Nonprofit Leadership / Cultural Arts Bio

With roots in the ancient mountains of Puerto Rico, Dr. Ana María Tekina-eirú Maynard is a proud blood descendant of the native Tainos who call the island Boriken. Tekina-eirú continues the mission of her family by serving her community and dedicating her life to preserving and handing down Puerto Rico's cultural traditions to the next generation.

Dr. Maynard is the Founding Executive and Artistic Director of the Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center, founded in 1997 as an all volunteer-run, nonprofit 501(c)(3). It is the only cultural center in Texas and the four surrounding states affiliated with the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture for the offering of authentic, high-quality cultural programming. Since 2001, achievement and quality has been validated by repeat support by the National Endowment for the Arts, including an NEA Chairman's Award (2007), the Texas Commission on the Arts, the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division, and the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture.

Dr. Maynard is a director, performer, researcher, and playwright dedicated to the education of Puerto Rico's history and heritage, a rich culture based in native Taino, Spanish, and West African roots. Since its inception, Dr. Maynard has been the leader and visionary behind the cultural center. Executive duties include mission and program development, grant writing, management of 20+ volunteers. As an expert resource on the mainland US for Puerto Rico's cultural traditions, Ana María regularly returns to La Isla for ongoing research and mentorship with generous folklore masters, and has co-directed and shared the stage with, Modesto Cepeda and Cimiento de Puerto Rico (1998/2001/ongoing), Joaquin Nieves Caldero and Guateque Ballet Folklorico de Puerto Rico (1999/2003/2007/2010/ongoing), Tata Cepeda (1999/2007/2011/ongoing), Eric Gonzalez and Gibaro de Puerto Rico (2001/2006/ongoing), El Concilio Taino (2007/2008/ongoing), Los Pleneros de la 21 (2002), J. Emanuel Dufrasne-Gonzalez and Nelie Lebron-Robles of Paracumbe (2002/2004/2007), William Cepeda with AfroBoricua (2005), Los Tambores de Felix Alduen (2009), Tito Matos with Viento de Agua (2011/ongoing), and Raul Ayala y Los Hermanos Ayala (2012/ongoing). She has enjoyed Bomba and Plena drum making workshops with Papo DelValle (2004) and Juan Fuentes (2004/2007), master craftsman who have made PRFDance's folkloric drums based in the evolution of African traditions in Puerto Rico.

Tekina-eirú was named the Austin YWCA Woman of the Year for Arts (2005), and was recognized for her contributions to the Taino community with Areito Award for Dance and Theatre (2009). In addition to her ongoing training by Puerto Rican masters, Ana María studied a variety of classical dance forms in New York and Austin, including ballet and jazz, specializing in character dance. Her move to Texas in 1992 opened a new world of Mexican folkloric dance, where she trained with Roy Lozano, Chuy Chacon, Raymundo Guzman, and Jaime Guerrero (Monterrey, MX). Her past credits include mainstage performances on the Paramount and Zilker Hillside theatres with the Roy Lozano's Ballet Folklórico de Texas professional company (1993-1997) and character dance roles with Austin Dance Ensemble (Arletta Howard-Logan). She co-choreographed and performed in the Cenzontle music video "La Bruja," dedicated to the folklore of Veracruz, Mexico (1998).

Dr. Maynard is the Founding Director, choreographer, and playwright of PRFDance's performing company of dancers and musicians. She teaches traditional dance, music, Puerto Rican culture and history to youth through adults, as well as traditional games and songs, and the rudiments of rhythms and dance to preschool age children and their parents. Since 2005, Ana María has enjoyed creating original, bilingual and trilingual musicals (English, Spanish, Taino) that bring to light untold stories in Puerto Rican history, a blossomed skill under the mentorship of Rupert Reyes, Director of Teatro Vivo. Her works, featuring traditional to modern day Puerto Rican music and dance have included: "Pirates of Puerto Rico (2004)", "Puerto Rico Ever After (2004)", "Puerto Rico Mi Patria (2005)", "Piragua Man (2006)", "Angelito Borincano (2007)", "The Journey Back (2008), "Pa Mi Gente (2009)", "500 Years (2010)", and "Boricua Beisbol (2011)".

Tekina-eirú began studying classical piano at the age of 5, her favorite graduate-school years studying with Russian pianist Natasha Snitkovsky. At age 11, she taught herself to play guitar, and today is advancing on cuatro and guitar with Adam Rosario. Ana María has learned to play folkloric percussive rhythms of Puerto Rico (barriles and panderos) with Modesto Cepeda, and today is teaching herself melodic improvisation of contemporary latin music on the Xylophone. Whether it's performance or prayer-time, Tekina-eirú enjoys composing native music on Taino earth clay and bone flutes to rhythms that are tradition to her native Taino pueblo, Guatu Ma-cu in Puerto Rico. She plays both Taino ceremonial and folkloric maraca.

Tekina-eirú is a consecrated Elder of El Concilio Taino Guatu Ma-cu A Boriken, a Taino pueblo in restoration based in the mountains of Cayey, Puerto Rico. She is mentored in native leadership and traditions by the (Chief) Cacike Caciba Opil Veguilla, and is El Concilio's Tekina Suania -- a Teacher of native Taino traditions in the Americas, and a leader of ceremonial dance. She is Boycia (a spiritual leader) por derecho.

Puerto Rican music and dance has always been a very special part of Tekina-eirú's life. She is very proud to share the joy of her rich traditions with her community, and hand down her cultural heritage to the next generation!

Her nonprofit cultural arts resume provides a wealth of additional, detailed information.

Professional CV & Biography