Jeff Link

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Jeff Link has been dancing Casino for 8 years and is the owner and director of Bembe', a Cuban dance school in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school focuses on Casino, Rueda de Casino and Son. He teaches full time after creating the school in 2014.

His biggest passion is around bringing new people into the Cuban dance community and focuses on workshops, events and series that allow people to get a taste of what Casino and Rueda de Casino feels like. His high energy classes are focused on Cuban fundamentals that allow his students to "Dance with anyone, at any time, in any place".

You will find Jeff teaching throughout the Midwest and hosting weekly dance parties and events in Cincinnati.

Aramis Pazos

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Aramis is a graduate of the National School of the Arts in Cuba with a degree in both Modern and Afro-Cuban Folklore dance and has been dancing professionally for over 20 years. While in Cuba he apprenticed with both the National Dance Company of Cuba and the National Folkloric Company before touring internationally with Ballet Tropicana. For eight years, he choreographed and produced musicals and cabaret shows in Mexico, and was a soloist and assistant choreographer for Richard Neon’s, the assistant director of Riverdance, internationally touring production, “Jarocho”. While in San Francisco, he performed with Robert Moses Kin among other companies, and taught Afro-Cuban, modern, Folklore and popular dance while directing his company, Latin Cabaret Productions. Aramis acted and danced under the direction of Neri Torres, once choreographer to Gloria Estefan, in her production “Musical de la Rumba” en Miami, Florida. He has been guest artist at SUNY-Brocksport and International University in Vermont. Currently he is teaching classes and workshops, as well as performing in the Washington D.C. area as a dancer and lead singer and Director with the Cuban Timba band, "Timba Street" He is an expert consultant to several groups in Rumba and Afro-Cuban fusion into other latin dance styles such as salsa, casino, rueda de casino and mambo.

Ana Llorente

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Ana started her dance career in Havana, where she graduated with Honors from the Cuban National School of Arts specializing in Contemporary Dance and Afro-Cuban Folklore. Her extensive training resulted in a scholarship in Choreography at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. This scholarship, coming from a USA based institution, was a unique opportunity for a Cuban citizen. The “UNEAC“ Cuban National institution of Writers and Artists recognized her as the best performer and choreographer in the country at the invitational Dance Competition in Havana. Ana has taken part as a dancer and choreographer in many internationally televised programs like: “Ballroom in Concert” (Vienna, Austria), “Ballroom Fever” (City Center, New York), Miss Venezuela International”, Dance Yuma Factory” in Japan, America’s Got Talent, ”Unforgettable Boleros with Ricardo Montalban, “Heritage DanceSport Championships” with Cyd Charisse, PBS Television Special for USA Dancesport Championships and First World Mambo Competition, International Dance Festival (Vail, Colorado), CNN USA Dance news, Vail International Dance Festival, “Sabado Gigante”, “Mira Quien Baila”, Univision TV Channel, Millenium Dancesport Championships. You can find her in MTV videos for: Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Will Smith, Julio Iglesias, Chayanne, Vanessa Williams, Gipsy Kings in Concert, Julio Iglesias, famous Latin singer Johnny Ventura and she was the principal dancer of “Dirty Dancing”#2 movie: “Havana Nights”.

Ana has won numerous National and International Dance honors and titles: World Mambo Champion, Argentine Tango World finalist, USA, World, and Canadian American Rhythm Champion. Ana is well known for bringing a real and authentic Latin flavor to the Dance World along with her understanding of modern choreography and its application to the body.

Kati Hernandez

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Kati Hernandez brings to the United States her humble, yet explosive and uplifting energy. Kati's knowledge of dance and choreography reveals her intricate and versatile style, making her a highly sought-after performer, nationally and internationally.

A native of Cuba, Kati grew up surrounded by the sounds of the drum and the Afro-Cuban tradition. Her dance studies included folkloric, popular, modern, ballet, choreography, composition and staging. Her earlier performances include the Havana International Jazz Festival with Cuban stars such as Bobby Carcases and Chucho Valdez and the Bienal Internacional de la Habana with Afro-Cuban music and performance icon Mercedita Valdez and visual artist Manuel Mendive.

Kati's international journey began soon after graduating Cuba's National Art Schools where she went to Spain to tour with the well-known orchestra Manolito Simonet y Su Trabuco. Kati's fiery, refined style awarded her the invitation to tour with several Cuban music and dance productions throughout Portugal, the Bahamas and Costa Rica, where she later resided for five years. This gave her the opportunity to refine her talents in teaching and choreographing dance, and to expand her range as an actor and dancer/choreographer for television. Kati also volunteered her time and skills teaching dance to children and young women in impoverished communities throughout Central America, empowering them to use dance as a medium for expressing emotions, experiences, hopes and dreams.

Following her extensive travels, Kati moved to the United States. In California she taken on the responsibility to teach and cultivate Afro-Cuban culture by producing regular events and workshops that create a community that bridges dance and music across cultures. She is the co-founder of KimBamBula Productionswhich produced "Essence of Cuba", a paramount reunion of Afro-Cuban masters in Los Angeles including members of the renowned group Los Muñequitos de Matanzas with California's finest Cuban folkloric masters. Kati recently created one of her dream projects, "Isupo Irawo", an ensemble of Legendary Afro-Cuban masters from around the world. This group features Maestro Lázaro Galarraga, one of the founding members of the Conjunto Folklorico de Cuba, who has been a lifelong inspiration to Kati, and recently a mentor to her development. Their most recent performances include the Esalen International Music and Dance Festival and the opening act for the world-renowned Brazilian jazz percussionistAirto Moreira at Avila Beach, CA.

Kati's other accomplishments in Los Angeles include: The Ford Amphitheater's popular Cuban music production of "La Charanga Cubana" and "Tropicana in Hollywood" where she was a choreographer, costume design advisor and production coordinator; the dance installation "Fire"directed by Judith Davis and presented at Pomona College; and UCLA's film project, "Raiz". In addition, She is praised for her tribute piece to legendary Afro-Cuban master percussionistFrancisco Aguabella at Esalen in Big Sur, CA.

Currently, Kati is the artistic director and choreographer of her own community-based, Afro-Cuban dance and music experimental project, "Dancing From the Heart". Eager to spread the roots of Cuban Salsa in L.A and nationwide, she is now the co-founder of Afro-Timba, a dance fitness program that she is currently touring Nationwide. Kati teaches dance classes at several southern California colleges and universities including the University of California, Irvine, as well as in many local studios throughout Los Angeles. She continues to tour, bringing her flavorful Afro-Cuban dynamite to national Afro-Cuban folkloric and salsa dance conferences such as Cuba Carrie in San Francisco, the Albert Torres' L.A. Salsa Congress, and many Casino Rueda regional festivals. Kati is known for her vibrant energy and flavor on the dance floor. When one begins to study with her they will see that this flavor comes from an in-depth knowledge of her culture and tradition.