Mariano was born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica and began dancing at the age of 7, training in contemporary, hip hop, jazz, ballet, popping, floor flow, ballroom, etc. Mariano began choreographing and teaching for his home studio at the age of 15, teaching and choreographing in styles such as contemporary and hip hop. By the age of 16, Mariano started assisting some other teachers that went to Costa Rica such as Nikolas Bermea, Ali Pfleger, Holly Ryder, while teaching and choreographing in some other local studios from Costa Rica and booking jobs such as Dancing with the Stars Costa Rica, TV commercials, etc. He got the opportunity to perform in professional contemporary shows and festivals such as Sublime ( Tamara Otarola ) in Costa Rica 2022, Arm’s Length (Ali Pfleger ) in Orlando 2023, Peridance Dance Festival (Ali Pfleger ) 2024, Dumbo Dance Festival (Ali Pfleger) 2024. Mariano’s passion for choreography led him, at just 19 years old in 2023, to create and direct his own 45-minute production titled FOUR TREES, featuring his handpicked cast. Mariano’s choreographic voice comes from a place of exploring the depths of the human body and what it is capable of doing in such a way that is able to express dance as an art form, guiding and mentoring the students to create a safe space for them to explore and find the best path for them to be their most authentic selves.