: Dance & Music Instructors
Born in Lima Peru in 1974, Rosales began a passion for percussion at a young age. At 14 he discovered the cajón and began taking classes with Master Ernesto Sandoval at the Art Museum in Lima. Since then he has played with many influential artist and ensembles. In 1995 he helped co-found Cultural Association “De Rompe y Raja”. For more information visit De Rompe y Raja Cultural Association. Gabriela was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Chorrillos district, one of the last black communities in Lima. Here is where Gabriela's interest and passion for the folklore of African roots was born. After years of constant professional development in the arts, Gabriela came to the United States in 1989. She graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor degree in Creative Arts from San Jose State University, and is one of the founders and current Artistic Director of De Rompe y Raja Cultural Association. For the past two decades Gabriela has devoted her life to teaching and promotingPeruvian folklore of African origin. Lugo is a versatile percussionist, singer and composer, and an experienced teacher. A native of Puerto Rico, Héctor has performed, toured and/or recorded with a variety of local and international artists. He leads Son Borikua, an eight piece ensemble that performs original music inspired in the Puerto Rican musical folklore, in particular the "Bomba" and the "Plena". Shefali has been studying and dancing Bomba since 1999. She has trained and performed with members of the legendary Cepeda family, at “Maestros de Bomba en la Bahía” (2005 and 2007) featuring masters from Puerto Rico, at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival with Grupo Folclórico Paulé (2004), and at the West Wave Dance Festival August 2008. For four years she served as Artistic Director and Choreographer for performing group Cacique y Kongo. She currently performs with Hector Lugo and La Mixta Criolla and directs Aguacero, a performance and education project focusing on the traditions and contemporary creative expressions of Afro Puerto Rican Bomba music and dance. Shefali also trains in Odissi, a classical Indian dance form from Orissa, India with Guru Sri Vishnu Tattva Das, and performs with Bay Area’s Odissi Vilas. In Bomba, Shefali performs and teaches various regional styles including those from Santurce and Loíza, Puerto Rico. As an instructor, choreographer and artistic director in Bomba, Shefali leads dance workshops and performance rehearsals teaching basic steps, and techniques and strategies for executing “piquetes” (improvised movements marked by the lead drummer) and creating music through rhythmical and precise body and skirt movements. Lichi is a multi-instrumentalist known for her strong voice and commitment to social justice. She is an important voice in the Bay Area's Latin American new song scene who has been described as a natural vocalist whose "commitment to social justice is a tangible force in her music" (SF Bay Guardian). Chilean-born Lichi, was the founder and lead vocalist of the group Altazor. Currently musical director of La Peña's Community Chorus, Lichi also teaches music at elementary schools in Oakland and Berkeley. For more information on Lichi click here. Virtuoso Chilean singer Rafael Manriquez is a songwriter and musician. Inspired by the voices of Violeta Parra and Victor Jara from his homeland of Chile, Rafael expresses through his songs the profound desire of his people for peace, freedom and self-determination. Combining extraordinary musical talent with heartfelt commitment, his music captures the essence of the transforming power of song. He has performed as a solo artist and with groups for over thirty years, bringing the music of Latin America to audiences all over the world. For more information on Rafael click here. Josh Jones has been an integral force in the Bay Area music scene since the early nineties. In addition to playing, he is a dedicated teacher and mentor to many musicians and drummers on the rise. Josh is also recognized internationally from his touring with such jazz greats as Don Cherry, Steve Coleman, Dave Murray, and Chico Freeman. Currently, he tours and records with Peter Apfelbaum, Omar Sosa and Jacqui Naylor. Josh continues to perform with his various ensembles at clubs and festivals in the Bay Area and remains an influence on and supporter of jazz in the community. For more information on Josh click here. Ramon "Sandy" Perez is a master Batalero and Conguero, as well as the principal/lead percussionist for Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas for the past 12 years. He is widely known for his expertise as a percussionist and instructor. He is a direct descendant from the legendary Villamil family, and brings an encyclopedia of knowledge and continues the legacy of Afro-Cuban folklore from the cradle of African Culture in Matanzas, Cuba. Sandy joined Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas at age 17, and within a few years he earned the position of principal drummer and soloist; a privilege he maintained until his move to the US. Grupo Afro-Cuba is a legendary folkloric group from Matanzas, Cuba. They are known as the originators of "Bata Rumba," and famed for their mastery of the full spectrum of Afro-Cuban folkloric music and dance. Sandy was a featured artist at the 1996 Havana Jazz Festival and was invited to perform at the 1996 Afrocubanismo! festival in Banff, Canada. Although the roots of his techn Abdoulaye is a master drummer from Senegal, West Africa. He is of the Fulani ethnic group and is a master trained in many traditional rhythms with a focus on Bamana rhythms. He toured the world with the National Ballet of Senegal as the lead soloist for approximately 18 years before coming to live in the U.S.A.. Abdoulaye has been a pioneer of West African djembe drumming in the S.F. Bay Area, and has been teaching here for about twenty years. He organized the first West African drum and dance camp in California (Camp Tambacounda), co founded the dance troupe Ceedo, and has been taking students on organized tours with him to his hometown Tamabacounda, Senegal for over ten years. What distinguishes Abdoulaye from most other teachers is his extensive knowledge of the history, language, song, and dance of the rhythms he teaches. Abdoulaye is spiritually connected with the djembe and insists that the djembe is a clean drum and in order to play it correctly we need to have an open heart with one another, or else we will be blocked by the spirit of the djembe itself. For more information on Abdoulaye click here. Jesse has been a student of Abdoulaye's since the fall 2003. He has been on multiple trips studying, playing and co-teaching with Abdoulaye to Senegal, Japan, Canada, and multiple locations in the U.S.. Jesse also regularly plays for dance classes in Oakland, and has been teaching djembe himself for over 5 years. With patience and understanding of individual learning processes, coupled with years of intense studying and playing, Jesse presents a well rounded class that is clear, fun, and challenging for all the students in his classes. Vocalist Gail Dobson has been one of the Bay Area’s leading performers and dedicated educators for many years. Gail has been a vocal teacher for the Monterey, Folsom, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Campana, and R.A.V.E. Competitions, to name a few, and for many years led the young people’s vocal program for the Stanford Jazz Workshop. With her late husband/pianist/singer/teacher, Smith Dobson, she traveled to Canada, Australia, and Japan playing and teaching music to young musicians. For more information on Gail click here.
Pedro Rosales
Gabriela Shiroma
Héctor Lugo 
Shefali Shah
Lichi Fuentes
Rafael Manriquez
Josh Jones
Ramon "Sandy" Perez
iques are founded in Afro-Cuban folkloric styles, his open-minded approach has enabled him to adapt to styles ranging from Cuban popular (Salsa) to Latin fusion and avant-garde jazz.
Abdoulaye DiakiteJesse Servin
Gail Dobson
