Martha Lerner (“Martika”) is a native Miamian born of Cuban decent.  She received her B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from Florida International University.  Martika has been studying music and dance since age 7, and has been a professional Actor/Singer/Dancer/Musician since 1989 on stage, in film and on television. She is trained as a dancer and classical pianist as well as a percussionist.  She began her professional dance career under the tutelage of Gerri Carruncho with whom she studied ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical.  She later branched out into the ballroom dance world and studied and performed the styles of Tango, Rumba, Salsa, Mambo and East Coast Swing. As a folkloric dancer she has studied Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern and West African.  She has worked with the likes of Mia Michaels, Anne Reinking, Frankie Manning, Myriam Eli, Tamalyn Dallal, and Ladysmith Black Mambaza to name a few.  Martika has worked as a director, choreographer, and musical director in the South Florida area for the past 15 years, and is currently a Spanish and American History teacher for Broward County Public Schools. She began her study of West African music and performance in 2003 when she joined Takada Women’s Ensemble under the direction of Corina Fitch, and is now thrilled to be a dancer/drummer for Venus Rising.  She is greatly enjoying returning to her Afro-Cuban roots, collaborating with such strong, talented women, and being a part of the global fusion that Venus Rising offers to the community.