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'Roots of Rumba' the First Latin Dance Theatre in London

Myriam is delighted to be one of the featured performers in the first Latin Dance Festival in London. Performance on April 8th and 9th 2016.

The first Latin Dance Theatre platform of its kind, Roots of Rumba is described as a festival showcasing the incredible talents, cultures and skills embedded within Latin culture.’ Comprising of two nights of shows, a full day of dance workshops and an after party with International acclaimed DJ Lubi.

Artistic Director Ella Mesma has curated the festival, which sold out last year and includes acts such as Cuban born Luanda Pau, Myriam Gadri of New York and Tierra Morena from Sweden and Ella Mesma Company.

Roots of Rumba is funded by Arts Council of England and have also raised a crowed funding campaign in order to make sure this event is the best it can be. The event will also be supported by Daniel Goldman and Casa International Festival.

ABOUT ELEMENT ARTS

Element Arts are an all Latin Dance Company who teach, perform and hold Afro-Latin events in the UK and further afield with an interest in promoting and advancing Latin Dance Theatre. Element Arts hold a yearly festival to promote and push Latin dance theatre.

ABOUT ELLA MESMA

Contemporary, B-Girl and dancing Salsa and Samba for over ten years, Ella is interested in these and Afro Cuban, Afro Brazilian to choreograph her artistic work. Working professionally in Latin dance from 2003, Ella graduated from Leeds University (Politics and Sociology) in 2004. In 2007 she studied for a Diploma at Laban then at The London School of Contemporary Dance graduating in 2010. Performance experiences include touring in ‘The Rodin Project’ with Russell Maliphant Company, Guarini Dance Company’s ‘Patua’, Touring ‘Riots’ and ‘Men on a Mission’ with Southpaw, A dancer for the Professional Cast of the Olympics Opening Ceremony, Breakin’ Convention, Adidas, and Wendy Houston’s ‘Stupid Women’.

Ella was selected as Passista (First Soloist) for Rio Carnival 2006 and Rainha da Bateria for LSS 2008. Ella established Element Arts in 2007, and Ella Mesma Company in 2011. She was awarded a Winston Churchill Scholarship in 2015 for further research into Afro Cuban and Afro Brazilian forms with Contemporary Dance. Ella Mesma is also a Bench fellow (Tamsin Fitzgerald-2Faced Dance Company), and was awarded a Micro Grant by ADAD to develop her practise.

ROOTS OF RUMBA

The first Contemporary Latin Dance Theatre Platform of its kind, a third year will establish Roots of Rumba as an annual event, shining a spotlight on the wealth of activity happening in the Latin dance sector. Roots of Rumba (From Rumba to Hip Hop) will happen on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th April 7.30pm 2016 and will also include daytime workshops on the 9th and an after party until late.

In 2013 Element Arts established ‘Roots of Rumba’ an evening of Latin Dance Theatre held at Richmix. The event selects fantastic theatrical Latin Dance performances with a goal to share their passion for Latin dance styles, showcase some of the best talent and put Latin Dance onto the stage. In 2015 “Roots of Rumba’ was sold out, and the Company are very excited to expand the festival this year.

ACTS AND WORKSHOPS:

Tierra Morena (Sweden), Myriam Gadri (NYC), Luanda Pau (Cuba/France), Erika Vanessa Gil, Ella Mesma Company, Yuvel Soria , Incendium Dance Company, Anna Alvarez, East London Capoeira, Aneta ‘Modelo’ Zwierzyńska, Pexava Dance Company, Rik the Most, DJ Lubi

Workshops:11am – 12pm / Contemporary Latin (Ella Mesma),12.30pm – 1.30pm / Afro Cuban/Orishas (Miguel Gonzalez), 2pm – 3pm / Contemporary Capoeira (Ponciano Almeida), 3.30pm – 4.30pm / Samba House (Michela De Felice), 4.30pm – 5.30pm / Rumba (Luanda Pau)

COSTS: £12/£10 Concessions. Workshop costs: £12 per class OR £45 for all 5 workshops and joint performance and after-party ticket for the Saturday night

CROWDFUNDER: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/roots-of-rumba/x/12217992#/

RICHMIX Book tickets http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/event/roots-of-rumba08090416/

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