Navaro is a cultural translator inspired by ancient traditions of earth based music, rhythm, and dance. She is deeply interested in the current movement of traditional knowledge into present day context, and how it supports consciousness, community, and healing in our modern world. Navaro draws from over 20 years of experience as a student, teacher and performer in many forms of dance and music. She has spent many years playing within community and professional music groups, taught thousands of people in private, corporate, school and retreat center settings. She has studied widely, spending 3 years in the Zimbabwean Music community here and in Southern Africa, primarily with Marimba Muzuva, and the Chigamba family. She spent 3 years intensively studying and performing as a key member with Gordy Ryan and his Cortes Island 25 member drum ensemble, Island Rhythm. Gordy Ryan was a 26 year member of Drums of Passion, the group of renowned father of the drum in the West, Babatunde Olatunji. Navaro has co-created with Vancouver celebrity Pepe Danza for the past 4 years, and currently co-creates DivaDrum, all female rhythm & movement quartet. As well, Navaro is a dancer who has deeply explored trance, ecstatic and healing movement forms, as a teacher and student. She studied western dance as well as African dance, and is sourced in the essence and translation of tribal wisdoms and forms. She is also informed by modern ecstatic explorations such as the work of Gabrielle Roth and 5 Rhythms, and Leyollah Antara's Kundalini Dance. Navaro is currently a founding member of The DivaDrum Collective, and holds ongoing weekly classes with Earth Prayers Ecstatic Dance Journeys, and Rhythm Maps Drum Classes. Please contact her for her current schedule of classes and performance. www.NavaroFranco.com navaro@tribal-bliss.com (778) 239-8444 ~VRADProfile~