Education
Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Arts 2006
University of Texas at Austin
Dean's List. Honor's Day Award Recipient
Major: Anthropology
Minor: Religious Studies
Related course work: Language and speech in American society; Language and speech among American minorities; Gender studies; Cultural studies; Afro-Caribbean music.
University of Texas at Austin
Dean's List. Honor's Day Award Recipient
Major: Anthropology
Minor: Religious Studies
Related course work: Language and speech in American society; Language and speech among American minorities; Gender studies; Cultural studies; Afro-Caribbean music.
Professional Experience
2015. El Tule "Cuatro." Congas. The release of the fourth album, Cuatro, by Austin's own El Tule, was hailed by the Austin Chronicle as "...Austin's next Latin breakout waiting for its stars to align." Sevylla is credited on the album as the conga player on three of the album's eight tracks: La Chanson de Yonnel, El Ventarron, and Escuchame, which Chronicle reviewer Raoul Hernandez states "...parties like Miami's South Beach."
2012- Present. One World Theatre Artist. Sevylla del Mazo and Roots & Rhythms. In 2012, Sevylla del Mazo was honored to join the One World family by officially coming under their fiscal sponsorship.
2007- Present. Acoustic Jungle. Congas and percussion.
2008- Present. Roots & Rhythms Cultural Arts Program. Founder and Teaching Artist. Writing and maintaining contract requirements with the City of Austin; creating and implementing curriculum; planning cultural field trips; training staff; creation of year-end student performance.
2008- Present. City of Austin, Cultural Contracts Division. Award Recipient. This contract award from the City of Austin provides funding to support the Roots & Rhythms program in four area public schools, as well as special programming throughout the city.
2008- Present. The Drum Cafe. Senior Facilitator, Texas; djembe and djun jun accompaniment; dancer. Organization utilizes the drum to build communities in corporate and educational settings. Communication with clients prior to performance; logistics; on-site team management at venue; drum and dance performance.
2009- 2013. Lannaya Drum and Dance Ensemble. Board of directors; grant compliance; booking. Duties include communicating with clients, city officials, and schools; managing compliance with funding requirements; bookings; writing and submitting grant proposals and final reports with City of Austin and State of Texas; attending regular board meetings.
2000-2012. Lannaya Drum and Dance Ensemble. Performer. Public performance, and facilitator for children's programs; djembe and djun djun accompaniment.
2009-2010. One World Theatre, After-School Arts Program (ASAP). Program Specialist. Recruiting and training staff; program development.
2007-2009. Austin Independent School District, 21st Century Community Learning Center. Program Specialist IV. Organizing and implementing after-school programming and educational enrichment; managing staff; parent-teacher events; co-ordination with PTA; vendor meetings; staff meetings and trainings.
2005-2007. Creative Action (formerly Theatre Action Project). Artist in Residence; Actor. Creating and implementing drum based curriculum. Acting in 2-person residency, "The Heroes," throughout Austin area public schools.
Lectures, Commissions, and Awards
2015. MindPop Award Recipient. Roots & Rhythms African Dance Workshop Series. Awarded to provide a series of eight monthly African Dance workshops, free and open to the entire Dove Springs Community throughout the 2015-2016 academic year.
2015. PBS American Graduate Champion. Sevylla del Mazo. Following the airing of the Arts in Context short on the Roots & Rhythms Cultural Arts Program, Sevylla was nominated byt the community as a PBS American Graduate Champion for her work in arts education in the Austin area.
2015. KLRU Austin PBS. Arts In Context Short. This feature short aired in February 2015 and has been in ongoing rotation, and airing during the nationally syndicated PBS News Hour. You can watch the video here.
2015. Austin Monthly Magazine. Roots & Rhythms write up. April Education Issue; page 44.
2013. MindPOP Award Recipient. Roots & Rhythms workshops. Grant was awarded to provide instrument-making and playing workshops to 700 students in K-5th grade at Overton Elementary in the course of two days. Instruments were made from recyclable materials gathered by students and teachers, then used in school-wide assemblies conducted the third day.
2011. Austin's New Year. Roots & Rhythms workshop. The City of Austin contracted with Roots & Rhythms to provide a community drum circle at this family-friendly New Year celebration.
2011. Austin's New Year. Roots & Rhythms workshop. The City of Austin contracted with Roots & Rhythms to provide a community drum circle at this family-friendly New Year celebration.
2008. Hands-on, Minds-On Conference. Roots & Rhythms: Drumming, Academics, and Team Building. Presenter at the state-wide conference sponsored by the 21st Century Community Learning Center and the Texas Education Agency.
2007. University of Texas Teaching Artist Symposium. Guest Teaching Artist. Creation of teaching methodology for teachers and artists with no previous experience in music or percussion: warm-up activities; behavior management; fundamentals of sound and composition.
2006. First Night Austin. Commissioned Artist. Commissioned to produce a Cuban "carnaval" float, complete with 8-piece orchestra and dancers at this inaugural event.
Languages
Spanish: fluent; written and oral.
French: conversational; written and oral.
French: conversational; written and oral.
