Jami Josephson is a professional dancer, performer, and choreographer from NYC. Jami coaches and teaches all over the world at many salsa congresses and schools along with coaching top salsa teams for over 10 years such as Edie “The Salsa Freak”, Santo Rico, Salsa Lovers and was also the Associate Artistic Coach of “Latin Madness” for LA, UK, and NYC and  was once a member of Descarga Latina. She has judged for the World Salsa Championships ESPN 2005 and 2007 and is also the head judge for the past 4 years for the New York Int’l Salsa Championships. Jami is a certified dance instructor in Ballroom and Latin dancing with over 100 titles in competition dancing and has her own dance troupe The Rhythm Diva’s since 2000. Being in showbiz since she was a little girl, Jami has studied Jazz/Ballet/Hip-Hop/Tap/Ballroom/Latin/Country Dancing/Hustle and Acting and is well known for her exceptional dancing and teaching skills.

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Her specialty for being a third eye to dance teams has a lot to offer. Need help in looking like a top pro... Jami can clean up your routine and make it look its best. Through technique, styling and understanding stage presents, Jami can help you put it all together. Need new ways to learn how to rehearse better or just need to know if you’re on the right track, Jami offers her expert opinion. Here are some testimonials... 

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 "Jami has a very strong style of coaching only because she demands perfection of those she works with based on her very clear knowledge of what's needed when it comes to dancing, which she does exceptionally well.  Her methods are very effective in that she's great at getting everyone, even those with the occasional chip on their shoulder or who have superstar egos, on the same page and on the right track as far as what's needed to make the show better as a whole." - Thomas Guererro director of "Santo Rico"

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 "Jami Josephson helped us greatly by whipping us into shape for several Latin Madness shows.  Without her detailed and meticulous style of coaching our production would have suffered." - Jai Catalano of “Jai and Candy”

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“Jami is an awesome teacher and a fabulous dancer, and most importantly, a beautiful person, both inside and out.  A very rare breed indeed!  I love that woman to death!!”  - Edie, The Salsa FREAK 

 

Jami also wrote the “Instructors Forum” for salsa instructors from around the world for Salsaweb.com for several years and has made over 21 instructional dance videos throughout her career. Her most recently accomplishment has been a certification for salsa instructors through ProDvida for Salsa and for Hustle.

Cuban born performer and scholar, Yesenia Fernandez Selier holds an M.A. in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from NYU. Yesenia’s is the recipient of fellowships from CLASCO 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 is an accomplished actress and dancer, and instructor of Cuban and Afro Cuban dance.  She founded in 2011 The Ibiono Cultural Association, with Master Afro Cuban Drummer, Roman Diaz, focused on the continuity of the Afro Cuban Legacy, in New York City.

David Oquendo created the Cuban Folklore group Raíces Habaneras, to rescue and preserve the pure form and essence of Cuban rhythms and to pass it on to newer generations this aspect if Cuba’s cultural heritage.

 

Since its creation, the group has performed every Sunday in what is now its home base, “La Esquina Habanera”, a club located in Union City, New Jersey. This uninterrupted, weekly performance has now become a tradition in the community, and it is known as “Domingos de la Rumba” (Rumba Sundays).

 

Raíces Habaneras’ artistic truth and quality have been witnessed by many on film in HBO’s “OZ” series, the PBS Documentary “The Cuban Americans,” Ivan Acosta’s film, “How to Create a Rumba,” which received accolades at the Lincoln Center Film Festival and the Austin “Las Americas Film Festival”. The group’s unique style has entertained audiences in shows like WXTV’s “Sabado al Medio Dia” and UniVision’s “Al Despertar,” as well as radio listeners on WBAI and WADO. Raíces Habaneras and their sultry sounds have graced lived audiences as well at New York’s Town Hall Theater, The Park Theater in Union City, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Lehman College, CUNY, The Beacon Theater and several top rooms in Atlantic City. This year, Raíces Habaneras is one of the featured acts performing at the Seattle International Children’s Festival. The group has also performed with such music giants as Paquito D’Rivera and Michelle Camilo.