Founder, Artistic Director, Choreographer

Born in Queens, New York into a family of Puerto Rican Salsa dancers, Kebrina Josefina was gifted to the heartbeat, rhythms, and appreciation of Salsa music, dance, and culture. From Salsa to over twenty years of theatre, she has performed as an actor and dancer: on stage in musicals, plays, and independent films. Kebrina holds her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications and Theatre at Millersville University. Upon receiving her undergraduate degree, Kebrina desired a new career path and spontaneously moved to Dallas, Texas to study Yoga, classical dance techniques, and dance professionally.

She immersed herself at Collin College pursuing dance education in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Modern dance, Stage Movement, Improvisation, and Dance Composition. Her professors in these disciplines include Shannon-Kearns Simmons, Gail Cronauer, and the master teacher and Artistic Director of Muscle Memory Dance Theatre, Lesley Snelson-Figueroa.

When not in school, Kebrina taught Yoga, Zumba and danced professionally with dance companies Samba Dallas, Tropico Entertainment, and Salsa Sunrise. Inspiration spiraled into Kebrina forming her own company, Casa de Baile Traveling Studio. Casa de Baile’s services include dance instruction, performances, fundraisers, and event planning. In 2009, Kebrina traveled with Samba Dallas Dance Company throughout Brazil for cultural learning purposes, performance, and training in different Samba dance techniques. Throughout her time with Samba Dallas, she also studied at Park Cities Dance Company with owner and Artistic Director Jacqueline Porter.

Kebrina was curious and craved a new direction and embarked on a chapter of discovery to join the MFA Theatre and Contemporary Performance program at Naropa University with Boulder, where she will fully develop into an Interdisciplinary Artist and transform into a Professor of Theatre and Dance. After one year of intense graduate study, Kebrina decided to share her love of Brazilian dance and music to Boulder and began to teach weekly Samba dance classes and perform alongside various events with Bateria Alegria of the Boulder Samba School. Kebrina also collaborates with Ginga, a Samba band from Colorado, and provides classes during shows. Students were delighted in Kebrina’s energetic teaching and encouraged her to start a dance company in Colorado. She did. Kebrina now directs and performs with Samba Colorado, Colorado’s first POC (Person of Color) founded Brazilian dance school and company.

Samba Colorado continues to grow under Kebrina’s vision and leadership. Currently, Kebrina spends her time traveling to Salvador da Bahia, Brasil to continue her research in the Roots of Samba and Symbology of Orixa dance as an art form. Her vision is to dive deeper into the lineage of Mestre King’s teachings of African Brazilian dance and his pupil’s journey.  Some of her Master Teachers and Mentors include Rosangela Silvestre, Ze Ricardo, Vera Passos and Nildinha Fonseca. Kebrina has completed four certifications of participation in the Silvestre Technique in Bahia and hopes to share this inspirational movement with others. Kebrina is also available for college and university dance theatre residencies, master workshops, lectures, and performances.