Maria Vanderhorst
Artistic Director
Maria took her first Samba no Pé and Afro-Brazilian Dance classes in 2000 and has been hooked ever since. She has studied in both Brazil and the U.S. with Brazilian teachers including Dandha da Hora, Tania Santiago, Rosangela Silvestre, Ana Laidley, Rodson Santos de Jesus, Alvaro Reys, Janete Silva Aide, and Danielle Lima. Currently, she trains with Alex Coutinho, Director of Passistas for Rio de Janeiro's Escola de Samba (Samba School) Paraíso do Tuiuti and the creator of the worldwide Poderosas do Samba Project. Previously, she was the Co-Director of Samba na Chuva Brazilian Dance Performance Troupe for 15 years. She currently directs the Kids and Adults Dance Sections for Humboldt County's Annual North Country Fair Parade Project and teaches community Samba classes throughout the year. She has been a guest dance instructor at Cal Poly Humboldt, University of California Riverside, Redwood Raks World Dance Studio Kids Camp, North Coast Dance Studios and Pacific Union School. Maria believes that dance has the power to nurture both the individual and the entire community.
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Maria has lived in Humboldt County since 1996. She earned her Master's of Arts Degree in Psychology from Humboldt State University and currently is a Grants Manager at Humboldt Area Foundation + Wild Rivers Community Foundation.
