Presenting ..... Our Dance Instructors!

Marcos Mariano Silva, Santa Barbara

Marcos Mariano Silva began dancing and practicing capoiera at age 11. After graduating with a degree in Physical Education for Youth, Marcos Mariano spent many years in Brasil teaching young people. He founded Groupo de Capoeira Angola Renascer, which provided outreach programs and assistance for underprivileged children. Marcos Mariano came to the United States from Salvador, Bahia Brazil in 2000. His skills as a capoeirista and dancer were recognized by renowned Master Amen Santo who invited Mariano to travel with Ballet Folclorico Do Brasil. He showed throughout the United States, choreographing and dancing to sold-out audiences. After touring with the Ballet, Master Amen Santo extended his invitation to Mariano, and encouraged the development of a school of capoeira and Afro Brasilian dance in Southern California. Over the past three years, Marcos Mariano has established a successful school based out of Santa Barbara, while traveling nationally to teach workshops. His classes include capoeira for adults and children, and dance for all ages. Through local performances, the school is a direct outreach to the community of Santa Barbara. Through the years, Marcos Mariano’s work has displayed the history of Brazil and the slaves that were brought there from Africa.

Jonia McClenney, Raiz Brazil Dance Company, Los Angeles

Jonia was born in Brazil, Pernambuco state, and she started dancing brazilian folk dances at age of 5. Also in Brazil, she got formal dance trainning in ballet, jazz, modern and hip hop, continuing her studies in USA. In Brazil she started performing professionally in Hip Hop and Jazz, coming to USA and performing these styles professionally as well. Then, since 10 years ago she started performing Samba and Brazilian rhythms professionally in California and abroad, getting involved with Sambala Samba School in Long Beach, which she is the Queen of the Drums since 2008. Sambala also gave Jonia the opportunity of debuting her dance company"Raiz Brazil" in its 2008 Carnival Ball in Long Beach. Jonia has been teaching Samba and other brazilian rhythms like frevo, axe, etc, for 9 years in Los Angeles.

Rafaella Falchi, Sambaxe, San Francisco

Founder of Sambaxé, Raffaella Falchi, is an energetic instructor who’s classes include various Brazilian dance styles including Rio Carnaval style samba, Samba-Reggae, Axé, Frevo, Maculele and more. Every year, Raffaella creates a Carnaval Contingent so that anybody interested in her classes can perform at the San Fransisco Carnaval in May. Her philosophy is that dance is a celebration of life, enjoy it, heal through it and most importantly have fun! With over a decade of professional dance experience, Rafaella has performed with numerous Brazilian dance companies, both locally and internationally (including Europe and Brazil). She has done many events such as the SF Carnaval Ball and Carnaval Parades. Following extensive study of Brazilian dance, both locally and in Brazil, she began teaching Brazilian dance in 2003 and became co-founder of Sambamora Dance Company in 2004. She recently started her own dance company, SambaxÈ, which offers dance classes, performances, and costume design. Her samba classes have been awarded Best of the Bay and one of her students won the title of Queen of SF Carnaval 2009. She is currently teaching samba workshops and classes at ODC/ Rhythm and Motion, Dance Mission Theater, Zambaleta world music and dance school, and UCSF Bakar Fitness Center, as well as teaching samba at Out Of Site Youth Arts Center. She also leads annual music and dance workshops in Brazil and Mexico.

SambaFunk

Theo Aytchan Williams is the Artistic Director of SambaFunk! "Carnaval Explosion" and founding member of the Funkquarians. SambaFunk! combines Bahia style Bloco Carnaval movements with Funky African American dances expression and Men's Samba Technique .Theo studied Carnaval dance and drum under Mestre Carlos Aceituno founder of the acclaimed Carnaval group Fogo Na Roupa. After being Introduced to San Francisco Carnaval community in 2000, Theo became King of Carnaval in 2001. Since then, he has played an active role in San Francisco Cultural Arts Community and has been instrumental in recognizing subsequent San Francisco Carnaval Royalty. Theo began taking modern dances at San Diego State from the late Danny Scarborough. His dance experience also includes West African, Cumbia, Bomba and Reggaeton.

Jazz Baptiste, Alegria Samba Dance Company, Oakland

For over twenty years, Jazz Baptiste has devoted her life to sharing love, hope, joy and unity through dance movement and expression. Ms. Baptiste uses her diverse background in styles such as Ballet, West African dance, Latin, Ballroom, Middle Eastern dance and Brazilian dance to provide audiences, corporate clients and students with world-class dance services. As Owner and Executive Producer of Jazz Baptiste Productions, Jazz Baptiste specializes in creating, producing, choreographing and directing original dance productions. Ms. Baptiste also collaborates with other artists to produce original artistic productions. Ms. Baptiste is the founder and Artistic Director of Alegria Samba Dance School, a Brazilian Dance Instruction and Performance Company, located in San Diego, California. Ms. Baptiste is also the Founder and Executive Director of Blaze World Dance Institute, a Center for World Dance Education, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, comprised of: a dance school, dance company, outreach programs for in-school and after-school programs for under served youth and a world dance instructor training program.

Ana Laidley and Miguel Coleman of the Brasil Brasil Cultural Center, LA

Ana Carla Laidley is a native to Rio de Janeiro, a so called carioca. Ana grew up in the heart of Rio de Janeiro’s cultural and artistic mix that pulsates to the beat of Samba and Pagode. Ana’s mother is a world-traveled professional dancer and her father is the national champion and renowned percussionist Carlinhos Pandeiro de Ouro. Ana’s samba classes cover the traditional as well as popular Samba dances from Rio de Janeiro. She implements techniques adapted from Power Yoga and breathing exercises. Her classes will not only help people train their body, but also help them to develop their mind and soul. The focus of her methodology is Self-expression and Stress relief through the Samba beat. Ana Laidley brings over 20 years of Samba dance experience in Rio de Janeiro and nearly a decade of experience as a psychotherapist in USA.