Teacher

Elvia Marta

Elvia Marta is a native of Panama. She has been in this country since 1965. She was inspired to start dance by her first dance teacher and mentor, Yvonne McClung, who took her to the studios at the age of 19. Elvia has studied with many teachers on the East and West coast, including modern/jazz/blues with Bayan Jamay and Consuelo Atlas, who was a soloist with Alvin Ailey. She has studied Horton, Graham, and Limon with Stanze Peterson, Thelma Hill (NY), Dianne Howe, Aaron Osborne and Duncan McFarland. She has also studied Afro Jazz, Afro-Haitian, Afro-American and Congolese with Raymond Sawyer, Halifu Osomare, Ruth Bedford, Alberta Rose, Jean-Leon Destinee, Malonga and Djola. She studies Jazz with Rec Russell, Raymond Sawyer, Consuelo Atlas, Danny Sloan, Adrienne Hawkins, Raymond Johnson and Bayan Jamay. She studied Ballet with Carmen Rosenstraten, Alonzo King, Arturo Fernandez, Enrico Labayen, Summer Rhatigan and Laura Bernoscone . Elvia has had the privilege to perform with many artists, musicians, and dance companies on both coasts. These include Rec Russell Dance Company, Raymond Sawyer's Afro-American Experience, Ntozake Shange in "For Colored Girls" and "Nappy Edges” (in the greater Bay Area and New York),Halifu Osomare in "Evolution of Black Dance" and "I Believe" and Impulse Dance Company (Boston). She was guest artist with Enrico Labayen and Robert Henry Johnson Dance Company. She performed live with Mongo Santamaria, Roberta Flack, Alive (women's jazz band) and Rhiannon (vocalist) and Mary Watkins(pianist). She participated in various festivals including Summerfest and Gay and Leabian Festival. Elvia was a member of the San Francisco Opera Ballet for two seasons, where she performed in “Samson & Delilah", "Die Frau Ohne Schatten”, “La Traviata” and “Aida”. Elvia choreographed and performed as an opening act for Gill-Scott Heron at Fox-Warfield Theater, Black Choreographers Festival for three seasons and nine seasons choreographing and touring with Laurel Burch Inc., and choreographing “The Art of Human Being”, which was performed at San Jose Center for the Arts, Elvia has taught in various studios in the Boston area, as well as Boston University and University of Massachusetts. She also taught at many studios in the Bay Area, where she has dedicated five decades of her life. She was also the director of dance at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, where she retired in 2016 after 34 years of service. Elvia has inspired many students, teens and adults alike, by being an example displaying commitment, dedication, passion and hard work. Elvia embraces and respects her students as individuals, and shares her love, emotional and spiritual self with them. She encourages her students to develop their personal gifts and find their own voice. Elvia was a recipient of an "Izzie” (Isadora Duncan) award for lifetime achievement in 2001.