Connecting teens & young adults
to performing artS INDUSTRY
performer, CREATIVE,
technical and business
CAREER experience
WHAT WE DO
performing arts
career experiences
pERFORMers • eNGINEERs
CREATIVEs • PROFESSIONALs
who we are
Bevan Suits, Director
• Creative professional, designing science museums and environments for youth and public engagement, around the world.
• Student of AfroCuban percussion since 1989. Student of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Mike Spiro, Graham Lear and others.
• Fluent in Spanish.
• Community activist and collaborator with Cuban, Hispanic, African American, Native American cultures.
rhonda cummings, partner
• Working with Mr. Suits on programming initiatives since 2020.
• National leader of E3C3 youth initiatives: Educate Equip Empower Communicate Collaborate Connect.
• Nonprofit Scholarship Director representing hundreds of black professionals in education, the church, business, technology and finance.
katherine mcvicker, partner
• Promoting a culture of performance + education in communities.
• Decades of experience representing some of the leading names in jazz and global music.
local performing teachers
MADISON'S Atimevu, led by
Djam Vivie, represents the Ghanaian tradition of kpanlogo, well known in SE Wisconsin schools for many years.
CHARANGA Agoza is another excellent Madison group, representing the charanga music style of Cuba. The group includes local schoolteachers.
In Memoriam
OUR FRIEND Cecilo Negrón of Milwaukee recently passed away. His work and passion to teach these AfroLatin traditions, alone and with the group De La Buena, is an inspiration shared by many. Seguîmos.
BARRIO Dance of Madison provides cutting edge dance teachers for the students and families we serve. They cover not only salsa but just about any style you want!
national teachers
FEATURED ARTIST from BELOIT!
Tracy Silverman
• Leading global innovator in electric violin.
• Featured soloist in classical and crossover genres.
• Inventor of StrumBow violin method, teaching classical musicians to find the groove.
"The greatest living exponent of the electric violin."
JUAN Escovedo of Oakland represents two generations of the family whose name is synonymous with Latin music. His sister Sheila E worked with Prince , Santana & Tito Puente. Their nonprofit Elevate Oakland is an inspiration for Jam With Cuba!
RISING star on the international jazz circuit is our friend Daymé Arocena of Cuba. To the new generation she promotes family values through rumba, the Cuban tradition that keeps communities thriving during hard times.
WEEDIE Braimah is one of the world's leading djembefolas, or master of the djembe. He is American of Ghanaian descent, having grown up in E St Louis. He is a strong advocate of community education based on the drum.
SEPTETO Santiaguero is one of Cuba's best known bands.
