Global Rhythms's Yesenia Fernandez Selier on presenting Afro-Cuban dance in public space

Dance artist, educator and MFA student Beatrice Capote
(photo: Russell Hayden)

For my Montclair State University course, Performance Perspectives, Dance MFA student Beatrice Capote interviewed Yesenia Fernandez Selier, Executive Director of the performing arts troupe Global Rhythms.

Global Rhythms is a cultural enterprise devoted to enriching society and empowering individuals and communities through Cuban dance, music, and cultural education. Founded in 2012 by Cuban scholar, activist, and folkloric dancer Yesenia Selier and Hunter Houde, US born Latin dancer and entertainer, Global Rhythms uses these elements to create bonds between people and cultures and to promote a more diverse and tolerant society. With exciting dance performances, live Latin music shows, and interactive academic conferences on the history of popular and religious music and dance from Cuba, our experienced staff blends the talents of traditional artists, scholars, and award winning entertainers to provide an unforgettable cultural experience. Global Rhythms has worked with and alongside world renowned artists such Pedrito Martinez, Roman Diaz, Maykel Fonts, Septeto Nacional de Cuba, Ivan Acosta, Jose Conde, Jane Bunnett, Cita Rodriguez, Grupo Irek, Miguelo Valdes, Mauricio Herrera Tamayo, Gerardo Contino, Venissa Santi, among others. 

Cuban born performer and researcher, Yesenia Fernandez Selier is currently a media, culture and communication PhD candidate at New York University-Steinhart. Yesenia is the recipient of fellowships from CLACSO and the CUNY Caribbean Exchange Program of Hunter College and recognized for her work preserving Latino heritage by the “Save Latin America Organization.” Her work on Afro-Cuban culture, encompassing dance, music and race identity has been published in Cuba, United States and Brazil. Yesenia has developed several projects, like Tambo! and Ibiono Project for the preservation of Afro- Cuban legacy in NYC. She produced, the theater play Women Orishas for Miami Cuban Museum (2013) and the show Cuba en Clave for the Cuban Cultural Center in Miami (2014). She is currently Executive Director of Global Rhythms.

To listen to this audio clip from today's guest contributor, Beatrice Capote, click here (20:51).

Beatrice Capote is a soloist dancer, choreographer and teacher. She started her pre-professional training at PPAS/The Ailey School, and then graduated from University of North Carolina School of the Arts as a dance major. In addition, she continued her college journey at Montclair State University where she received her BA in Dance Education. Professionally, she has worked with INSPIRIT, a dance company, Mavericks dance company, The Wells Performance Project, Areytos Performance Works, Earl Mosley, Matthew Rushing, Darrell Moultrie, Antonio Brown and Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In. Motion. Ms. Capote choreographed and performed her solo work as a guest artist for ASHA Dance Company, the Eric Dolphy Jazz Festival, and recently performed her Newest Solo at the Martha Graham Studios for WestFest Dance, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD), Pepatian Dance Concert at Pregones Theater, and Battery Dance Festival. She received a grant from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council to choreograph and show new works at the Pier 17 South Street Seaport. She has, also, set work at the Earl Mosley Institute of the Arts Summer Intensive Program, Fort Wayne Ballet Summer Intensive Program, and Steffi Nossen School of Dance. In her work, she gravitates towards the individual artistry/ experience. She asks questions like what, when, where, and who…. Within those questions, she uses gestures to tell her story/ experience. The gestures evolve to expansive movements within the body that reflect to deeper meaning. The movement quality is known to be very energetic and vibrant contemporary modern aesthetic infused with African, ballet, modern, and jazz. Her goal in the work is for the audience to experience and relate to the work. In addition, She is currently faculty at the Ailey School, Joffrey Ballet, Montclair State University and a dancer with Camille A. Brown and Dancers. Website: beatricecapote.com

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Spirit in Afro-Atlantic culture

Que viva Chango!: West African deities in the Americas
by Denise Oliver Velez, Daily Kos, December 4, 2011

Roots + Rumba!

Cuba's fabulous Los Muñequitos de Matanzas

ROOTS + RUMBA WORKSHOP

presented in collaboration with  

Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance,  

MAPP International Productions 

and Max Pollak's RumbaTap

Friday, May 6 (12noon-2pm)

The Cornerstone Center
178 Bennett Avenue (at 189th Street), Manhattan
Take the A train to 190th Street.

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas offer the purest sounds and movements of their Afro-Cuban heritage, with live music, presented and explained in a very accessible and friendly way. They begin with Yoruba Orisha dances through all Rumba styles, bringing all the power and joy of their performance to energize workshop participants. This is a dance workshop but singers and drummers are welcome as well. All levels welcome. Please wear comfortable clothing to dance.

By performing Max Pollak's RumbaTap choreography in their shows over the last decade, Los Muñequitos have helped popularize this new element in Afro-Cuban folklore all over Cuba and worldwide.

Workshop fee: $20 (no reservations necessary)

For more info, email rumbatap@gmail.com.

Don't miss Los Muñequitos de Matanzas LIVE at Symphony Space May 5-7 and The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, SUNY May 8.

Max Pollak and RumbaTap in “Viis”

by Eva Yaa Asantewaa

You know the drill: Someone welcomes us, introduces the show, points out emergency exits and reminds us to stifle our cellphones. But I heard a new twist at Max Pollak’s Joyce SoHo gig: “No text messaging and no receiving of text messages during the performance.” Text messaging? Is there anyone left who still pays attention to the show?

Luckily there was not a single outbreak of high technology at RumbaTap’s performance of Viis, but the evening-length dramatic work, created by Pollak in collaboration with dancer Chikako Iwahori, could have benefitted from clearer correspondence--and I don’t mean email.

I came to Viis with some misgivings about its prospects; unfortunately, those feelings were not dispelled. Inspired by Pollak’s visit to Finland, Viis is set in an undefined place where the Santeria orishas of Cuba and Nordic characters from the ancient Kalevala epic are one and the same and sometimes find themselves tap dancing to jazz. But the Finnish characters and storyline get lost in performance, and the cursory explanation in the program notes don’t help us find them.

This conceptually ambitious gambit rides on Pollak’s world-class reputation. For years he’s been rightly lauded for soulful, seamless integration of tap dance with Afro-Cuban rhythms and chant, and for the extravagant way he gives his entire body over to the music, his dancing and the ground. He is truly a master performer who commands our attention in this work as in others.

In Viis, his hearty crew of musicians--Paul Carlon (tenor sax/flute), Andy Milne (keyboards), Dimitri Moderbacher (baritone sax, flute, clarinet), Alby Roblejo (percussion), Gottfried Stoger (alto sax, flute) and Ileana Santamaria (vocals)–arrive in full force, packing the expected pleasures. There are bright spots in the dancing: in particular, effervescent Lynn Schwab perfectly cast as the flirtatious, self-pleasuring Oshun/Louhi’s daughter character and DeWitt Fleming, Jr. as Oggun/Ilmarinen cutting loose in a tap challenge number with Pollak.

Instead of casting longtime dance partner and collaborator Iwahori as the angry, forbidding witch/Oya character, Pollak could have challenged her to loosen up her stony demeanor and body, and tune up those inexpressive feet. I keep wanting to see more of Iwahori than we usually do, hoping that it’s there.

Near the end, Pollak makes an attempt to render the Finnish aspects of the story more palpable, but by then it’s too late and too cartoonish. This work argues for separation of powers–tap over here, folklore over there–a shame because Pollak’s motivation was a longing for unity among diverse cultures, among all people. Unity is a fine goal, but first let us all be clear about who we are. Identity comes first.

Click here to visit RumbaTap.

(c)2007, Eva Yaa Asantewaa