About me: Emelva Dine,known as MEMY,was born in Maputo,Mozambique in 1982,Memy started to learn dance in elementary school with Xingomana, Xissayisana and Marabenta which are traditional popular dances of Maputo (city in Mozambique). IN 1996, Memy joined one of the school groups in Commercial School where she learned ballet and other techniques of dance. Since then Memy began performing in cities throughout southern Mozambique such as Gaza, Inhambane and Maputo.In 2000, Memy auditioned to get into the school of the National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique and she was accepted to the formation school whose purpose was to develop new dancers for one year before joining the main professional company. Within 7 months, Memy was named best dancer in the formation school and was asked to join the the National Company.Memy..s professional dance career started in 2000, when she joined the Mozambique National Dance Company. Over the past several years, Memy..s talent has captured the eyes of Mozambican and international audiences. Her performance experience includes "O Sol Nasceu", "N..tsay ", "Grande Festa", "A Luta Continua","Arvore Sagrada" ,"Zunse","Erros de Xipadja " and "Ode a Paz". Memy has also worked with world renowned choreographers including, Francisco Camacho, Amelia Bentes, Franci Franco, Augusto Cuvilas, Maria Helena Pinto, Kwame Ross, Betina, Michael Wimberly, Jaole and Casimirro Nhussi.In June through August 2001 Memy participated in workshops with choreographers from other countries such as Francisco Camacho, Amelia Bentes and Celia Alteyes from Portugal as well as Franci from France.
In January 2002 with the National Company Memy performed in Montreal Canada and 27 states in the United States,olso in June, Memy taught workshops with the Urban Bush Women in New York and she participated in Batizados events about Capoeira Brazil as well as performing in pieces with Kwame Ross and Michael Wimberly.
In November 2002 Memy performed with Urban Bush Women (with Night Child) at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and performed as a soloist in the piece “A Luta Continua”, working with Kwame Ross.Because of that good job,she was concidered in 2002 as the best dancer in the National Company.
In 2003 Memy participated in an International dance co-production between Nafro Dance Productions, The National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique and the St. Norbert Arts Centre in Winepeg, Canada where she also taught dance workshops. In September 2003 Memy was invited to perform in apiece created by Betina from Switzerland.
In 2004 Memy performed in Libia at a conference (cimeira) Africana attended by all the presidents of Africa and the President of the UN where she was invited by the Libian Presdent to stay for 6 months to teach traditional Mozambican.
In October 2004 she participated in Dance Africa Festival in Chicago. In January 2005 she started to study English at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls and she lead workshops there and in 3 other Universities in Iowa. Memy also taught Traditional dance at the YWCA Waterloo in Cedar Falls.
In 2004 she was invited to teach dance in USA and she started in Cedar Falls,Iowa where she worked with different scholls teaching and leading workshops and in a comunities organizations as YWCA,then she moved to New York to do the same work,teaching 2 classes in Alvin Aley school,Joniba cultural Center in New York and many other places,and taking classes at Urban Bush Woman Company an Long Island University,then she was invited by Kwame Ross to be a solist in a dance peace wich the performance took place in one of the theatre room on Jun 10th in Riverside Church in New York.She was invited to be a gest dancer at Hunter College in New York and to lead dance workshop in KOSA10 in Vermout in August 2004, witc was the first dancer participating in that Festival and she was the star of the grand finaly"check Kosamusic.com".In octuber 2004 she was invited to teach dance at Williams College in Massachussets where she composed 2 dance peaces which tooke place in a performance in November 2004 at 62th Center in Williams town.In New York she was invited to join PANJEA and work with Chris Berry singing and dancing because she is a great singer as well,where she was touring with them during there performance and trough that she went to Australia for touring and there she was invited to have more 3 weeks teaching dance.Back to mozambique ,she is well known by her performance working with well known musicians as Mingas,Stewart Sukuma,Roberto Isaias and others,also working insted of the CNCD,with another choreographers as Maria Helena Pinto,Casimiro Nhussi in dance peaces.In Maputo she participated in a dance peace for the movie ALI with Will Smith working with Fatima Robinson a choreographer from USA
Who I'd like to meet: Good people and great dancers and musicians
..thinking of you- thought you'd like to see the little chickadee that likes to play on my jeans...yup... just watching my laundry dry...that's about the extent of my summer... :) ...
BE SURE TO VOTE FOR ME ON MYSPACE "ROCK THE SPACE" CONTEST www.myspace.com/toyotamusic CLICK ON THIS PLAYER TO LISTEN TO DJ UBD's "SHAKE IT GIRL" MY NEW DANCE SONG ! IF YOU LIKE THE SONG CLICK ON (GRAB THIS) BUTTON ON THE PLAYER ADD IT TO YOUR PROFILE ALSO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT ! CALL YOUR LOCAL URBAN RADIO STATION & REQUEST IT !
Sorry I've been gone so long! I've returned now from my mbira residency. It was a wonderfully productive as well as an uplifting spiritual experience. I miss Cosmas & Ambuya Beauler, but I'm glad to be back! Have a great day, my friend! Love & Blessings, Satya
Hey, Memy! I was just checkin' out your band on your slide show- pretty hot crew you've got there! Love how you've added to your page....Say 'hi' to Belito & Lindo! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Satya
Greetings, Memy! I'm well, and we're doing great here at Kusika--Hope all of you in your dance company are well, and the music is still as hot as you are! Much love, Satya
