J Dove Productions: Testimonials

Carlos Ellington
As a child I never put my mind to the test. I always thought of myself as a regular common individual that blends in with the coolest crowd. Today I am a totally different person. The change took time, patience and influence.

My involvement with J. Dove Productions Inc. started nearly four years ago when I was chosen to participate in Gloria Blanco’s Sweet 16. At the time I was shy and not so good with communicating with un-known individuals. J. Dove Productions taught me how to feel better about myself. It also taught me confidence, and leadership. Soon after my involvement with the company, my attitude towards life changed completely, I was viewed and treated with more respect.

Through me, J. Dove Productions also influenced my high school Health Opportunities Secondary school. I used my new talent of dance and choreography to start the H.O.P Dance club. This club, out of all the clubs in the school, was the most exciting because it was something that had never been done at Health Opportunities. And today I go down in history as Health Opportunities first choreographer. Through the Dance club, I too got the chance to influence students, and today students who never danced before are dancers as well. As a result of my involvement in school, I was one of the lucky students chosen, from the Bronx, to be part of a leadership conference. The conference took place in Rochester, N.Y, six hours away from home. At the conference many other leaders and I got the chance to hear some of the countries finest motivational speakers.

When I returned to my high school, my energy was felt through-out the entire building. Soon after that my dance club participated in talent shows, where we never saw third or second place just first. I was at the peak of my self-esteem. Through J. Dove Productions I got the chance to perform with rock star Neil Young at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut and at Jones Beach.

J. Dove Productions Inc. has changed my life completely. My life took a positive turn since I’ve been with the company. Before that I was lost with no one to look up to. The story also gets deeper and better, but it all started with J. Dove Productions Inc. Where Creativity Soars!

Christopher Gamboa
Five years ago, choreography was something that I thought was only possible by superstars on TV. Little did I know that five years later I would be choreographing dances for shows in my school. I was introduced to choreography and dance by Mariano Martinez a.k.a Juni in 2001 and ever since then one of my main focuses has been dancing and choreography. There is always someone in life that has a great effect on your life whether it is for the better or for the worse. Juni has been one of those people who has changed my life with something better.

My name is Christopher Gamboa and I am 17 years old. I live in Passaic, NJ and will be a senior in Passaic High School this upcoming school year. When I was introduced to Juni in 2001 during the practices for the Sweet 16 of my cousin Cecily Martinez, I am sure that neither of us had any idea that I would follow in his footsteps. Between 2002 and 2003 was when Juni made me realize that I could be something special with my skill in dancing when I performed in six Sweet 16s which he choreographed. He was also a great counselor to me and helped me in times where it looked like I would have no one to help me.

After all of those performances, Juni had enough trust in me in which he allowed me to help him choreograph several Sweet 16s. I have also been able to choreograph several performances in my school. One of which my group was awarded first place in a Talent Show competition. I have performed in 4 shows in my school just this past year alone and I have performed at a Talent Show in Passaic County Community College. This has earned me respect and popularity among many people in my community but more importantly it has given me the confidence to continue ahead knowing that none of my projects have been failures.

Thank you is not enough to explain my gratitude towards Mariano Martinez. His constant drive to have a positive effect on teens lives in New York causes him to be not only an excellent dancer and choreographer but also a great person at heart and a wonderful activist. Not only that, many people like myself see Juni as a close friend. One thing that continues to drive me to do more is when Juni says, “I’m proud of you bro”, and hopefully in the near future Juni and I can combine our minds to choreograph something special.