Cuban Heels

Cuban Heels is the world’s only first responder, international, all weather mini dance orchestra. Kitsap’s own masterful ensemble, features music ranging from Calypso, Son, Samba, Choro, Blues, and jazz with proficient precision. Featuring the highly acclaimed guitarist and island treasure, Alan Simcoe, and the gorgeous toned vocalist Shannon Dowling, this is an incredible performance not to miss!

Singer & instrumentalist Shannon Dowling received her degree in Music Performance with a certificate in Musical Theatre at Humboldt State University (Primary: Voice, Secondary: Flute & Piano), and performed jazz, funk, rock, madrigals, choir, opera, operetta, musical theatre, & plays regularly. Upon moving to the Seattle area, she played bass and sang with bands Plains of Abraham & Shelix while continuing to do musical theatre & operetta. These days, she can be found performing locally with the Cuban Heels, Redshift Dance Party, duos with local musicians like Alan Simcoe, Jordan Pitre, Mark Soltys, and solo. She will play Bridget Sullivan in the punk rock opera LIZZIE The Musical at inD Theatre (Oct 22-Nov 7), will be the on-set acting coach for Rachel Noll James’ upcoming feature film Ingress, and will co-produce and act in the world premiere production of Catherine Rush’s award-winning play MagPie, also with inD Theatre (March 2022). Upon their releases, she can be seen on screen as Lori Everton in the upcoming feature film A Match Made at Christmas & the series pilot Uprising (4th Dimension Film Festival Finalist). She is also the owner/instructor at BISA Vocal Studio, offering Voice Lessons, Audition Preparation (for musicals, plays, & on camera), and Performance Services.

Alan Simcoe is a musician, teacher, performer, luthier, promoter, and instrument builder. Offering private lessons since 1991, he became a pivotal figure in the founding of the Island Music Teachers Guild (now Island Music Guild). He teaches and performs on a variety of instruments and in a wide range of styles, though he reserves his special passion for the music and instruments of the Renaissance. Alan co-founded the Island’s first early music program formed specifically to expose Islanders to European music of the 15th-17th centuries. Supported by a BIAHC grant, he hand-crafted both a lute and a viola da gamba, two Renaissance instruments for the Guild to make available to individuals to rent and further the program’s goal.