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Anya Katsevman: “You have the dream, I have the tools”

USA - New York - New York

When we refer to Anya Katsevman, the first word that comes to mind is: passion! And that is the only way we could explain that a woman has so much strength, dedication and dedication in different facets of her life.

Anya Katsevman is not only a dancer and choreographer, but also a motivational coach and dream builder. In addition, it has its own line of dance dresses and costumes. An unstoppable woman!

Anya Katsevman by Franklin Liranzo — Anya Katsevman Courtesy of Franklin Liranzo

A native of Kiev, Ukraine, Anya and her family immigrated to the United States when she was 8 years old. She is the younger sister of award-winning Latin dancer Eugene Katsevman. She lives in New York.

She also holds numerous titles in salsa. Among them, she is a two-time World Champion as well as the San Francisco International Salsa Congress and New York Salsa Congress Champion.

Anya Katsevman is a maker of champions

This is precisely the distinctive mark of Anya Katsevman , that ability to make each dancer, each artist, each dreamer discover in himself his potential to succeed, his style and make the most of his abilities.

She believes that “the art of dance requires much physical ability, exposure and practice. The art of dance is also developing your own voice and getting to know the artist behind the athlete that makes the dancer”

A wonderful career

“Queen of Salsa” Anya Katsevman is a two-time World Salsa Champion, coach and choreographer to more than a dozen world champions, noted costume designer, respected salsa congress circuit judge and advocate for international Latin dance who has transformed the sport during her more than 25-year career.

Renowned for her unique coaching methods, Anya’s style blends multiple cultures and dance forms: her eastern European upbringing and the appreciation for Latin dance culture that she developed in the United States; and her ballroom and salsa backgrounds. She demands rigor, discipline and excellence, and uses her understanding of anatomy, physiology and movement while encouraging freedom of expression to turn her students into the top dancers in the world.

Anya trains and choreographs for “Dancing with the Stars Costa Rica” principal dancer Lucia Jimenez (2020 World Bachata, Chacha and Salsa Champion), “America’s Got Talent” stars Harold Rancano and Regan Hirose (9-time World Bachata Champions), the Huracan Dance Company (2019 World Team Salsa Champions), the stars of Quebec’s  Revolucion Adriano Leropoli and Samantha Scali (2017 World Salsa Champions), principal dancers in Carmen to Havana and Back Isabelle Freiberger and Hunter Houde and the USA World Games Olympic salsa team.

Always successful and sharing her knowledge

As a competitor and performer, Anya has won more than 20 world titles including the 2009 and 2010 Salsa World Championships. She is also the 2008 North American Salsa Champion, a two-time San Francisco Open Salsa Champion, two-time New York Congress Salsa Champion, Puerto Rico Open Salsa Champion and La Classique Du Quebec Champion. Anya has starred in touring shows “Burn the Floor ” on Broadway and ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars, in addition to numerous other television productions, stage shows, movies, and showcases in the U.S. She has performed with El Gran Combo, Gilberto Santa Rosa and “The Mambo King” Eddie Torres, and for President Barack Obama.

Anya Katsevman - dancers — Anya Katsevman – dancers

Anya is an ambassador for salsa, helping to expand its popularity worldwide. She believes connection is one of the most important aspects of the human experience, and dance is the best medium to explore how we connect with each other and ourselves. Anya has expanded her dance instruction to include GoDeeper, which she co-founded in 2019 to provide monthly movement classes, individual coaching sessions, and group workshops to promote professional growth and self discovery.

Meet this talented woman

International Salsa Magazine had the pleasure of interviewing Anya recently and invites you to learn a little more about this magnificent artist.

International Salsa Magazine (ISM): How did you discover your passion for Latin Dance?

Anya Katsevman (AK): My brother is a professional ballroom dancer

I started to dance ballroom in 1995 following his footsteps I competed in the international Latin category world wide in 2007 I was teaching in a dance studio in Manhattan and they did a lot of salsa that’s where I was introduced to social dancing I fell in love with the idea that dance is accessible to all people and doesn’t have to be competitive from there my love for salsa turned in to a career choice I decided to study Latin social dance and became a two time world salsa champion for me it was a passion to spread the beauty of dance through teaching as much as performing that did the trick.

ISM: Have you had any obstacle in your professional life? How could you overcome them?

AK: I think when your career is long enough you will probably have many obstacles to overcome and your passion for your craft and the reason you do it is usually stronger than the obstacle in front of you that gives you the drive to overcome it it is hard to narrow specifics down because I’ve had so many my competitive dance partner lived 3000 miles away from me when we won the worlds in 2010 and I just made the commitment to work hard and travel pick up the slack where needed and get the job done regardless I think that was the formula in every struggle.

ISM: What is the achievement that has made you most proud?

AK: I am most proud of all of my students accomplishments I am of course extremely proud and honored to be a world champion but for me the pleasure of having developed other world champion’s especially those who started learning from me from scratch makes me extremely proud beyond all measures I am also very proud of how individual and independent all of my students are the variety and diversity of their dancing makes me really happy.

ISM: In the path of entrepreneurship, how did you manage to find the strategy to grow your business? What are the skills you consider an entrepreneur must have to achieve success?

AK: Honestly I believe success comes from genuine passion and desire it is easy for us to study a successful person after the fact and say which moves appeared strategic but I believe who ever is on their way working toward that goal should do it because they are passionate about each step not because of the end result my business grows because I am committed to my craft and doing it at my best capacity.

I am genuinely passionate about my dance quality my students growth and the subjects I am teaching I study the Industry I watch for what’s missing I ask what contribution would be of most value this doesn’t feel like hard work to me it is my passion my genuine interest and the rest flows when I feel I am doing something strategic or because it’s good for my brand or etc it doesn’t flow the same way feels forced and isn’t as successful so I try to only go with my own flow current interest and most passionate desires.

ISM: Could you give us some advice to maintain discipline, even in complex situations?

AK: Absolutely discipline is hard for anyone when it feels needed and forced so I always try to flip the mindset if I have to do something I’m bored of or am avoiding because it’s hard or tedious I always find something to be excited about instead whether it is dreaming of what the task will do for me or adding something Sensory I enjoy to the task like my favorite sounds smells or visuals or including a friend in the process.

If you focus on what you do like about it it’s much easier to do it. Also discipline is really only hard at first pretty quickly it becomes a habit so if you put more disciplined things in to practice it will all feel like a habitual part of your day and you’ll start to enjoy it and feeling accomplished.

ISM: What would you say to all those young dancers who want to achieve a dream?

AK: They do come true!!!!!

Dream more!!!! Everything is possible want it bad enough to work for it but don’t be afraid to dream those wild dreams if it wasn’t possible you wouldn’t have had the dream in the first place.

Itamar Doari

Europe/ Israel / Galilee

Itamar Doari, Born and raised in Galilee, grew up surrounded by a variety of musical traditions: Arabic, Sephardic, Turkish, Persian, Bedouin

Itamar Doari is an international percussion artist who has spent most of his adult life traveling around the world giving concerts, recording albums, appearing at music conferences and most importantly studying the ancient art of rhythm and drumming. He began his musical journey at the young age of six, when he played his first drum in the Israeli desert oasis of Wadi Farran.

Itamar, born and raised in Galilee, grew up surrounded by a variety of musical traditions: Arabic, Sephardic, Turkish, Persian, Bedouin and many others which had a huge influence on his musical persona. During his early years of playing, he had the privilege of learning from some of the most prestigious teachers in percussion and hand drum technique in the world, among them; Zohar Fresco, Glen Vallez, Sallem Darwish and Ahmed Taher. Doari plays a wide range of instruments, including the Darbuka, Dohola and a variety of frame drums such as Bandir, Tar, Riq, Udu, and Cajon alongside Cymbals, bells, shakers and many others.

Itamar Doari’s wide ranging techniques have led him to work with an eclectic mix of some of the world’s finest musicians. Including prominent Jazz musician Avishai Cohen, with whom Doari has performed and recorded three albums, both as a musician and as a musical producer.

He was at the forefront of the Idan Raichal Project, which gained international success due to the unique Ethiopian musical exploration.

He has a continuing musical association with mandolinist and Grammy nominee Avi Avital, with whom Doari has collaborated in several projects including the “Between Worlds” Trio and with orchestras around the world. The great Ladino singer Yasmin Levy, Israeli Rock legend Berry Sakharof, oud player Samir Mekhul,Esther Ofarim, Yoni Rechter, Eviatar Banai, Amal Murcus, Ahuva Ozeri, Shotei Hanevuah, Nitin Sawhney, Omer Faruk, Tekbilek and Radiohead guitarist and composer Johnny Greenwood.

In 2010, Itamar became one of the founding members of the band Yemen Blues along with singer & composer Ravid Kahalani, the band explores music from a variety of different cultures from Yemen to West Africa inflected with contemporary grooves of funk, Arabic Music and the deep soul of old chants. A project particularly close to Itamar’s heart is one he created entitled WadiAtma.

In 2015, he put together a band of virtuoso musicians from the Flamenco and Middle Eastern traditions which created a musical melting pot of ancient art forms.

The name of the project unites souls (Atma in Sanskrit) with the wadi (originally an Arabic word that found its way to Spain via Andalusia) in a way that describes, in the best possible way, the meeting on stage: The Valley of the Souls. His collaborations have seen him perform on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and Festivals.

Itamar has recorded with several notable record labels, such as; Universal, EMI, Deutsche Grammophone, Sony, Helicon, Blue Note, Decca

The beautiful story of dancer, actor and singer Pancho Martinez Pey

Dance has been always important for Pancho

Pancho Martinez Pey is an Argentine dance teacher, choreographer, actor, singer and dancer who has had a large participation in various shows and theatre plays in which he has demonstrated his skills in those disciplines where he has become an expert in recent years, among which we can mention ”Casa Blanca”, ”Café Tortoni”, ”Michelangelo”, ”Esquina Carlos Gardel”, ”Sabor a Tango” and many more.

His father was a musician and second guitar player for Oscar Alemán in the 1970s, so he was always involved in the world of dance since he was eight years old and started learning to dance in a more professional way at the age of 12. However, the first time he had contact with tango was at 16, when he began to take his first steps in this particular genre. Three years later, he moved to Spain for a while to work as a drummer and singer in a musical group, with which he would tour the entire European country to offer his talent to the local public.

When they were not playing, they danced tango and Argentine folklore, which inspired him enough to devote himself entirely to tango in his country of origin, something that happened when a very young Pancho was just 22 years old. Once he was in his homeland, he worked as a ticket-taker at a train station for a few years while taking dancing lessons in the evenings, which trained and prepared him for his big break.

His big moment came when he was offered to participate in the piece ”Miguelangelo” together with Gloria and Eduardo Arquimbau, who formed one of the most emblematic couples of Argentine tango. He did not think twice about it and quit his job at the train station to go to dance professionally just as he does to the date.

In view of the fact that he was always used to listening to all kinds of music from a very young age, he had no trouble adapting to all the rhythms that he found in the way, such as folklore, tango, forró, swing, Argentine rock, among others.

He also enjoys singing very much and ensures he can sing all kinds of genres ”from K-Pop to tango”.

Pancho Martínez Pey dancing tango with María Nieves. Photo courtesy of Yumba Rojas

Combining dancing and singing with acting

When asked how he mixes dancing and singing with acting and all that histrionic part that makes his performances so particular, he says that his taste for this branch of the arts was also born in his childhood, since he always watched Argentine films in which dancing was very present and it goes without saying that they were always his favorites. Then, little by little, destiny led him to combine all these elements until he starred in his first important musical called ”Tanguera”. In this piece, participants did not talk or act too much, but they had to focus on putting on a good show at the level of dancing.

Another important musical in his career was ”Tita: Una Vida en Tiempo de Tango” with Nacha Guevara, which focused on the life and career of tango dancer and actress Tita Merello. This piece did require vocal talents between dialogues, so Pancho was finally able to show what he was made of as a singer.

All these facets have their degree of complexity, but the Argentinean performer thinks that the hardest part of his work is trying to combine all these areas, something a friend and colleague of his acted as a coach and helped him to train in the linking between singing, dancing and acting. He pointed out that this is a very strong training in which you have to control certain elements such as breathing, the air when dancing, concentration, among other details.

Role of man and woman in tango

According to Pancho, given that it is a dance of two, it is very important that both understand each other’s role in the dance. ”The leader leads and the other follows. In most cases, the leader is the man of the couple, who at the same time is the one who provides support and leads at the same time, while the follower has to follow the leader, but must also be an active member of the situation. Let’s remember that we are two people dancing and not one, so we are both active subjects in the dance. The woman expresses all her own beauty and sensuality, while the gentleman has that strength and guidance that, at the same time, seduces and makes his partner feel safe” said the artist.

Pancho with his father Oscar Cacho Martinez, and his uncle Raúl Martinez

How history and social changes have affected tango

Martínez explains that the World Tango championship gave a huge boost to this musical genre. It was always very popular in Argentina, but it did not have the importance it now has in most of the world. Tango came from a mixture of cultures in Buenos Aires, where the first lyrics of its social protest songs began to emerge. Tango has that popular and rebellious element coming from the people” explains the performer.

The golden age of tango was in the 1940s, when musicians and poets at the highest level began to emerge until foreign musical groups such as The Beatles or Elvis Presley appeared, who won over audiences of the time, which caused a temporary decline of tango. That is how matters stood until the early 1990s when the film Tango Argentino was released, which contributed significantly to the worldwide explosion of tango in those years and to improvement of techniques used for that dance”, he continued.

Finally, the dancer expressed his joy for the moment that tango is living nowadays, since he had never seen so many people interested in learning to dance it, both as entertainment and profession. He thinks that this current popularity is due to the need of people to connect with others after the pandemic and the multiple benefits that it brings at a mental level.

Interesting conversation with vocal coach and YouTuber Ceci Dover

Who is Ceci Dover and what she has done

Ceci Dover is a professional vocal coach and singer of Argentinean origin residing in Spain, where she has been dedicated to voice, music and technological advances that have emerged out in this world over the past few years. All this accumulated experience has made her worthy of sharing the stage with several of the most important Spanish-speaking artists such as Coro Kennedy and Alejandro Lerner.

In her talent and knowledge, we can notice that she has received a very solid training in the issues she always touches and two very important teaching centers in her academic life were the Manuel de Falla Conservatory and the singing academy Valeria Lynch, both of which contributed greatly to make Ceci the professional voice teacher she is today. Another important detail to highlight from her route is the Still Voice Training academy in the United States in 2020, which would complete her studies as a coach and professional singer.

Currently, Ceci is dedicated to perform vocal diagnosis for those who request it and she works as a content creator through YouTube, a platform on which she offers her analysis to well-known voices in the entertainment world so that the public can know a professional opinion on their quality or the absence of it.

In view of Ceci’s great career in the world of music, we wanted to talk to her and learn a little more about her career and experience from her own mouth.

How did your interest in music and vocal technique begin?

After thanking us for the space we gave her, Ceci went on to explain that it all started when she was in high school, which she combined with singing studies at a particular level since she turned 13 years old. Once she finished school, she enrolled in a conservatory and began studying lyrical singing full time for about 12 year until she chose to specialize in folk singing in order to achieve a change of range.

Throughout this process, she discovered that she enjoyed singing and teaching, although she would be dedicated exclusively to the latter.

Major references and inspirations

Her most significant influences are Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carrey, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Freddy Marcury, Michael Jackson, among others. Ceci said to belong to old school because of her tastes, but it took a few years for her to start paying more attention to music in Spanish. It was in 2020 that she started paying attention to Latin voices such as Juan Gabriel, who has gone on to become one of her favorite artists worldwide. Although she has discovered a lot of talent in music in Spanish, she has been really fascinated by Mexican culture, which has given birth to several of the songs that did not have faces during her childhood.

Italian singer Laura Pausini and Ceci Dover

One of the things that has caught her attention the most about rancheras and boleros is that they allow artists to show all their talent and vocal ability. In addition, he says that these genres come from times when singers ”sang for real, excellence was demanded of them and had to be good in order to succeed”.

The industry dies not require artists to offer quality because it only focuses on creating characters and products carefully designed to make shows,” said the professional singer on this subject.

Importance of lyrics in culture

Ceci has been highly critical of everything related to the kind of lyrics that have been used in modern genres such as reggaeton and considers that so much vulgarity is not necessary to express what is wanted. In fact, he considers that these lyrical resources are an involution and a total reversal in music. Ensures that trap and reggaeton do not bother her, but she believes that explicitness, offenses and vexations used by many of its exponents do not send any positive message to the youth.

For the artist, this issue becomes even more serious and delicate when talking about young children as well, who are the primary audience of this musical content. She comments that her own son learns these lyrics at school and comes home singing them, something that makes her very angry and leads her to do everything possible to reverse the negative effects that this may have on his upbringing.

Peruvian composer and singer Eva Ayllón with Ceci Dover

It is possible to talk about heartbreak without being vulgar and degrading. I understand that this is what many young people like nowadays, but I think it is not a generational thing, but a matter of education. I have very young students who also disagree with that way of expressing music”, she added.

In that sense, he also points out that parents should instill other musical references and listen to other music so that their children get to know other voices and styles. Few people know Freddy Mercury or Michael Jackson, but everyone knows Bizarrap, Rosalia and Quevedo. That has to change” said the performer.

Vocal diagnosis and training

When Ceci was asked if a person without natural vocal talent could develop it, her answer was yes, although with several points to consider. A person without natural singing talent can develop his full potential and educate his voice. I know singers who don’t have good voice, but they strive to make good songs, write good lyrics and convey the listening audience special things” Ceci replied.

”I encourage everyone to educate their voice, even if they weren’t born with the natural talent that can make that process a little easier. I think we all can work on our voice and offer quality singing, but within our means. You can’t promise people that they are going to sing like Celine Dion in a year if they don’t have the conditions to do that. There are borders we simply cannot cross, but we can look for the best version of ourselves” she added.

Scenography and details unrelated to voice

Just as voice is a very important part of the analysis, there are other aspects that can distract Ceci from her analysis, such as lyrics, costumes and choreography. In that sense, she mentions the recent case of Shakira, whose story of heartbreak attracts much more attention than the technical details involved.

He also mentioned the case of K-Pop groups, whose choreographies, pirouettes and costumes stand out much more than their members’ voices. ”Before, the technical aspects related to voice were what stood out on stage, but now the visual part of the show is much more important than before,” said the artist. ”I was very much against backing tracks, but I have realized that K-Pop groups cannot achieve a perfect voice with such demanding dances and aerobics,” she concluded on this issue.

Salsa exponents

Although Ceci has focused on analyzing rancheras, boleros, pop and reggaeton, she thinks it is time to dedicate some of her material to analyze other more tropical genres such as salsa or merengue. In this part of the conversation, she expressed her admiration for stars such as Juan Luis Guerra, Marc Anthony, Celia Cruz and many more. There have been many followers who have asked her to react to voices of this genre, so she is considering making an exclusive special for tropical rhythms such as these and thereby appeasing the part of her audience that enjoys these styles.

Henry Benavides surprises with “Por Cuenta Propia,” his new project

Henry Benavides, arranger, composer, pianist and producer of tropical music with emphasis on Salsa, was born in Barrancabermeja, Santander, Colombia.

In York, NY March 31, 2023 ‘Por Cuenta Propia’ is the name of Henry Benavides’ new project, with which he wishes to elevate his musical career. The Colombian composer, pianist, arranger, and producer of tropical music pays homage to great artists of the industry with his new album.

“The production is inspired by the great salseros who inﬂuenced my musical beginnings, such as Richie Ray and Papo Lucca.

The songs I chose marked my childhood, and in my new album I seek to give it a modern and different touch with my arrangements,” shares Benavides.

Henry Benavides sorprende con “Por Cuenta Propia,” su nuevo proyecto

It is worth noting that the album is musically diverse. Despite being known for revolutionizing the tropical industry, Benavides shows us that even playing boleros, he is capable of transforming and creating new stories.

‘Por Cuenta Propia’ will be available through all digital platforms starting April 21, 2023, and you can already pre-order it through Spotify.

This project symbolizes the convergence of past stories and new rhythms. At the same time, Benavides is preparing for his upcoming Latin American tour this summer.

About Henry Benavides

“Henry Benavides is a Colombian tropical music composer, pianist, arranger and producer whose focus is on modernizing great salsa songs and giving them a new style. Benavides has had the opportunity to work with the ‘Discos Fuentes’ record label in Medellin, Colombia, where he collaborated with internationally recognized artists. As a member of the new generation, his mission is to modernize the salsa genre and share with his style, a new way of making salsa”.

Henry Benavides, arreglista, compositor, pianista y productor

Henry Benavides, arranger, composer, pianist and producer of tropical music with emphasis on Salsa, was born in Barrancabermeja, Santander.

He inherited from his grandparents the taste for music, at the age of 12 he began to play the drums induced by his father.

He graduated as a high school graduate from the industrial technical institute in the year 2000, and by then he already had clear what would be his life project, to live for music.

He decided to travel in 2002 to Pamplona, Norte de Santander, where he settled and enrolled in the university of this same city in the Faculty of Music to formalize his musical studies.

Shortly after entering the school he stood out among his classmates for his great talent. He was a member of the Big Band Oriol Rangel of this institution, being in his seventh semester, his teachers tell him that the knowledge he has acquired so far is the necessary, and that he really has nothing to do there, with the great talent he has, and they suggest him to go out to the arena! What prompted this Barranqueño to undertake his audacity in 2005 and decided to seek opportunities in the city of Medellin.

There he began working with Jhon Jairo Betancur making tracks and karaokes of salsa, merengues, ballads and vallenato, for Discos Fuentes recording pianos and then produced them, being in charge of everything for 2 and a half years, time that was enough to make known his talent which gave him the opportunity to work with the master Alberto Barros in the musical direction of the tribute to the Colombian salsa, and zone three, and to make a production for Panamanian singer Gabi Gabi Gabi.

production for the Panamanian singer Gabino Pampini, Sonora Carruseles, among others.

In 2009, he was invited to record in the city of Cali, an opportunity that he did not miss to seek new alternatives in his career and decided to seek the maestro Alexis Lozano, director of the orchestra Guayacán, to show him his work done during all these years.

He was lucky enough to meet him, and show his talent, which led to an exchange of knowledge and great musical connection between the two and immediately Alexis made it concrete and proposed him to produce music immediately.

In 2012 he directs and produces for Sony music in Mexico, the DVD “La Salsa de los Grandes”, a tribute to the Fania All Stars, with the participation of the best singers and musicians of the world salsa. Considered this work as the most representative of his career for having obtained GOLD and PLATINUM DISC, becoming the only Santandereano to obtain historically this recognition.

In addition to this, he was the author, composer and producer of songs such as YO SOY BARRANQUEÑO, where he pays tribute to his hometown, and EL HINCHA NÚMERO UNO, a song dedicated to his alma team, Alianza Petrolera.

She currently has a music production company, where she makes local, national and international productions, and at the same time has formed her orchestra, with musicians representative of her city, with which she has had the honor of being the only one to accompany an international artist, this being another historic achievement.

In this year 2020 he will launch his new production, entitled “Mi Vida”, which contains 10 unpublished songs of composition, arrangement and production, a dream that began 10 years ago and will close a very important cycle in the life of this young and talented artist.

Among other projects, he is the Musical Director of #salsagang, a project to promote new talents that is currently focused on the Mexican market, as it is one of the most important places for tropical music.

Henry Benavides through his extensive experience and professionalism, has positioned himself as one of the best salsa musicians and producers in the country.

All the productions mentioned above, can be found on the web and social networks.

Yoly Terán

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Henry Benavides