André Cole is a dancer, musician and educator from Oakland, California. Influenced by his Brazilian mother and musical father he has been dancing and drumming since the age of 3. He began learning Brazilian percussion and samba from local dancers and musicians, while also teaching himself moves from the likes of Michael Jackson and Usher. At 5-years old he began studying rock, latin and hip hop drumming. He continues to be an avid drummer on the drum set, djembe and various percussion instruments, while producing his own original music. His style is a versatile fusion of Bay Area hip hop, contemporary-ballet and afro-centric movement techniques including capoeira, samba and West-African.

 

    André began formally training in ballet, jazz and modern techniques (Horton, Graham, Dunham) while at Oakland School for the Arts with teacher & choreographer Reginald Ray-Savage (savagejazz.org). During his time at O.S.A. he choreographed and performed in several hip-hop and modern dance works around the Bay Area and trained at the Alvin Ailey summer intensive in New York for two months taking a wide variety of classes including ballet, Horton, Graham, samba and West-African. 

    

    Upon his graduation from O.S.A. in 2007, André was offered a full scholarship to train at The Alvin Ailey School in New York, but decided to attend The New School University - Eugene Lang College for Liberal Arts in New York City where he studied dance and psychology. During his years at The New School he had the opportunity to perform works by choreographers including Takehiro Ueyama (TAKE Dance) and Keely Garfield (Keely Garfield Dance). He graduated from The New School in 2011 and began working as a dancer, choreographer, model, musician and teaching artist in New York until 2016. He then relocated home to Oakland where he teaches youth and adult dance and fitness classes across the Bay Area.  

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    Credits Include off-Broadway show Fuerza Bruta Wayra NYC, Forces of Nature Dance Theater (The Apollo Theater), West Side Story (Riverside Theatre) and Dapline! (Schomburg Center and Studio Museum in Harlem)

André has showcased original choreography at theaters around NYC including Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, BRIC Arts and 92nd st Y. He now lives back in the Bay Area teaching youth and adult classes, private training and performing.

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    Growing up in a family of teachers, André has extensive experience working with students from pre-school through high-school age groups as a dance, drum and drama teacher. He has taught hip hop, contemporary-jazz and creative freestyle dance classes to youth and adults for a combined 12-years in the Bay Area and New York public schools and dance studios.

 

Across the variety of classes André teaches, clients learn dance moves and functional stretch and strength exercises targeted to improve posture, strength, flexibility, mobility, coordination and overall athleticism. André is committed to his clients' health and providing them with everyday practices to care for, have more energy and confidence in their own bodies.

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André continues to create and perform new dance and musical works and film & edit creative videos on his youtube channel performing them around the Bay Area and is collaborating with musical artists on Music Videos and Live Shows. To stay updated about new classes and performances sign up for my newsletter.