
EBONIE DONATO-JONES
Samba Instructor
From a young age, Ebonie always had an inspired interest and passion for music and dance, studying various instruments including drums, piano and vocals. Before commencing her dance career, Ebonie trained in gymnastics and aerobics, where she eventually followed a path of group fitness training and instructing. This combination started her love and appreciation for music and fitness and set the foundation of musicality and developing choreographies.
In her early 20’s she started salsa dancing in the Latin dance community and absolutely fell in love with dancing, the vibrancy of the Latin culture and depth of its history. She has since trained in multiple styles including Cuban, LA and Cali style salsa.
Her love for Samba came later when she started learning and training locally with Jane in 2019. While always having an admiration and appreciation for the style and culture, it was through commitment and ongoing training and practice where her love for samba grew into a real passion. It wasn’t long before she was fully immersed in the rich vibrant culture and history, and has a true appreciation for the music and expression of this dance.
Ebonie started performing at the end of 2021 and shortly after joined the first Sambinhas Team for Escola de Samba Adelaide, performing in community events in South Australia. In 2023, she successfully auditioned for the semi-pro Sambistas team, as well as joining the Escola teaching team. These experiences have allowed her to find more confidence in expressing herself through samba and to connect with the broader Escola community, which is what samba is all about!