Cookie

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About Me:Elba "Cookie" Melendez a native of Manhattan was born to parents who are natives of Puerto Rico. She spent most of her childhood growing up in Spanish Harlem where she discovered music and started her music evolution first studying the Latin Sound and then joining the school band. Her musical experience was furthered enhanced by a chance meeting with a Juliard Professor who educated her on her favorite instrument, the Violin. Overtime her interest faded from Music to Martial Arts. Cookie eventually became New York State's first Female Professional Kick Boxer and was ranked at numer two worldwide. She was inducted into the World of Sports Medicine and Martial Arts Hall Of Fame, Latin American Hall Of Fame, and The United International Kung-Fu Federations Hall Of Fame. She is a Seventh Degree Black Belt, Personal Trainer and trains fighters and instructs Self-Defense classes. Cookie has also appeared in Martial Arts films and has done her own stunt work as well as fighting scene choreography for stage and screen. Her love of music though never died. Cookie's youngest brother George is also musically gifted as a percussionist. When she would ask him to teach her how to play the Bongos, he was too busy to do so. Several years later, she was given a set of Bongos by a friend who always noticed her tapping to music. It was like a lost love found again. Throughout the years, Cookie taught herself how to play the Bongos. In May 2006 her performance as a one woman show was captured by the Miami Herald's photographer while she was playing at a pool party to the sounds of the D.J.'s music in South Beach, Florida. Cookie has been a guest performer for Stringbeans, a Latin Brasilian Jazz Band with Annette A. Aguilar, La Maquina Amarilla Salsa Band, and Anthony Rodriquez (Former Madonna Dancer) and His Santa Luz Dance Company. Cookie currently performs alongside her good friend and Conga player, Odalys Vazquez as the PLAYA PLAYERS. Cookie states that women as percussionist are a rare sight and the feed back on listening to her play the Bongos has been an outstanding one. Since playing the Bongos require the quickness of the hands, Cookie feels right at home due to the fact that she is known for the quickness of her hand techniques in the Martial Arts World. So therefore, both abilities go "Hand in Hand."