My photo
CHOREOGRAPHER, DANCER, DANCE INSTRUCTOR AND MOVEMENT CONSULTANT







Check PERFORMANCES! I wuold love to see you at any of my events..


I beleive in the power of individuals to create and transform their destiny
I am a woman of the world, I can fit in any culture
But if I hear a "Tambor".... I feel the call of Africa en mi sangre....


As an artist, I create myself everyday. My main inspirations are my daughters, Naima & Nayah.
My teachers: My children who patiently put up with a grownup.....All the other artists, my students and the inmates at the Broward Correctional Institute where I teach "Raices". They have taught me to appreciate many things I took for granted before.

My guides: My maestro, Arnaldo Paterson, Katherine Duham, Ghandi, Guido Gonzalez del Valle, Robert Reford, Salvador Dali, Caetano Veloso

ELENA GARCIA PROJECTS





EVERYBODY CONGA!

An educational, fun and interactive workshop where participants learn to play and dance the exciting Conga!

The session includes a historic background about this popular Cuban dance and its African roots.

Students will learn:
* The Basic elements of Latin music and dance.
* To play Latin percussion instruments and learn the basic steps to the Conga dance.
* Some elements of Latin culture such as everyday vocabulary and festivities.
* Students will be able to:
* Improve their problem-solving skills and memory retention.
* Practice Leadership responsibilities.
* Have a better understanding of different cultures.
* Work with different group dynamics.

Workshop details:
This program can be presented as:

* An Introductory session in a one day workshop. The Session can be from 1:15 minutes to 2:00 hours long.
* A more elaborate program lasting from 3-10 sessions including a Final Presentation for the school and parents.
* The workshops can include sessions where students will make and decorate musical instruments to be used in the presentation.
* Elena Garcia Dance Project will provide the instruments needed for the workshop. We can also work with the school’s instruments.
Age groups: From 5 years old to…… Grownups!

contact irokogarcia@aol.com

Everybody Conga! is a fun way to achieve Team Work!



AFRO-CARIBBEAN DANCE

This workshop explores the basics of the movements of the African Diaspora cultures. The Caribbean region has many dances and every country is different in the way the African cultures were preserved and blended with the other cultures present in each area. Nevertheless, due to the common African heritage, there are a lot of similarities between the dance expressions of the different cultures.



AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ DANCE

The traditions of the Afro-Cuban flavor blends with the more contemporary moves of Jazz to create a unique and spicy dance style. Participants of all levels and background can enjoy this class full of energy and fun dance combinations to the beat of live drumming.



AFRO-CUBAN DANCE

Traditional dances from the foundation of Afro-Cuban dance. Dance to the “Orishas”, the West African Yoruba deities in the way they have been preserved in Cuba. Each dance has a different meaning and it is associated with a different element of nature (i.e. Yemaya is the Orisha of the ocean; Shango calls the lightning with his dances. The participants learn the story behind the dances as well as some chanting that accompanies the dances. There are eight main Orishas in the Afro-Cuban tradition whose dances are very rich in movements. For a more complete workshop of Afro-Cuban dance, classes can be divided into three sessions.


RUMBA, CONGA & MORE...

This workshop explores some of the most known Afro-Cuban dances such as Rumba and Conga. The participants learn the basics of the movements and the style of these dances that blend the African and the Spanish heritage of the Cuban culture. Like in the Cuban Carnival, the class ends with a big “Comparsa”! (Group choreography to the Conga dance)


SALSAKIDZ

In this program, children learn the basic rhythms and movements of contemporary Latin dance forms. The programs may be tailored for children of all ages.


Elena Garcia Dance Project Programs are available for educational programming, school performances, community events and cultural festivals.