KOMENKA ETHNIC DANCE AND MUSIC ENSEMBLE
BORN & RAISED IN NEW ORLEANS, LA!
Komenka's Directors
John Rodi, Director and Company Member: Since 1983, John has been the Company Manager and Artistic Co-Director of the Komenka Ethnic Dance and Music Ensemble of New Orleans. His dance training began at the early age of 3 years old, when his family took over ownership of a local dance tavern in New Orleans. Inspired by the spirit and excitment of dance in those early years, he began formal ballroom dance training at 9 years old, and has continually pursued training and research in social and competitive popular U.S. dance styles since that time. In 1979, he began his intensive study of international dance in New Orleans under Ms. Pat Jessee and Ms. Lisa Codman Gardi. He auditioned and was accepted as a principal dancer at that time with the semi-professional international performing group, then known as the Komenka Ethnic Dance Ensemble. In 1980, he independently traveled to Romania for individual research and training in dance of that country. He completed a similar project in the Soviet Union (Russia) in 1982. In 1983, he was selected as a member of the Komenka Artistic Resource Committee and in 1984 was selected as Company Manager and Artistic Co-Director. He continues to serve as both to this time and in addition is a principal dancer and singer with Komenka.
During his affiliation with Komenka, he has studied intensively with over 100 internationally known dancers and choreographers, representing almost 50 different cultures. In addition, John is also an award-winning choreographer of both U.S. and European ethnic dance and music suites.
Mr. Rodi has studied ballet and modern dance in New Orleans with Gayle Parmelee and Laura Zambrano of the Loyola Ballet and Janet Kaylo of the New Orleans Repertory Dance Company. He currently performs with the Loyola Ballet and has done so regularly since 1988. He also appears as a guest artist with the Delta Festival Ballet, Jefferson Ballet and !Ole Flamenco Ole! of New Orleans.
Daniel Gianfala, Artistic Co-Director and Company Member:Since 1982, Daniel - as Artistic Co-Director - has coordinated the accomplishment of the ensemble's full range of accomplishments. Daniel's intensive study of international dance began in the 1970's under two experts then residing in New Orleans, Ms. Pat Jessee and Mr. Barry Ivker. He was a founding member or the (then) semi-professional international performing group known as the Komenka Ethnic Dance Ensemble and has been a principal dancer with the company since that time. During his affiliation with Komenka, Daniel has studied intensively with over 100 internationally known dancers and choreographers, representing almost 50 cultures of Asia, Europe and the Americas. In addition, Daniel is an accomplished and recognized choreographer of both U.S. and European dance styles.
Daniel has also studied ballet and modern dance in New Orleans with Gayle Parmelee and Laura Zambrano of the Loyola Ballet and Janey Kaylo of the New Orleans Repertory Dance Company. He currently performs with the Loyola Ballet and has done so regularly since 1988. He has appeared as a guest artist with the Delta Festival Ballet, Jefferson Ballet, Ole Flamenco, the New Orleans Opera Association and has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe with Komenka since 1982.
In addition to being a most accomplished performer and ensemble director, Daniel routinely works as an individual dance artist and educator with elementary school children under the auspices of the organization, Young Audiences, Inc. In this capacity he is both performer of in-school programs as well as teacher for in-school residencies. His residencies emphasize world music and dance from both social science and fine arts perspectives, and he often includes opportunities for children to express their own creativity through dance and movement as it may relate to their own background and life situations.
Cheryl O'Sullivan, Co-Artistic Director and Company Member:Cheryl O’Sullivan began her dance training at Jeanne Bayhi’s School of dance under Jeanne Bayhi, Jay Kliendorf and later, Richard Rholden. She continued her dance training through her collegiate career at SLU, where she also received a degree in Nutrition. While at SLU, she received her training in modern dance, as well as having the opportunity to study with the Jose Limon Company and with Charles Wiedman and Company - a time she considers very special in her dance life.
Cheryl has danced for the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater, the Loyola University New Orleans Ballet, the Konni Albert Sardi Performing Arts Company, Ballet Hysell, The New Orleans Ballet Ensemble, Lula Elzy’s New Orleans Dance Theater, Eddie Viltelleta’s D-Project and of course, Komenka Ethnic Dance and Music Ensemble! Cheryl also co-founded Story Ballet Magic with Lyle Guidroz and Deanne de Las Cleses, and has appeared in musical theater productions at Tulane Summer Lyric, J.P.A.S., Le Petite Theater, Loyola University’s Opera Program and for the New Orleans Opera.
Besides her own dance and performance career, Cheryl has also been very active as a teacher in the New Orleans community. She has taught for the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) as a NORD/ NOBA teacher for 10 years through their Step-Up Program. As such, she ran the St. Bernard After-School Ballet program for several years, as well as teaching for the St. Bernard “In Motion” Program for three years. Through NOBA, she also co-directed the Moving Van Project with Monique Mors and through that work, she and her students have had the opportunity to work with the Ballet Met of Ohio, Urban Ballet Theater, Pilobolus II and Luna Negra. Bringing dance to school children of all ages holds a very special place in Cheryl’s heart and to that end, she has participated in countless lecture demonstrations in Louisiana and across the Gulf South. She has toured Northern Louisiana Library Systems with Story Ballet Magic for their summer reading programs, has performed with Komenka for their New Orleans Parish School and Thibodeaux Music Club residencies, has done demonstrations with Lula Elzy at Auburn University and has performed for residencies at USM with the Moving Van Project.
Cheryl’s national choreographic credits include skirt work choreography for Urban Ballet Theater’s “Kid from Elysian Fields,” Moving Van’s “Peter and the Wolf” and other works. Regional credits include her “French Can-Can” for the River Region Ballet, “At What Price Love - a Tango” for the Loyola Ballet and “An American Can-Can,” “Tarantella,” “Ragtime,” and “Gypsy” for Komenka. Cheryl’s commercial work includes appearances in local commercials and several conventions in New Orleans, Las Vegas and Mississippi, as well as appearances for Anne Rice’s Memnoch Ball and the movie “Interview with a Vampire.”
With Komenka, Cheryl has performed nationally on stages in Alabama, Texas, Nevada, Wisconsin, Georgia and Mississippi and has toured internationally with Komenka through Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, France and many, many other countries. She is looking forward to the upcoming summer tour! Cheryl continues to teach and choreograph for the Loyola University New Orleans Ballet Preparatory Program, as well as teach company class for Komenka. She feels truly blessed to be a member of the New Orleans Dance Community!
