Helene Weissman (above)

Helene has been a dancer for over 25 years. While she lived in New York City she studied ballet and Dunham Technique at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance. She was also encouraged to train in African, Cuban and Brazilian dance as well.

At ABT (American Ballet Theather) she studied ballet with Daine Cartier. At Peridance Center she studied ballet and modern dance with several teachers, among them, Yehuda Maor, Igal Perry and carol Rioux. There are many memorable teachers to be credited for Helene's training, Marie Basse Wiles, Xiomara Rodriguez, Lorimil Machado, Lavinia Williams and Yousef Koumbasa.

For Helene, ballet and other forms of dance should be taken side by side to produce a well rounded dancer. She now lives in Woodstock and keeps up with ballet technique at Saugerties Ballet Center.

Ms. Weissman has performed in shows from the Bates Festival in Maine to Cuban shows in New York City; with Denise Bey, Richard Gonzalez, Thema Sterling and other African, Cuban and Brazilian shows. Helene now performs with various dance companies in the Hudson Valley, including Carlos Osorio's Cumbia Spirit.

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Jessica Matthiassen (above with head scarf -photo by Jennifer May.)

A lover of African dance and folk dances as well as social dances.Jessica performed duet with Carlos Osorio for Black Arts Festival, 2005 in Hudson, NY. She is now a wife, a mother and a wonderful photographer. You may visit her amazing photography at www.Jessicanoelle.com

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PJ Lorenz (with Carlos Osorio -photo by John Mason)

PJ is a Woodstock musician, vocalist and dancer. The daughter of a Ballroom dancer, PJ is trained in ballet, tap, jazz & folk dances. PJ Lorenz performed a duet with Carlos Osorio at Winter Walk, 2006, and Kwanza, 2006 in Hudson, NY.She's a graduate of Mason Grass School of Arts, Rutgers Universidty. Ms. Lorenz started dancing at the age of 7 and loves Latin music and dance. Ms. Lorenz is now dedicating time to creating, producing and promoting her music in the Hudson Valley.

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Carlos Osorio (photo by Chris Lundberg)

Carlos is a dance instructor and founder of Cumbia Spirit School of Dance. He studied with Dorian Uribe, the artistic director of Estampas Latinoamericanas dance company in the 1980's. After his arrival to New York, Carlos continued studying Afro-Caribbean, African, Middle Eastern, Ballroom and other Latin dances.

Carlos has performed Cumbia and Latin dance solos, duets and with Elena Mosley's Kuumba Dance and Drum Company at several venues.

Mr. Osorio has been teaching in the Hudson Valley and Upstate New York in venues such as Siena College, Omega Institute, The National Museum of Dance, EBA Dance Theater, Lorraine Michaels, among other High Schools and Elementary Schools. He continues teaching locally groups and individuals at the Cumbia Spirit School of Dance located in Woodstock, New York.

At the invitation of Manay Eva Madigan, Carlos Osorio has created a dance class called
"Dancing With Our Elders" a FREE weekly class for people over 55, sponsored by Trinity Institution in Albany, NY. Ms. Madigan wanted to establish a "golden bridge to the seniors of the community"
Since 2006 this class has provided social interaction, wellness movement and dance for our seniors.
Mr. Osorio takes the group to different venues to perform for other seniors and nursing homes.
It is a blessing in my journey with dance.

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