La Famila

UCMD has been called home by so many- students and parents alike. We think this culture was naturally developed due to our incredible staff. Apart from being a family business, where abuela is heming costumes and mom is bringing all “cafecito” you really feel a part of something bigger. There is a warmth and happiness that radiated from UCMD that we strive to preserve forever!

Maday Martinez- CEO/ DIRECTOR

A dancer, designer, and entrepreneur Maday holds an architectural design degree from Parsons The New School for Design and a double minor in Psychology and Dance. She has worked for prominent companies in the world of production, experiential, and event design prior to following her dreams of opening up a culture center in Union City where she grew up. In addition to her dance and design studies Maday is a graduate of the 10,000 Small Businesses Goldman Sachs program becoming a certified business owner, a NJ SEEDS, and CubaOne alum. She is a community leader and mentor with a strong passion for education, dance, art, theatre, and music. Maday strives to give students the arts education they deserve, and is a huge advocate for the preservation of Culture in minority communities. Art and Dance played a huge role in shaping who she is today and she wants to pass that along to everyone at UCMD!

Erica “Kika” Parra- Drum/Percussion TEACHEr

Born in New York City and raised in New Jersey, Erica “Kika” Parra is a Latin and Afro-Colombian percussionist and drummer. Related to Catalino Parra, one of the first members of the legendary musical dynasty Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, her connection to traditional music of Colombia’s Atlantic coast runs deep. In the 1970s, her father Oscar Parra was one of the pioneers of Afro-Colombian traditional music in Barranquilla, and with his guidance she started to play percussion at the age of thirteen. Parra later studied with Moris Cañate, her musical mentor and Rebolu bandmate, then enrolled at the Boys & Girls Harbor Conservatory in New York, where she studied and performed with both the Colombian and Latin Jazz ensembles under the direction of Pablo Mayor and Louis Bauzo, respectively. A graduate of Berklee College of Music with a B.M. in Music Education, Parra has since worked and collaborated with FolkColombia, Center for Traditional Music and Dance, Folklore Urbano, Gregorio Uribe Big Band, La Cumbiamba Eneyé, Mestizo Dance Company, Totó La Momposina, Maria Mulata, Ruben Rodriguez, Miss Yaya and C&C Music Factory. As a current drummer with Rebolu, Parra has performed at festivals and events such as the Montreux Jazz Festival, Montana Folk Festival, Richmond Folk Festival, Lincoln Center Outdoors, Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, Kimmel Center, SXSW, Mundial Montreal, Carnaval de Barranquilla, and at the Library of Congress. She is currently founder, along with her cousin, Eric Parra, of Parra La Gente.

What Music Education means to me:
Music Education is just as important as math, science, history, etc. It plays such an important role in one’s life because it has to do so much with his or her development. Music Education and music in general, helped me develop confidence and security. Can you imagine the world without music? I can’t.

Henry Flores- Music: Guitar/Voice/Piano

Henry started his music journey on piano at the age of 4. He completed the full National Guild Piano exams and graduated with high marks in 2012 eventually moving on to learn guitar and Marimba. He has extensive experience teaching piano, guitar, voice and music theory. He as played accompaniment in recitals, shows, for chorus on both Piano and Guitar.
Henry gained group music experience as a member of Xavier’s competitive jazz band as well as being personal bands and being involved in other musical projects. He can do it all from classical music to contemporary, jazz, Spanish style and others.

At UCMD Henry has focused on younger musicians guiding them not only in the one on one sessions but has been a wiz at training young students to start music improvisation and composition, making learning fun!

Henry started his music journey on piano at the age of 4. He completed the full National Guild Piano exams and graduated with high marks in 2012 eventually moving on to learn guitar and Marimba. He has extensive experience teaching piano, guitar, voice and music theory. He as played accompaniment in recitals, shows, for chorus on both Piano and Guitar.
Henry gained group music experience as a member of Xavier’s competitive jazz band as well as being personal bands and being involved in other musical projects. He can do it all from classical music to contemporary, jazz, Spanish style and others.

At UCMD Henry has focused on younger musicians guiding them not only in the one on one sessions but has been a wiz at training young students to start music improvisation and composition, making learning fun!

ANthony TavareZ- All Strings/Piano/Music production

Anthony Tavarez comes to UCMD with 9 years of guitar experience. Anthony is currently enrolled at New Jersey City University studying classical guitar and majoring in Music Education. Anthony is our in house music producer, and sound engineer. Helping students navigate the complex language of music Anthony makes learning fun by bring in a fresh and current perspective to one on one, and group classes. He uses current hits to spark an interest for music production and composition in our young musicians.

“To me, music education is a way to teach others how to freely express themselves through the art of music. With so many different genres and cultural styles, music can help expand our perspectives on this world and the people in it. For those exact reasons I take my time to make sure my students fully understand the concepts given in our lessons.”

Katrina Pardo- DancE:Various styles

Katrina Pardo began her studies in 1999 and is a graduate of Oneida’s Dance Studio. While there she studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Flamenco, Lyrical, Contemporary, Salsa, Tango, Musical Theater, Hip-Hop, & Afro Cuban Folklore. She has competed in various Regional & National competitions and has danced in numerous parades & political functions throughout the Tri-state Area. She has won many awards for her solo and group performances throughout her dance career. She has been teaching dance since 2005 and began teaching at UCMD in 2010.

The arts have been a positive influence in her life as they opened her eyes to a talent she never knew she had. She was very shy growing up. It only took one Flamenco class and she was hooked! It has also taught her discipline which has helped her in everyday life.

Superpower: If she could have one superpower it would be the ability to teleport so with a snap of her fingers she could be on any stage anywhere in the world.

Her motto is: “Fall seven times, Stand up Eight.” She reminds herself every day that nothing in this world is easy and there will be moments where she will face defeat but, that cannot stop her from following her dreams because like Jay-Z says “You gotta get that, dirt off your shoulders!”

Yara Duarte- Dance: Ballet

Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Yara Duarte initiated her dance studies with Carla Perotti and eventually received her Royal Academy of Dancing Method Degree in 1981.
Demonstrating aptitude and passion for teaching from the very beginning, she began giving dance lessons right after finishing her studies. In 1982, Duarte became the owner and director of Ballet Carla Perotti, the dance studio where she began her ballet training. Duarte ran the school for 20 years, continuing Perotti’s unique work while turning it into one of city’s most prestigious dance academies.
During this period, she was a registered RAD (Royal Academy of Dancing) method teacher. While producing and choreographing yearly presentations for her students, she directed two professional renditions of Adolphe Adam’s masterwork Giselle. Duarte also directed and coached her own school team, competing and winning various regional and national dance festivals.
Along with ballet classes, she has coached the competition teams, cleaned choreography, and gave private lessons for 15 years.

Isabella Aguirre- Hip-Hop

Isabella Aguirre danced before she could walk. He passion began when she watch dance competitions live and on tv. Her professional training started with folkloric dance at the age of 9 in Colombia. She then started ballet training until she found hip hop in high school. In 2012 she started talking urban dance and started shortly after competing in local and national dance competitions.

She has traveled the world with her dance career. She has studied and dance more formally in Australia, and now in the greater New York City area training at Broadway Dance Center. Some of her accolades include dancing with various celebrities in music videos, events, concerts, and TV commercials. Her specialty is in commercial dance. She holds a teacher certification from Peridance Center in NYC.

“I believe that work ethic will always beat talent. I pride myself in training hard AND joyfully at all levels and always hope to transmit that energy to our students. Dance is a beautiful thing that we must awaken inside of each and every one of us”