Traditional Artists

after founding Plena Es, Ramos, who also sings, was joined by David Lucca, a conga player originally from Ponce, the region many see as the birthplace of plena. Lucca is now Ramos’s partner in the band. The mission of these pleneros is to get audiences dancing and smiling. “The music is so up-beat and dynamic that it will move anyone that listens to it,” Ramos claims. “The singer’s interpretation and the lyrics telling those amazing stories are nowhere else to be found. The essence of the instruments, when well-performed, creates such a powerful force that it doesn’t matter where you are from, I bet you will move.”

Raymi Dance School

Raymi Dance School is a nonprofit organization that shares the dance, music, history and traditions of Peru in Florida. Led by Silvia Huddleston, a Folkloric Art Teacher and a Peruvian folk dancer raised in Lima, where rural and indigenous folklife was once viewed negatively. She joined the Folkloric Ballet in Lima and while traveling to perform, deepened her appreciation for the Spanish, Afro-Peruvian, and indigenous influences in Peruvian folk dance. The group played an instrumental role in promoting national pride in Peru’s folk culture when they performed at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Dôdô Awoko

Dôdô Awoko showcases the rich heritage of instruments, rhythms and songs from the Côte d’Ivoire and the rest of West Africa. Dôdô Awoko is made up of various African musical instruments. The name Dôdô Awoko is in itself made from two words each representing an instrument: the Dôdô and the Awoko both used in the group. Other traditional instruments including the Balafon, Boro, Yadoh, and Attoungblan added to the captivating voices of the lead vocalist and other singers. The Dôdô Awoko is a very unique, complex, musical combination and Mr. Zagbo is one of the very few musicians in Côte d’Ivoire to play it today. Dôdô Awoko as an ensemble participated in several festivals in Africa as well as in America.

Papaloko & Loray Mistik

“Mystic Thunder,” is the meaning of Loray Mistik, an exciting group which emanates from the hills and villages of the mysterious, ancient land of Haiti. Their music brings forward the truth of their traditions with rhythms played out on the drums like the sound of the mystic thunder of the Gods. Vodou speaks to the heart of Haitian people, putting forth a message of social conscience and