Marina Gontijo

Marina Gontijo was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil and has been dancing for over 25 years. Marina’s background is in ballet, tap, jazz and Latin dance, but Samba is what comes most naturally for this Brazilian beauty. After a brief hiatus from dance to pursue journalism, Marina has returned to her one true passion, dance.

Her first contact with dance was ballet at the age of 6. Later, she developed an interest in tap, jazz and latin. Marina danced semi-professionally for 14 years until she decided to pursue journalism. Marina holds a journalism degree from Puc and Fundacao Casper Libero University/ Brazil.

In 2004 Marina returned to professional dance and completed the International Course for Foreigners at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City where she studied with some of the biggest names in the dance world today including Barbara Duffy, Andrew Nemr, Jared Grimes, Derrick Grant and Michelle Dorrance.

In 2005 she returned to Brazil to work as a teacher and choreographer with children, teenagers and adults at Ballet Juliana Omati (www.julianaomati.com.br) in Sao Paulo - Brazil. Marina has performed in the 13th World Gymnaestrada in Austria (www.wg2007.com), New York Tap City/2008 with Ayodele Casel, and Chicago Human Rhythm Project with Dianne Walker. She is a current integrant of the GAS - Advanced Group of Tap of the Society Hípica Campinas and has danced in numerous regional festival all over Brazil.

Currently living and working in New York City, Marina is a regular student in Steps on Broadway and in Broadway Dance Center with Randy Skinner, Chet Walker, Doroti Koppel (ballet), and more!!!!

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	Marina Gontijo was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil and has been dancing for over 25 years. Marina’s background is in ballet, tap, jazz and Latin dance, but Samba is what comes most naturally for this Brazilian beauty. After a brief hiatus from dance to pursue journalism, Marina has returned to her one true passion, dance. Her first contact with dance was ballet at the age of 6. Later, she developed an interest in tap, jazz and latin. Marina danced semi-professionally for 14 years until she decided to pursue journalism. Marina holds a journalism degree from Puc and Fundacao Casper Libero University/ Brazil. In 2004 Marina returned to professional dance and completed the International Course for Foreigners at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City where she studied with some of the biggest names in the dance world today including Barbara Duffy, Andrew Nemr, Jared Grimes, Derrick Grant and Michelle Dorrance. In 2005 she returned to Brazil to work as a teacher and choreographer with children, teenagers and adults at Ballet Juliana Omati (www.julianaomati.com.br) in Sao Paulo - Brazil. Marina has performed in the 13th World Gymnaestrada in Austria (www.wg2007.com), New York Tap City/2008 with Ayodele Casel, and Chicago Human Rhythm Project with Dianne Walker. She is a current integrant of the GAS - Advanced Group of Tap of the Society Hípica Campinas and has danced in numerous regional festival all over Brazil. Currently living and working in New York City, Marina is a regular student in Steps on Broadway and in Broadway Dance Center with Randy Skinner, Chet Walker, Doroti Koppel (ballet), and more!!!!