The People
Buen Aché speaks both Spanish and English. We see bilingualism as a key factor in promoting and honoring Hispanic culture.
Alice Bigirimana
Alice Bigirimana grew up in Burundi, East Africa and came to the US in 2008. Having grown up dancing traditional Burundian tribal dances all her life, Alice incorporates her knowledge of traditional African dance in her expression of Afro-Latino dance and movement. Her African cultural dance background enhances her experience of Caribbean and Latin style [...]
Amanda Adams
Amanda Adams is a native of South Carolina. She has been dancing since 3 years of age (including 9 years of competitive performance). Her background is in ballet, jazz, and tap dancing, however she has enjoyed her new-found love for African, Caribbean, and Latin dancing since 2005. She graduated with a B.A. in Spanish as [...]
Emrys Jaskwhich
Emrys Jaskwhich is a native of South Carolina and attends the College of Charleston majoring in Latin American and Caribbean studies and History. She traveled to West Africa in 2004 and 2006 to study Guinean style dance, and studied in Cuba for a semester where she was exposed first hand to Afro-Cuban culture and dance. [...]
Julia Jaskwhich Rodríguez
Julia Rodriguez graduated from the College of Charleston in 2002 where she majored in Anthropology and Latin American and Caribbean studies. She later pursued a Master’s degree in Nursing at the Medical University of SC. Julia currently works as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at a private mental health practice in Charleston. Julia founded Buen Aché [...]
Kathleen Hope
Kathleen is a North Carolina native who studied Spanish and African Dance at UNC-Asheville. While living in Asheville, Kathleen danced with the West African dance company Ballet Warraba, and developed her technique and foundation in West African movement. Kathleen lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina for 4 years where she taught English and studied Arabic and [...]
Melissa Walker-Dushak
Melissa Walker-Dushak, although having lived in various parts of the country, is a Charleston native, having grown up in Mt. Pleasant. She graduated from the College of Charleston with a major in Communication. After taking an African dance class at the College of Charleston, where she met Julia, she danced with Adande West African dance [...]
Mellissa Scott
Mellissa Scott was born in California and raised in Charleston. She began dancing at the age of 17 when she joined the Orchesis Contemporary Dance Theatre in Tallahassee while attending Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. After returning to Charleston, Mellissa went on to dance with the West African Dance Company Adande, and later joined Buen [...]
Oneil Abercrombie
Oneil Abercrombie is a native of South Carolina and attends the College of Charleston majoring in Communications. Of mixed Scotch, African, and Native American ancestry, she easily relates to all ethnicities and has a gift for bringing diverse groups of people together With a background in acting, she easily takes to the stage and has [...]
Tanya Altagracia-Morán
Tanya Enid Altagracia-Morán was born in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Her Afro-Caribbean roots come from her dad who was born in the Dominican Republic, and her Puerto Rican mother. Tanya grew next to her hard working mother and one older sister in the town of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She was always involved in [...]