Vernon Chatlein
Vernon Chatlein is a percussionist and composer from Curaçao specializing in Afro-Caribbean, Latin Music and Jazz. Vernon is currently working on his third research and performance piece entitled "Kimina." The project explores Tambú and through it, Vernon aims to popularize and standardize the genre while preserving its culture and codes. His goal is not only to make Tambú accessible to different audiences, he wants to offer the world something that is authentically Curaçaoan and that Curaçaoans can be proud of. It is his way of continuing the legacy of the greats who came before him.
Carla Kabamba
Carla Kabamba a.k.a Nzingah Morena is a passionate politician and artist from Amsterdam. She expresses her love for the arts through spoken word and singing. Her work reveals a passion for addressing social issues. Her goal is to link the past and present with future insights in an artistic way.
Untold
Untold is distinguished from other companies by a clear artistic vision that is characterized by the connection between African Diaspora and Western art forms and traditions. In its artistic expressions, Untold always seeks the boundaries within the traditions of theater and dance and dares to make a connection between both art forms with daring themes and surprising crossovers. The stories are enacted in a diversity of African and Afro-Caribbean dance and music styles.
Grupo Cultural Lantuna
Grupo Cultural Lantuna was founded on 22 February 1996 by a number of young Cape Verdeans in Rotterdam. The group now consists of 14 members, including 10 women and 4 men. The group strives to raise awareness of Cape Verdean culture among the Cape Verdean people and beyond. They want to prevent the culture from dying out and becoming unknown. This aspiration can be expressed by the meaning of Lantuna, which stands for "a strong plant, which needs little water to survive.
Ronald Pieters
Ronald was born in Amsterdam (1987) and started dancing in 2006 at the age of nineteen. After making a career into Salsa, teaching and performing in New York, he came across Afro Cuban dance classes at Peridance (NY) by Baba Richard Gonzalez. With his father originated from Curacao, this was the first time Ronald was introduced to Afro Caribbean dance. He fell in love with it right away. He left the salsa scene to continue his studies in Afro Cuban in Cuba, New York and the last years he has been studying with his teacher Marisol Blanco (Miami/Cuba), where he learned all the knowledge about the drums, religion, dance and culture in depth. Now Ronald runs a weekly Afro Cuban class in Amsterdam with live percussion, focussing on Yoruba (Nigerian), Bantu (Congo) and Arara (Benin) styles, mixed with the Caribbean influences.
