Born in Kingston, Jamaica of Cuban and Jamaican parents, Cornell Coley, M. Ed. is an “in-demand” arts educator . He holds a BA from Tufts, an M. Ed from Cambridge College, studied cultural anthropology at UCLA and attended the University of Ghana, West Africa for one year studying dance. He has traveled to Cuba, Brazil and Ghana multiple times to conduct research in the cultural arts. In addition to teaching at Jamaica's National Cultural Training Institute, he toured Indonesia as a performer with Keith Terry and I Wayan Dibia's "Bodytjak" dance/theatre company.

With over 40 years experience, Cornell has taught at many universities, including UCLA, the Cultural Training Institute of Jamaica, Smith, Hampshire, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke and Trinity Colleges, Northeastern University and Tufts Dance Department. In 1994, he wrote the first draft of the arts curriculum framework for the Massachusetts Department of Education.

A gifted dancer and percussionist, Cornell has performed at festivals world-wide, including tours with the "Uclatino" band in Mexico and the "Bodytjak" Indonesian-American ensemble in Indonesia . His percussion skills include drum kit, timbales, congas, bongos, talking drum, berimbau, cajón, Brazilian bateria and other Latin percussion. His dance specialties include Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian and Ghanaiandance.

He has received grants and awards from the Mass Cultural Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, the OAS, the City of Boston, The Boston Foundation and several private foundations.

2002 -2006

Created and produced "Women in Latin Jazz" Series (2002-2006). The final season featured jazz giant Esperanza Spalding early in her career.

2009 - 2012

Provided ongoing therapeutic drumming in Vermont Veteran's Home, Tewksbury Hospital, Butler Hospital and Children's Hospital, Boston.

2000-2010

8-year residency and curriculum for Toddler Drumming at Spontaneous Celebrations Arts Center

Mltiple-year residencies in the Boston Public Schools.

2009-2020

10-year therapeutic drumming residency at Tewksbury Hospital.

Afro-Latin drum specialist at the Hyde Square Task Force

Artist-in-Residence -City of Boston &The Boston Foundation -LAB Program

2017-2018

Co-created and performed in a 2-event Afro-Latin "Soul" concert series.

2022

Created, produced and performed in the pilot of "Rhythm Recipes" a BIPOC healing arts event.

2023

Created and co-produced "An Evening in Ghana" to a sold-out audience, based on his 2022 trip to Ghana.

2024

Produced "Rhythm Recipes-Sankofa," a 9-person, full performance based on the 2022 show.

Created and co-produced "An Evening in Brazil". Both at Hibernian Hall, Roxbury

Currently performs in his own solo, interactive "edu-tainment" show,“A Fascinating Rhythm,” reaching over 750 venues across New England. He continues to facilitate drum circles for all audiences and "Memory Cafes" at senior living centers throughout the state.

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>Arts Education

>Therapy

>Drum Circles

Watch Cornell's TEDx Talk

Drumming and the Brain

"Many Thanks"

...to my Teachers in African Diaspora drum, dance and drum circle facilitation. Major influences include:

CK Ladzekpo (Ghana), Malonga Casque Lourdes (Congo), Conjunto Folklorico (Cuba), Diane Walker (tap) and Jose Lorenzo (Afro-Brazilian) and Deraldo Ferreira (Capoeira), Arthur Hull (drum circle facilitation) and HealthRhythms Co-Directors Dr. Barry Bittman and Christine Stevens (therapeutic drumming).