actively pursued salsa again.
When not dancing, Adunni pursues her business passion of making handmade crystal jewelry and homemade aromatherapeutic soaps, both of which will be on her upcoming website.
Jen
Jen was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. As a young girl, she danced ballet and jazz. Jen started dancing and performing Haitian dance with the Konga Society in Central Coast. She also taught Brazilian dance at Samba Do Norte in Northern California and danced Samba with Fogo Na Ropa in Oakland, CA. In the last few years Jen discovered Rueda de Casino and joined Afri-K-Sineras in 2009. When Jen is not dancing, she is a high school visual arts teacher in downtown Los Angeles.
Diana
Of Cuban and Middle Eastern background, Diana was born in Michigan and has been dancing since the age of three.
Having performed and studied with master musicians and artists, her extensive dance experience includes Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Salsa, Casino, Rueda, African, Afro-Cuban and Middle Eastern folkloric dance.
Before joining Afri-K-Sineras, Diana performed with Nigerian dance group Frances Awe and the Talking Drum Ensemble as well as Middle Eastern dance group We Are Baladi. We Are Baladi performed various collaborations with Grammy-nominated dance group Yuval Ron Ensemble. Diana currently teaches Cuban style salsa in the elementary school system.
Having performed and studied with master musicians and artists, her extensive dance experience includes Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Salsa, Casino, Rueda, African, Afro-Cuban and Middle Eastern folkloric dance.
Before joining Afri-K-Sineras, Diana performed with Nigerian dance group Frances Awe and the Talking Drum Ensemble as well as Middle Eastern dance group We Are Baladi. We Are Baladi performed various collaborations with Grammy-nominated dance group Yuval Ron Ensemble. Diana currently teaches Cuban style salsa in the elementary school system.
Not Pictured
Gabi