BADIU & HEATHER, CAPE VERDE, USA
[ Adylson Ramos Bio (Badiu Badiu) ]
Adylson Ramos was born and raised in the Cape Verde Islands, where music and dance is a way of life. He joined a fútbol club at the age of 10 where he was exposed to performance, dance, and music such as Funana, Coladeira, Batuke, Morna, and Passada. Adylson is originally from Santiago island, the largest of the 10 islands where their inhabitants are nicknamed “Badiu”. Badiu was a term used for the rebels as they did not want to be enslaved by the Portuguese and escaped to the outskirts of Ribeira Grande (Cidade Velha), the former capital of Santiago. After moving to the US, Adylson settled in New Bedford, MA and lived in a PALOP community spending his weekends dancing in the Cape Verdean clubs, parties, and get-togethers. He was apart of a group of Cape Verdeans that performed the history of the Cape Verdean people depicted through choreography utilizing Batuke, Funana, and Passada. After multiple trips back home to Cape Verde, Adylson realized how much he had “saudade” for his culture and music. He began teaching from a PALOP perspective as a way of reconnecting with his culture in the US through Passada, Kizomba, and Semba. Adylson has completed a Kizomba and Semba Teacher's training course with Eddy Vents and has trained intensively with Lucia Nogueira. He continues to grow through various PALOP mentors that teach in our Kizomba community.
[ Heather Greening Bio ]
Heather' love for African culture, dance, and food began in 2003 when she studied abroad in Ghana. This love and attachment to Africa continued to grow during a trip to Cape Town, South Africa. When Heather found Kizomba, it had a familiarity that brought her back to her time in Ghana. Heather has completed Module 1 and Module 2 Teacher's Training Courses with Lucia Nogueira, has trained one on one with Eddy Vents and completed his Kizomba and Semba Teacher's Training course. Heather had the opportunity in April of 2017 to travel to Luanda, Angola to learn first-hand about its culture, dance, and history. While in Angola, she had the opportunity through the 2nd Edition Tour Kizomba Semba Dance Angola 2017 to dance on stage at the 9th Annual Edition of the Concurso Nacional De Dança Kizomba/Semba Competition and danced both Kizomba and Semba on a local Angolan TV station, tpa, Televisio Publico Angola. In 2018, she completed the Dança Coração Kizomba Retreat for Dance Teachers in Palmela, Portugal with Sonja Kikizomba, Lucia Nogueira, Maria Maluka, Susana Amado, Miguel Monteiro, Robbie Sky, and Sayana Isid’or. She has also worked extensively with Bonifacio Aurio, “Mr. Tuffas”. In addition, She has been teaching Latin Dance since 2008 and is excited to share her African cultural experiences and passion for teaching others through dance.