About Some of our Cultural Educators
Gambirra Illume
First Nations Cultural Educator
A Yolngu woman from the Gumatj Clan of North -East Arnhem. Arts are the tool that she uses to unite people in a myriad of different ways. She has twenty years of practice as a professional performer, as an inspiring and healing workshops facilitator, as an exhibiting visual artist and cultural-arts educator. She also works for First Nations elders as senior support worker.
Eve White
First Nations Cultural Educator
A proud Wiradjuri woman. Her mother is descendant -Dolly Gladis Parker of Parkes and her father-Edward Lee from Dubbo, both regional NSW Wiradjuri people. Connecting with culture on country with elders through ceremony, art, dance and bush medicine has helped her in so many ways. Eve has been lucky enough to pass on some of this knowledge to schools and companies around Australia through her four years as a Senior Educator with Wandana Aboriginal Events and Education.
Rachel Shields
First Nations Cultural Educator
Rachel Shields – Nainiouman Coya Coya, is the founder of KIN – Knowing In Nature, which is a provider of Indigenous informed Connection based Education, specialising in Leadership & Wellness Programs and nature based education for children and youth. Through her Ngambaa (Mother) she is a descendant of the First Peoples of the land known as Australia, more precisely a descendant of the Weilwan and Gamilaroi peoples (within the North Western region of New South Wales).
Ana Maria Parada
Colombian Cultural Educator
Ana is a Muisca descendent with 7 traceable generations past from the Boyacá region of Colombia, who migrated to Australia in 2004. Ana is a trained political scientist and community worker who combines her art practice through different mediums such as music, visual arts and craft-making to explore and elevate consciousness on issues of race & identity, Indigenous rights, migration and international development. Ana studies the traditional line of Cumbia music, and interprets the Gaita/Chuana/Kuisi, a flute from the First Nations people of her country.
Janina Murta
Mozambique Cultural Educator
Born and bred in Mozambique, of Portuguese background, Janina moved to Australia in 2007. A dance activist, Janina is passionate about demystifying dance and is dedicated to making its health and wellbeing benefits accessible to all. She is a trained therapeutic dance facilitator, and is the co-founder of Heartdancers’ Rhythm Is Life program, aimed at transforming lives through the power of dance, rhythm, music and creativity.
Lauren Majarres
Spanish Cultural Educator
Lauren Majarrés is Australia’s newly acclaimed, rising professional flamenco dancer, choreographer and teacher.
Having been a part of the flamenco scene here in Sydney for over 15 years and surrounded by her Spanish heritage, Lauren brings ‘Duende’ (Soul) and ‘Arte’ (Art) to the performance scene. Known for her impressive footwork and deep connection to the music, conveyed throughout her performances.
Gumaroy Newman
First Nations Cultural Educator
Gumaroy is an indigenous performer, descending from the Gamilaroi and Wakka Wakka nations of Northern NSW, yidaki (didgeridu) player, traditional song man, poet, MC and cultural educator. He has performed around the world in ceremonies and concerts alike including at festivals such as Glastonbury, Vancouver Folk and Woodford Folk and has worked with His Holiness The Dalai Lama and artists such as Arrested Development, Ganga Giri, Shane Howard and Shannon Knowle.
Ena Illume
First Nations Cultural Educator
Ena is of Yolngu and Turkish heritage. Studied at Hunter School of Performing Arts and NAISDA dance college. Expose to the music industry at a young age, performing along side her mother with Gambirra Mob and The Illume Girls. Ena has performed throughout Australia for theatre, television and festival stages such us Splendour in the grass.
Lucky Larley
Ghanaian Cultural Educator
Lucky is a dancer and choreographer, originally from Ghana, West Africa. Lucky’s dance and choreographic works look for ways to negotiate what it means to draw on a rich history of traditional rhythm and dance whilst engaging with contemporary movement practices. Lucky is an dancer and choreographer at the forefront of exploring intercultural dance practices as part of the contemporary dance space as well as contributing to an ongoing dialogue regarding intercultural dance practice and its meaning in Australia.
Cesar Marin
Chilean Cultural Educator
Born in Chile, he began his professional music career in Australia in 1988. After many years performing as a teenager, he went on to study music at the Western Sydney University, graduating with Honours (BAMus). Cesar has toured the world as a multi-instrumentalist for the past 25 years and has been a member of many internationally acclaimed ensembles including: Sonido de los Andes, C Major, Los Pibes, The Marin Brothers, The Real Mexico, Rhythms of the City (UK), Osvaldo Chacon (Cuba) and Luiz Rico (Bolivia).
Lily Guerrero
Latin America Cultural Educator
Lily is Canadian born, has Chilean parents and was brought up in multicultural Sydney. At a young age she was exposed to music and dance. Chilean Folklore was a strong influence in the household. She was performing from the age of 5 to early 20’s as a Chilean folklore dancer.
At the age of 7 Lily was chosen to play guitar and sing in the band for the children’s folk dance group “Sud America 11” and afterwards danced with “Los Chilenos” the adults dance group, both groups were directed by Andres Alarcon. In her late teens, Mexican Folklore was introduced to her, she performed for 10 years with the dance group “Xochipilli” directed by Rolando Cano. She also performed as a musician for Mariachi band “Fiesta Viva”.
Rachael Melky
Lebanese Cultural Educator
Rachael Melky (aka Gypsy Rose), Gypsy is a connoisseur of Bellydance. Her Lebanese heritage is reflected in her style and grace, which manifests effortlessly through the innate rhythm in her hips. Gypsy has been teaching and performing in Sydney for the past ten years and is a virtuoso in traditional Bellydance. She has trained with teachers from all over the world, and continues to train and transform as the style evolves.
Malin Sylla
Guinean Cultural Educator
Malin Sylla is a Guinean musician and dancer who plays traditional West African music to create an energetic and soulful performance that guarantees to get the dancefloor jumping with his hypnotic African Rhythms and haunting melodies. He sings and plays the Kora and the Djembe.
Deepa Kartik
Indian Cultural Educator
Deepa is a passionate Bharatanatyam dancer and Nrityanjali Title awardee hailing from Coimbatore, which is considered one of the traditional roots of India. She has always identified the art of dance as her companion, healer, and stress-buster. She has also explored the varied art forms including Odissi, Kathak, Salsa, Hip-hop, Zumba, Freestyle dance, Semi-classical Contemporary, body awareness Yoga and different folk dances of India.
