Tania Santiago
Born and raised in Salvador, Bahia, Tania Santiago grew up in the heart of African-influenced Brazil. She has taught, danced and choreographed for the most well-known companies in Brazil. Santiago has also extensively studied other forms of dance such as jazz, ballet, West African, Afro-Cuban and modern dance. She spent six years working with Olodum, a highly respected and internationally acknowledged Bloco Afro in Brazil. Tania also choreographed and performed for Olodum on television, at concerts and at music festivals.
Since 1997, Santiago has been teaching classes and giving workshops in California; New York; Hawaii; Florida; and Vancouver, Canada. She has been an artist in residence at various school programs in San Francisco, as well as a featured teacher at the Brazil Camp in Northern California. Santiago founded Aguas Dance Company in 1999 and has been teaching Afro Brazilian dance to students of all ages throughout the Bay Area since 1997. She leads annual dance intensives to Salvador each winter, and for the past 10 years has had an award-winning contingent at the San Francisco Carnaval Parade each spring. She is available for performances, collaborations, choreography consulting, workshops and Brazil trip consultation/leading.