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Photo by Alan Alabastro
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Daniel Nery Dos Santos Filho (Mestre Pitta):
Daniel was born and raised in Salvador, Brazil where he studied Capoeira and
Afro-Brazilian dance for 18 years before moving to the U.S. in 2008. Daniel
began training Capoeira Regional (pronounced hey-shon-al) under Mestre
Washington and at the age of 17 became the Regional Capoeira Champion
of Salvador. In 2003 Daniel co-founded the Capoeira group, Bantos Brazil,
teaching and performing extensively in theatres and festivals. Bantos Brazil
grew successfully, and with partnership and funding from UNESCO, provided
Capoeira instruction to over 350 under-privileged youth. Daniel also appeared
on several Brazilian local and national television and radio programs speaking
about and teaching Capoeira. In 2011 he earned the highest rank of Mestre on a
visit back to Salvador, Bahia.
Daniel studied dance at Universidad Federal do Bahia and Federacao Cultural
do Bahia in Salvador and performed throughout the state of Bahia with
professional Afro-Brazilian dance and Capoeira groups such as Arte Bahia, Joao
de Barro and Axe Bahia.
In Seattle, Daniel has co-created with his wife Aileen Bahia In Motion, an
organization which offers classes and workshops to adults and youth in the
Seattle area and tours to Brazil. Bahia In Motion has partnered with several
Seattle schools and organizations including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Spectrum
Dance Theater and Cornish College of the Arts. In June 2012, Daniel and Aileen
opened Balance Studio where they now hold their weekly classes and provide
workshops in Capoeira and Afro-Brazilian dance. Daniel also teaches Zumba
throughout Seattle and at Balance Studio.
With much enthusiasm, Daniel joyfully shares his native Afro-Brazilian culture
through Capoeira and dance, two of the most significant artistic expressions of
Black Brazilian culture. Daniel's extensive professional training and ability to
transmit the vibrant energy of Bahia, Brazil produce fun, creative and invigorating
classes.
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Photo by Alan Alabastro
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AILEEN PANKE:
Aileen’s background is rooted in the healing and performing arts. She is an RN,
licensed massage practitioner and holds a Master’s degree in cross-cultural
community health. She has traveled to Nepal, South America, and Europe as a
nurse to volunteer for various health organizations.
Aileen first began exploring dance in New York where she was born and raised.
There her studies included foundations in ballet, modern, jazz, tap and theatre
dance at studios such as Broadway Dance Center, Steps and Phil Black.
She began performing and choreographing at an early age with local theatre
productions and advanced her studies to include Afro-Cuban, West African,
Salsa and Tango in New York, Seattle, Brazil and Argentina. Her first exposure
to Brazilian dance was in Seattle with Janelle Campoverde and her Brazilian
dance troupe Girasol.
In 2005 Aileen moved to Salvador Brazil to study Brazilian culture, music and
dance. There she strengthened her technique in Dances of the Orixas, Afro-
Brazilian and Samba de Roda and began her studies of the Silvestre Technique.
She also taught dance to children from the city's favelas (poorest urban areas) at
Diaspora Art Center and also co-directed a children's production there in 2006.
Her teachers and mentors from Brazil include Vera Passos, Nem Brito da Silva
Marilza Olivera, Rosangela Silvestre, and Nilginha Fonseca.
Aileen returned to Seattle from Brazil in 2008 to focus on wellness, prevention,
and therapeutic bodywork. She and her husband Daniel founded the
organization Bahia In Motion and Bantos Capoeira Seattle where she co-teaches
Afro-Brazilian dance and Capoeira for Youth. She holds a position as an RN
consultant at Group Health’s International Travel Medicine Clinic and is co-owner
and manager of Balance Studio.
The combination of her experience, education and passion in the healing and
performing arts brings a grounded yet dynamic energy to her teaching and
performance style. Her unique charisma and enthusiasm radiates her belief
in dance as an art form that allows physical, mental and spiritual expression,
balance, and the cultivation of cross-cultural understanding through a common
corporal language.
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Photo by Alan Alabastro
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SHAY MARTINEZ:
Shay Martinez has been training Capoeira with Mestre Pitta since Bantos Capoeira Seattle began.
Though she went to her first class in 2008 hoping only to find a fun activity to help improve
her overall fitness, she immediately fell in love with the beauty and rhythms of Afro-Brazilian
culture, and with the art, philosophy, and physical challenge of Capoeira. Over the last four
years she has dedicated herself to improving her skills as a capoerista and helping the growing
community of Bantos Capoeira Seattle thrive.
As a busy physician, Shay understands the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance,
but has discovered that her commitment to embracing the philosophies of Capoeira and the beauty
of Afro-Brazilian culture has helped her achieve a deeper sense of self-empowerment that has
positively affected all aspects of her life, at home and at work.
She currently co-teaches the beginner Capoeira series with Mestre Pitta, and is very excited
to be a part of a new beginner series specifically for women.
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