Activities

In addition to producing our own major stage shows, IFE-ILE performs for both corporate and non-profit clients as well as festivals and private events. We also present our shows at colleges, universities and children K-12.

IFE-ILE is a favorite choice for companies and organizations that want to highlight Miami’s Cuban culture at their conference or special event.

We offer high-energy shows that we also customize to meet our clients’ needs. If you’re interested in hiring IFE-ILE for your event or venue, we can customize our performance based on your interests – a Conga line (Cuban Carnival), Rumba, Orisha, Salsa, Raggaeton (Cubaton), Son, Mambo, etc., or a combination.

Note: Although we specialize in Cuban dance style, our experienced performers can meet any other client’s stylistic request.

Our performers include talented professional dancers and musicians with years of experience, most based in Miami, Florida. Internationally known choreographer and dancer Neri Torres leads the IFE-ILE dance company.

We are available for touring.

Our dance company has also been featured in commercials, videos and movies, including actor/director Andy Garcia’s film The Lost City, which premiered at the 2006 Miami Film Festival.

Afro-Modern – Dance technique combining Afro-Cuban based dance movements with modern technique, influenced by Graham, Limon, Humphrey and Limon.

Orishas – Sacred African dances originated in the Yoruba traditions of Nigeria– the root of many Cuban popular styles. Dances for Orishas such as Yemaya, Eleggua, Ochun, Oya, etc., which represent omnipresent and anthropomorphous forces of nature

Rumba – It’s and autochthonous Cuban genre of dance and music that has influence several other styles such as Son and the derivative Salsa. Afro-Cuban rumba is entirely different than ballroom Rhumba or the African style of pop music called rumba although they both draw their inspiration from it. Rumba developed in rural Cuba, and is very much alive in Havana, Mantanzas and other Cuban cities as well as rural areas. And in all rumba, the clave beat (2-3 or 3-2) plays a very important role. Rumba has three styles: Yambu, Guaguanco and Columbia.

Arará – From the Fon people and the Arara kingdom of the Dahomean region, now known as Benin, Arará rhythms, songs and dances were introduced into Cuba, where many of those rituals and ceremonies are still practiced. One of the main characteristics of this style is the percussive use of the upper spine.

Congo – or Palo traditions come from the Bantú people of Central Africa (particularly from Congo). The Bantú represent the majority of African slaves coming into Cuba during the 17th and early 18th century; later the Yoruba (from Nigeria) became the primary group brought to Cuba as slaves. Drums and hand rattles are used in this music, which is based upon communication with ancestral spirits, the dead, as opposed to the Orishas. The songs and chants, often in a hybrid combination of Spanish and Bantú words, play a central role in the rituals of Palo. Music of this tradition has had a strong influence on popular music forms like Rumba, Son and Mambo. It has three distinctive styles: Yuka.

Cubaton – From the combination of the words Raggaeton and Cuba, this style develop from a fusion of Reggae, Dancehall, Latin Rap and Hip-hop, European club music and Cuban rhythms and culture. Cubaton provoked a music revolution because it has been embraced by the Cuban youth who favored it over Cuban traditional styles (Son, Mambo, Cha-cha-cha, etc.). Among the most popular Cubaton bands is Gente de Zona known as pioneering with popular bands such as Charanga Habanera to create the exciting sound blending Cuban Son and Timba with the style. The dance focuses on erotic and sensual pulsations of the pelvis accompanied by the torso in addition to other body isolations plus a mix of traditional Afro-Cuban dance and hip-hop moves.

Music Workshop Description:

Batá Drumming – Batá drums are a set of three double-headed religious drums: The Iya, Itotele and Okonkolo. Sacred to Yoruba religion (from the Yoruba people of West Africa, primarily Nigeria and Benin) and Santeria, they have also been used in secular music such as salsa and jazz.

Tumbadoras –aka Congas are native from Cuba and have their roots in Congo traditions; hence the commercial version of the name. They have both sacred (ex. Bembe) and popular function. In the instrumentation of Rumba tumbadoras (or Congas) are commonly used in number of threes descending from low, medium to high pitch