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Dance is Powerful Medicine.

Hello.

I am Lorin Hansen, passionate instructor, performer, and lifelong student of dance and percussion. I am a two-time international samba champion, and I have taught thousands of students in the U.S., Brazil and Canada. I have studied abroad in Brazil and Cuba. In 2009, I founded Samba Fogo, a dance and music ensemble that regularly headlines at large events and brings arts outreach programs to thousands of students. I believe dance is deep medicine that can heal, uplift and empower our community. I recently founded a new project, Return Dance Project, which utilizes the power of dance to celebrate, protect, and restore wild spaces, and heal our relationship with land. At Return Dance Project, we are returning to the Earth, using our dancing bodies to plant seeds, transplant saplings, and restore degraded land. We are dancing forests into existence.

leaping dancer Lorin

My Purpose:


Calling Others to Dance

My Projects

My Performance Experience

I have performed as a dancer, fire artist, and percussionist in many large-scale festivals, clubs and theaters, including:

International Samba Congress in Los Angeles, CA
Viva Brazil Festival in Denver, CO
Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, UT
California Brazil Camp in Cazadero, CA
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Arts Festival
Utah Brazilian Festival
SLC NYE Celebration
Crossroads Music Festival at Southern Utah University
Salt Lake Marathon
Utah Salt Palace Corporate events:
DoTerra, Qualtrix, Zija, Domo, Stampin’ Up!, 4Life

I Want To Share With You

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My Teaching Experience

Dance Transformed Me. It Can Transform You Too.

I have had many amazing opportunities to share the joy of dance with students of every age. I have taught dance and percussion in hundreds of schools in Utah, from pre-schools to universities.

Recent Teaching Opportunities Include:

American College Dance Festival
International Samba Congress
Edmonton Samba
Granite School District - Choreography for every high school and jr. high school dance company
Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program
University of Utah
Utah Dance Education Organization

 

Dance Awards

I have received the following dance awards and fellowships:

  • 2021 Utah Division of Arts & Museums Dance Fellow

  • Two-Time International Samba Malandro Champion - awarded four flights to Brazil.

  • Voted “Best Individual Dancer” in Utah

  • Placed Top Ten in National Samba Queen Contest

  • Focus Brasil Award 2019 - for contributing to the positive image of Brazil abroad

Education & Training

  • B.F.A in Modern Dance from University of Utah

  • 2nd Level Teaching Certification from Brazil

  • 20 Years Attending Dance Intensives & Camps

Training Programs, Intensives, & Congresses

California Brazil Camp 2001 - 2022
International Samba Congress 2017 - 2022
National Samba Queen Contest 2017 & 2019
University of Utah Dance Program, 2001-2005
Dance Training Tour in Cuba, December 2015
Four Study Trips to Brazil: Rio, Salvador, Natal, São Paulo

Dance Instructors:

Rosangela Silvestre
Dandha Da Hora
Aninha Malandro
Nildinha Fonseca
Irineu Nogueira
Vera Passos
Mestre King
Mayombe Masai
Pablo Guerreiro
Matheus Oliverio
Mayara Santos

Drum & Music Instructors:

Jorge Alabê
Ailton Nunes
Eduardo “Dudu” Fuentes
Michael Spiro
Jonas Oliveira
Margareth Menezes
Mason Aeschbacher
Mark Lamson
Marcio Peeter do Ile Aiye
Carlinhos Pandeiro De Ouro