North Miami's PAN, Performing Arts Network is a professional coalition of artists and organizations who:
· create
· educate
· collaborate
· inspire
· train
· mentor
· entertain
· promote community

Member Companies

Companies now associated with PAN, Performing Arts Network

Ballet Flamenco La Rosa

Company History

Ballet Flamenco La Rosa

This International professional company is dedicated to Flamenco as an ever-evolving art form. The innovative and creative dancers of Ballet Flamenco La Rosa, under the Artistic Direction of founder Ilisa Rosal, present Flamenco dance in a theatrical setting-expanding the art form beyond traditional limits to reach and enlighten students and audiences with its beauty and magic.

A Miami-based dance company, made up of artists from North, South, Central America and Spain, Ballet Flamenco La Rosa has performed to sell-out crowds and received critical acclaim in both the artistic mainstream and in the “Tablaos” (Flamenco Clubs) of Little Havana since 1985. Ballet Flamenco La Rosa enthralls and beguiles audiences with performances and workshops throughout its concert season. The private and public sectors as well as National, State, County and City Grants enthusiastically and consistently support the company’s impressive work. A non-profit organization, Ballet Flamenco La Rosa implements programs to increase public awareness of this art form from Lecture/Demonstrations in public schools, libraries and community centers, to performances at festivals and all types of public and private events. Currently implementing an outreach program of classes and performances at inner city schools, they are committed to educating the community to create more sensivity and cultural awareness.

With unique cross-cultural collaborations, International Guest Artists and a superb Flamenco repertory, this is one of the only U.S. companies dedicated to the development and presentation of the Art of Flamenco. The combination of sophisticated theatre, traditional Flamenco and original choreography allows the company to present a consummate theatre experience. Their ground breaking approach traces the connection between Flamenco and other styles of dance, exploring the common elements and developing new dance forms. These collaborations, from Jazz, Tap, Blues, to Middle Eastern, Afro-Cuban, Irish, African, Sefardic, & Indian Dance, offer the community the opportunity to see different cultures’ art forms taken to new heights. This in addition to their dramatic Flamenco Ballets gives the Company an exciting and powerful repertory that appeals to wide audiences.

Ballet Flamenco La Rosa is devoted to enhancing the dance community through work with Internationally renowned Guest Artists. The symbiotic relationship between these dancers and musicians acts as a catalyst for creativity. The company develops its repertory and style and provides these Guest Artists with a vehicle on which to create new works. Workshops give audiences and students a hands-on perspective of this work and allow the community to participate in this exciting art form. In its dramatic Flamenco Ballets, interpreting classic universal themes, Ballet Flamenco La Rosa joins drama and dance. Intense, intriguing, and inspired works use Flamenco as an idiom to express ideas that are not necessarily part of the Flamenco tradition. The result is extraordinary. Recent works include Herodias, a powerful dramatic Ballet incorporating Middle Eastern music and dance and Flamenco, with Guest Artists Siudy Garrido from Venezuela and Curillo De Bormujo, first dancer with The National Ballet of Spain, and Encuentro, a spectacular Middle Eastern and Flamenco Ballet featuring the legendary Manolete. The World Premiere of “Las Brujas de Salem”, a new Flamenco Ballet inspired by “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, featured Manolete and forty dancers and musicians from Spain, Latin America and The U.S. In 2008, the company presented “Celtic Callings” in collaboration with the Breffni Irish Dancers for the Miami Beach Dance Festival, and in 2009, “Rey Lear”, inspired by Shakespeare’s King Lear. For 2010, the company produced another world premiere original Flamenco Ballet, “La Dama Macbeth”, inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth, in 2011 presented “Cleopatra y Cesar”, a flamenco Ballet inspired by George Bernard Shaw’s play “Caesar and Cleopatra” which premiered on April 2 and 3 at The Colony Theatre, and in 2012 “Directo al Corazon’, inspired by Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, which premiered January 12, 2012 at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. On January 31, 2014 the company will present “Ritmo y Pasion”, a pure Flamenco Concert and on February 1st and 2nd , 2014 “Senorita Julia”, an original Flamenco Ballet inspired by Strindberg's Miss Julie with Guest Artists from Spain at the Koubek Center.

The company provides numerous educational opportunities for the whole community. Daily classes are offered in all forms of Dance, Music, and Theater for all levels, ages 3 to 103. These programs are offered in collaboration with PAN, Performing Arts Network, a coalition of individual performing artists and arts organizations, representing diverse disciplines and cultures.

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Breffni Academy of Irish Dance

Nicola O'Hara, TCRG pictured here with her husband, Michael O'Hara, ADCRG and Under 8 Regional Champion dancer Aubrey Swikehardt, Breffni Academy

Breffni Academy of Irish Dance was founded in 1993 by Michael O'Hara, TCRG, Director. The Academy got its name from an ancient kingdom in Ireland known as "Breffni", which was governed by kings and princely families.

The ancient territory of Breffni comprises the modern day counties of Cavan and West Leitrim (where Michael's father was born), and at its widest, extends from Kells in County Meath to Sligo (where Michael's mother was born). Breffni was the Irish territory of the O'Rourke clan from about the 7th century up to the time of Cromwell in the mid-17th century.

In the 7th and 8th centuries, the area since known as Breffni was conquered and settled by the O'Briens who were a branch of the royal family of Connacht. The O'Briens, of whom the O'Rourkes were hereditary chieftains, established themselves first in Leitrim and then into what is now County Cavan. During the 12th century, the O'Rourke's reached the height of their power under the kingship of Tiernan O'Rourke.

A great battle fought between the O'Rourkes and the O'Reillys in the year 1256 near Ballinamore led to the division of Breffni between the O'Rourkes and O'Reillys, with West Breffni eventually becoming Co. Leitrim and East Breffni becoming Co. Cavan. The royal history of Breffni is further symbolized through the Breffni Academy class costume. The Academy colors are black and purple. Parkes Castle and the Land of Breffni: Parkes Castle is a Castle of the O'Rourkes of Breffni, situated on the shoreline, at the head of Lough Gill, Dromahair, Co.Leitrim. This impressive manor house sits on the shores of one of Ireland's most beautiful lakes, Lough Gill. The splendor of Parkes Castle is immediately evident as you drive around the lake. Once an important stronghold of the local O'Rourke family, rulers of Breffni, Parkes Castle has been recently restored to its true 17th century style.

The castles location, on the beautiful shores of Lough Gill, has added to the sense of mystery and legend attached to this magical place. Over the years, many dancers from the Breffni Academy have enjoyed a visit to the Land of Breffni.

The Children’s African Dance

The Children’s African Dance

The Children’s African Dance Company started on January 2002 to honor the importance of Black History Month -- February. All the company members are the African Dance Students of Fatima (Fatimadance at PAN, Performing Arts Network). The children range from 6 to 13 years old. They study and perform the dances of mostly West Africa but also the Caribbean, including Cuba and African American dance forms such as Jazz and Hip-Hip. All taught in the unique style of New York dancers, Fatima (Fatimadance).

Dance Now! Miami

Dance Now! Miami

Dance Now! Miami, in residence at Miami’s Little Haiti Cultural Center, was founded on Miami Beach in 2000 by Diego Salterini and Hannah Baumgarten through a chance encounter at PAN, Performing Arts Network. Their work bridges their diverse backgrounds in Ballet, Modern Dance and Jazz, creating poetic narrative and theatrical artistry filled with fierce athleticism.

Dance Now! Miami’s collaborative international style has received critical and popular acclaim both at the local and the national level. The company’s work has been presented in 10 states and three continents by, Ballet Estable del Teatro Colon, Michael Uthoff Dance Theatre, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and Dance Gallery Festival of New York, Ballet Flamenco La Rosa and PAN, Performing Arts Network. The directors have created ten full-length evenings of dance and over 50 short works, working both individually and collaboratively. Dance Now! Ensemble has presented the work of guest choreographers Muchael Uthoff, Tauna Hunter, Josee Garant and Colleenn Farnum. Dance Now! has garnered prestigious awards including; Best Experimental Dance Company (Miami Sun Post) and Top Ten Dance Events of the Year (Miami Herald). At the Little Haiti Cultural Center, the company rehearses, performs, and teaches classes for children and adults. Their “Dance In Public Schools” educational outreach program reaches over 5,000 children annually with master classes, workshops and performances as well as an apprenticeship program nurturing tomorrow’s talent.

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Harmonic Motion

Harmonic Motion

Harmonic Motion is a not-for-profit arts organization resident in South Florida. Harmonic Motion's music and dance performing groups focus on folkloric and ethnic idioms, cross cultural, and improvisational projects.

The core performers and teachers are musician and composer Joe Zeytoonian and dancer and percussionist Myriam Eli. They regularly participate in workshops and performances of Middle Eastern, Armenian, and North African music and dance as well as collaborations with jazz, avant-garde, modern, improvisational, flamenco, Indian, Balkan, African, Afro-Cuban, Sephardic, and other forms.

They have performed in concerts throughout Florida in many theaters, festivals, universities, colleges, radio, and television, in addition to touring the United States, Latin America, Japan, and Europe, including Turkey. Additionally, they have recorded for Estefan Enterprises and Sony Music with Latin pop rock singer Shakira, with whom Ms. Eli toured and for whom she choreographs and drums. Mr. Zeytoonian has also recorded with Gloria Estefan.

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Kuyayky Children’s Orchestra

Kuyayky Children’s Orchestra

The Kuyayky Children’s Orchestra is composed of South Florida children, between the ages of 9 and 15, who play traditional, classical, and original arrangements of Andean music with violins, violas, cellos, trombones, cajones, tinyas, saxophones, pianos, guitars, mandolins, and charangos. Jose Hurtado Zamudio founded the Kuyayky Children’s Orchestra in 2011 as a way to showcase the complexity and beauty of Andean music to both new audiences and new artists (instrumentalists, arrangers, composers, and directors).

The orchestra provides children of Latin American roots with a way to connect with their ancestral heritage and build their identity through music. The project provides private musical instruction and ensemble instruction as well as guest master classes by Andean musical masters, and performing opportunities.

Kuyayky Foundation

Kuyayky Foundation

The Kuyayky Foundation was created in 2003 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of Andean music and culture. Their mission is to support and encourage the study of Andean traditions while elevating the stature of Andean artists in different disciplines by providing new performing arts venues for them to develop and showcase their work. To this end they create concerts, documentaries, audio and video recordings, produce film festivals, lectures, workshops, and visual artworks that practice and disseminate Andean arts.

Kuyayky is a group of five young musicians that understand the importance of cultural awareness as a way to maintain and foster the social, political, cultural and economic development of humanity. Through their music, they hope to contribute to the understanding of cultural diversity as a key to human development.

Kuyayky’s goal is to reach out to the world community through music that is as innovative as it is traditional. Because of this, Kuyayky’s music appeals to many distinct audiences. Their musical style has led them from local libraries to prestigious universities and performing arts venues around the country, allowing them to communicate messages of hope and unity through their music.

The Kuyayky Foundation has developed and produced a number of collaborative performing arts projects with international artists and organizations.

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Meridian Ensemble

Meridian Ensemble in PAN In Studio Performances Series. Photo by Michael George

Meridian Ensemble is a versatile group of classically trained and highly experienced professional musicians. They provide elegant chamber music for special occasions, such as wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events, birthday and anniversary celebrations and other formal functions. Their ensemble feature duos, trios and quartets with woodwinds and strings.

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Momentum Dance Company

Thirty Years of Dance

Momentum Dance Company

Momentum Dance Company, one of the oldest and most established contemporary dance companies in the Southeastern U.S., moves is celebrating its Thirtieth its Season with over 40 performances in 2011-2012. The company was founded in 1982 by Artistic Director Delma Iles and has been in continuous operation since, giving over reaching thousands in individuals each year through activities such as: the Miami Dance Festival (since 2002), concert seasons in South Florida; concert series for children in both Miami Beach and Coral Gables; educational programs in schools; ongoing residencies at South Miami Middle School, R.R. Moton Elementary School, and Ferguson High School and Artz-n-the Hood; educational programs for adults; appearances at community events and festivals; special projects and touring.

Momentum currently consists of multiethnic group of eight dancers. The company’s repertory is extremely varied and features historic modern dance works by pioneers such as Doris Humphrey and Anna Sokolow, works by award-winning Artistic Director Delma Iles, including the highly acclaimed Sand Calendar, as well as jazz, dramatic, comic, and experimental works by many Florida-based choreographers. Momentum has been presented by the Florida Department of State on the Florida Touring Program since 1988, and was the first modern dance company ever appointed to the program. Momentum represented the U.S.A. at the Jose Limon Festival International in Culican, Mexico in 1995 where it was invited to perform one of its most successful works, Hot and Spicy – Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker, set to Ellington’s vibrant, witty score, and featuring art deco style costumes and scenery. In 2007 & 2008, Momentum toured to Oaxaca, Mexico as part of the Oaxaca International Dance Festival. Momentum also tours throughout Florida sponsored by the Florida Touring Program. The company previously conducted six years of an International Cultural Exchange Project with the National Dance Company of the Bahamas and two years on international exchange with Ballet Contemporaneo de Oaxaca, from Oaxaca, Mexico. In 2007 Momentum was invited to perform at the National Dance Week New York Festival where the company gave performances at Cooper Union and the Brooklyn Academy of Music as well as participating in master classes.

Momentum has extensive experience in arts education, and has created numerous educational programs aimed at grades 1-12 including Looking at Dance, Dance and Animals, Dance and Sports, Dance and Poetry, and Dance and Visual Arts, Women of Valor, American Work Songs. The company has also created dance works for youth programs by the Florida Grand Opera, the Miami Chamber Symphony, Miami-Dade Art in Public Places, the Children's Cultural Coalition, the Florida Shakespeare Festival, the Coconut Grove Children’s Theater, Arts for Learning, and the Miami Art Museum. Works for children are influenced by the natural environment, sports, animals, literature, and visual art and include: Power Hitter, Peter and the Wolf, Fish Tales, Counting Songs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Mark Twain’s Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, I See A Song, American Suite, and Duet for Dancer and Electric Car.

Sumaji Tasay Andrean Dance Company

Sumaji Tasay Andrean Dance Company

The Sumaj Tusuy Andean dance company is a project of the Kuyayky Foundation directed by renowned Andean folk choreographer Betty Caloretti. Sumaj Tusuy (“Beautiful Dance” in Quuechua) specializes in dances from the central and southern Peruvian Andes and some dances from the coast. They perform both original choreographies and ancient forms of Andean dance.

Tango Axis

Tango Axis

Argentine natives Jeremias Massera and Mariela Barufaldi founded Tango Axis in 2007. Tango Axis is the resident tango company at PAN, Performing Arts Network, where they opened their school of Argentine Tango. Their classes emphasize correct social Argentine Tango, and explore the full range of elements which are characteristic of the dance today. The school is currently holding beginner and intermediate level courses, as well as weekly advanced classes, “practicas”, women’s technique classes, and monthly Milongas. (Tango social events)

The company has starred in “Masters of Tango”, toured the U.S with “This is Tango Now-Identidad” and created the production ”Eras del Tango”.

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Voices United

Voices United

Voices United, formerly Peace Child Miami, was created in 1989 by 17 year old Katie Christie, a high school senior at Miami’s New World School of the Arts. After traveling to the Soviet Union for a Peace Child arts exchange program, Christie noticed that young people of different races and cultures did not get along or respect each other’s differences.

Voices United is a non-profit organization that fosters cross-cultural understanding and youth action through creative expression, empowering the youth to become tolerant and caring leaders for a better future. Voices United empowers the multi-cultural youth of Miami to transform hatred into understanding, prejudice into respect, violence into peaceful collaboration, and cynicism into hope.

Voices United utilizes the performing arts to empower young people to create and promote solutions to community, national, and world problems. They provide opportunities for young people to explore, develop and share their visions and concerns, and propose solutions to some of the many problems that we face on a global level without endorsing political, ideological, or religious preferences. They also promote inter-cultural and inter-racial understanding, tolerance, and appreciation providing young people opportunities to learn how to use conflict resolution skills while providing a safe and accepting environment for young people that develops self-esteem and allows to them to reach their full potential.

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