Eli Pabon is a multi-talented dancer, singer, lyricist, instructor/educator, grant writer, and percussionist. Born and raised in Boston to a Puerto Rican family of performers and educators, she grew up learning the importance of music and dance in health, education, healing, resistance, and community-building. She learned to play percussion instruments, sing and dance Bomba, Plena, hip-hop, and salsa, among other traditional, folkloric, and modern genres from a young age.
Today, she shares her experiences and love through teaching dance, percussion and song to others, as well as performing and producing arts programming and events locally, nationally, and internationally. Throughout the years, she has developed varying strategies for student engagement based on age, level, and environment. At present, she is the founder of BOMBAntillana, a Dance & Performing Arts Teacher at the Ellison Parks School (a Boston Public School), an artist in residence through the MCC STARS program, and an Artist Collective member of MetaMovements coordinating, hosting, and teaching at events, classes, and workshops in the Greater Boston area.
Photo at top by Sherice Grant.