Maryann Connolly (Singer)

Teenager Maryann Connolly is a multi-award-winning performer who has garnered numerous top titles including Top Talent Winner at SWFL Talent & Beauty Competition, Finalist at American Idol/Hollywood Studios Florida, and First Place Coco Idol winner at the premiere Cape Coral Coconut Festival. She also earned “Best In Show” at Lee County School District Learning For Life event, Southwest Florida Lee County Fair First Place Vocals/Drama and is a featured National Anthem Singer for Florida Miracle Baseball. Maryann has performed and studied musical styles from pop to rock, country to opera. She began performing at age seven, with the song We are Family. A very family-oriented teen, she has also recently written a song celebrating individuality titled Zany. She also currently studies under award-winning vocal coach Dorothy Yorty and award-winning model and talent scout, Claribel Levinson. A talented singer, musician, song writer, and model, Maryann aspires to model professionally and appear on Broadway.

Ryan Raffloer is a young dancer, actor and model. He has been in the entertainment business for more than 10 years, acting in many movies, TV, and Off-Broadway shows, as well as modeling in several runway shows. Mr. Raffloer is a very talented and hard working ballroom dancer. His big dream is to catch a rise to a high level of dancing in Latin and European programs, and hopes to become a World Champion one day.  Ryan’s life quote is: “Never Say Never!”

Shelby Joy Cole did competitive gymnastics for 8 solid years, and then went on to pursue ballet. She achieved her goal and was accepted into the Professional Performing Arts School, and continued to dance ballet at Manhattan Youth Ballet.  There she met her future dance partner who helped her begin international ballroom, having previously trained at American Ballroom Theater. She is currently training at Alvin Ailey, and in her spare time practices International Ballroom and Latin with her partner, Ryan Raffloer.

Meredith O'Connor

            DANUSHE HLAVENKA

Danushe Hlavenka de Treviño es graduada de Pianista Concertista del Conservatorio Nacional de Música Antonio Neumane de Guayaquil.

Realizó sus Estudios Superiores de Música en Hannover – Alemania y es Máster en Instrumentos de Cuerda en la especialización de Viloncello de la Academia de Música y Artes de Praga – República Checa.

Ha sido miembro de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Guayaquil y de la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Quito, como también del Coro de la Ópera de esta misma Orquesta en el Teatro Nacional Sucre.

Realizó por 4 años estudios de Ingeniería Comercial en la Universidad Laica Vicente Rocafuerte de Guayaquil.

Estudió por 10 años consecutivos la Danza Clásica – Ballet.

Es graduada en el idioma Inglés de la Bénédict School of Language.

Estudió el idioma Alemán en el Volkshochschule de Hannover – Alemania y en el Deutschkürse bei der Universität – München en Munich – Alemania.

Desde 1995 se dedica a la labor docente en la ciudad de Guayaquil y la Dirección del Centro Cultural de su mismo nombre en donde se realizan conciertos con sus alumnos y profesores de forma gratuita con el fin de difundir el arte y la cultura en esta ciudad.

En el año 2009 se radica en la ciudad de Riobamba, siendo miembro de la Casa de la Cultura Núcleo de Chimborazo. Y también continúa su labor docente y la difusión del Arte Musical  Clásico

                             J A S O N

                     LA VOZ DEL GENERO

Entrevista por: María Marrero.

                DANIELA ATANASOVA

             SINGER  & SAXOPHONIST

At the age of 13  Daniela influenced by the  movie  ”Heavenly bodies”
fell in love with the aerobics. In 2003 she became certified aerobics
and  step  aerobics  instructor  and  she  started  teaching  aerobics.  In
2007 Daniela participated in the beauty contest “Mrs Bulgaria” with
her   sister,   Julia   and   they   become   faces   of   a   popular   cloth
brand ”Bendida”. 
Her  music  career  started  the  moment  she  decided  to leave  her
hometown  and  to  participate  in  a  TV  show  for  young talents,  called
“Hit-1”,  1994.  She  won  1st  prize  with  the  song  of  Mariah  Carey
“Hero”.  Her  award  was  to  record  a  song  written  by  a  famous
composer.   The   song   was   called”   The   little   prince   has   arrived”
written  by  the  composer  Dimitar  Getov.  He  wrote  many  songs  for
her.  In  1995  she  participated  in  the  most  famous  International
Music Festival ”Golden Orpheus” held in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria with
the song “The little prince has arrived”. In 1996 Dimitar Getov wrote
another  song  called  “Your  hair  turns  silvery,  mom”.  She  sang  this
song  in  a  duet  with  Tanya  Boeva  and  they  won  2nd  prize  in  the
category  for  young  talents.  The  same  year  Daniela  sang  another
song at another prestigious festival “Varna’s Summer” in a trio with

Meral  and  Sunai.  Daniela  participated  in  a  music  TV  show  called
“Melody of the year” with another song of Dimitar Getov “I hate you
for  a  day,  I  love  you  for  a  month”.  The  composer  Dimitar  Getov
wrote  “Because  you’re  here’,  “Someone  has  called  me  tonight”,  “I
was  too  young  then”,  “Bad  and  good”,  and  etc.  The  same  year  was
very  successful  for  Daniela.  She  was  noticed  by  a  TV  director  of  a
show called “Hot line”.
 
She  became  one  of  the  main  faces  and  singers  of  the  show  together
with  her  sister  Julia.  The  same  year  Daniela  started  studying  at  the
National Academy of Music, Pancho Vladigerov. She studied pop and
jazz   singing   in   the   class   of   prof.   Stefka   Onikian.  She   studied
saxophone  in  the  class  of  prof.  Vlaio  Vlaev.  In  the  summer  of  1996
Daniela  was  invited  to  sing  at  one  of  the  most  prestigious  summer
resorts  of  Bulgaria,  Albena.  The  same  year  the  composer,  Maria
Ganeva wrote for her the song “Secret love” which became a popular
radio hit. The same year Daniela recorded a song written by the rock
band  “Sprint”,  “Why  did  you  find  me?”  In  1997  Daniela  went  to
audition for a Cyprus Cruise Company “Paradise Cruises”, where she
was  chosen  1st  among  100  of  singers  and  musicians.  She  started
singing  in  the  show  of  a  cruise  ship  ”Atalante”,  travelling  from
Cyprus  to  Israel  and  Egypt.  The  same  year  Daniela  released  her  1st
single  “Loverboy”  written  by  Graffa.  He  wrote  another  song  for  her
“Young    strength”    which    was    included    in    the    debut    single
“Loverboy”.

When  she  got  back  home,  a  famous  producer  was  interested  in  her
and  her  sister  and  he  wanted  to  create  a  female  pop  duet.  The
producer,  Valio  Markov,  (Polysound)  gave  the  name  of  the  duet
Mania.  In  1999  the  sisters  recorded  their  1st  album  and  their  1st
huge hit was the song “The world is for two”, followed by the singles
“The cricket song”, “It’s not true”, “I don’t want and I can’t”. 
Duet  Mania  released  their  second  album,  Cold  eyes  in  2003.  The
producers of the albums were the sisters, the album was released by
Select Music and distributed by Stefko’s Music. The album contained
the hit songs “Cold eyes”, “Forever in love” and “Signs of love”.
In  2006  Daniela  started  taking  jazz  improvisation  lessons  by  a
famous  saxophonist  Emanuil  Manolov  (Badema).  In  2007  Daniela’s
boyfriend Ivelin,  former pianist  of  the band  “Latin  partizans” won a
Green  Card  and  proposed  Daniela.  They  got  married  and  moved  to
New York. 
In  New  York,  Daniela  started  taking  classical  lessons  by  a  famous
American opera singer, who had performed at Carnegie Hall and all
over the world – Claudia Friedlaunder. She started taking saxophone
lessons  from  Havier  Arau,  teacher  at  New  York  Jazz Academy.  In
2011 Daniela and her sister, Julia recorded their 3rd album “Forever
in  love”.  In  2012  Daniela  found  the  vocal  coach  Robert  Lunte,  who
took Daniela to another level of her singing. In the summer of 2012, 
Daniela   joined   Sly   Gerald’s   Band   as   a   saxophonist   and   a   lead
vocalist.