| INSTRUCTION |
| Joel's Dance Biography | |
 Photographer: Dan Yarnell |
Joel Simeon
Massicot was born
on March 23, 1978 on the beautiful island of St.Croix, V.I.
The eldest and the only boy of five children, he grew up amongst a
family of musicians.
His
father, a bass player, and his mother, a singer, Joel was given
his first little Casio piano at the age of 7 and taught himself
to play by ear. He soon began to play the trumpet and taught
himself how to play the sax and drums as well. As a sophomore
in high school, he joined the junior ROTC program; he also learned
Tae Kwondo, graduating high school as a green belt. |
| Raised up around Hispanic friends, he often heard those sounds of Latin music and watched his friends dancing to them. It wasn’t long before he fell in love with salsa, merengue, and bachata: the music was heaven to him. As long as he was a part of it, listening to it and pushing himself to learn more about it, he felt as though the music and dance were a part of his roots. |
|
After graduating from high school, Joel tried to combine his military training and music as a career. He joined the US Army National Guard in 1996 and became a part of the 666th Army National Guard Band. He applied to and was accepted by Howard University, and he transferred to the army band in Washington, DC. |
 |
 Photographer: Brandon Cook |
In
1997, he started school majoring in Jazz Studies at Howard University.
He played in various jazz combo and quintet bands, working under
three record labels. He visited the Jazz, Latin Jazz, and
salsa clubs found in Washington to observe, listen, and even dance
to the music. This is how he joined the D.C. Salseros dance
company and the band Orquesta
La Romana, considered by many DC salsa music lovers as Washington’s
premier salsa orchestra. |
| Joel
performed around the D.C. metropolitan area with La Romana playing
piano and soon gained the name “Masacote.” Masacote,
a Cuban name used by many musicians, denotes the mass rhythm created
by the combination of the basic percussion rhythms (i.e. the basic
rhythm for salsa and mambo). The soul and sabor that he puts
forth while dancing and playing music are representative of Masacote.
His body and feet accentuate the most minute details in the music
while his Afro-Cuban montuno (playing with a band) is a compliment
to every percussion rhythm. |
 Photographer: Dan Yarnell |
Unable
to finish school due to financial reasons, Joel completed a year
and a half and promised to finish in the future. Meanwhile,
he transferred to the Marine Corps in 2000 and was stationed in
Camp Pendleton, CA as a combat photographer. He also became
a member of the Seaon
Stylist Dance Company in November of 2000. |
| Joel left the Stylists in July 2002 after finding out he would soon be stationed in Okinawa, Japan for his last year in the Marines. Since then, Joel’s various talents have grown to include video and scuba diving. Previously a green belt instructor for the Marine Corps martial arts program, he has also started learning Shorin Ryo Karate under the guidance of Supreme Grandmaster Fuseikise. He and his wife, Mrs. Ana Tinajero Massicot, have founded a company under the name of Masacote Entertainment. |  |
Now known for his Caribbean-like body movement and his non-stop energy, Joel teaches On 1 and On 2 and has worked hard to successfully create a unique style for himself. As Sabor Magazine put it, "It’s never hard to spot...Joel...on the dance floor. Wherever the crowd is gathering, Joel is usually the main attraction."
For further information about Joel, feel free to visit the MUSIC and PHOTOGRAPHY sections.
Learn more about Ana Tinajero Massicot, his wife and dance partner: Learn more
about the meaning of "masacote":
MASACOTE
- The fundamental rhythm of salsa created by the combination of
certain basic percussive rhythms: the conga, guiro, timbales,
clave, and bongo. |
Joel's Bio * Resumés * Article
* Ana
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