Marcello, born at the 11th of November in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, went to Italy after a few days where he grew up. When he was 11 years old, he was a really shy boy who hided himself only at the sight of dancing. Together with his father he finally got the courage, just only a little bit forced, he began to dance his first steps of mazurka. With a bit of perseverance, thanks to the patience of the teacher, but above all, thanks to the other 15 girls of his social dance course! After some months he found out to have a really big passion for dancing! In fact with the passing of the years, he cherished his passion and he was dedicated to learn and study the standard dancing. For eight years he studied in Tuscany in Team Focus with Fabio Selmi, Michele Bonsignori and others, and danced regional and national championships, classified not really high. In 2006 he moved to Milano were he affirmed as an international competitor, first reaching the highest Italian National Class and after representing the United States in international competitions. In January 2006 het joined Team Diablo.
 
Tessa, born the 7th of October in the Netherlands, discovered the dancer in her already at 5 years old. Her biggest dream was to become a ballet dancer with a baby! She danced classical ballet, jazz ballet, streetdance, hiphop, tried to sing in musical class, danced on stage, but was too shy to go all by herself to the social dance course. Although she always went together with her parents to their practice, competitions and lessons, when they were dancing in the highest class middle age. When, at 15 years old, she had a bit more guts, she went to the same dancing school as her parents danced for years. After two Saturdays of social dancing course, the main teacher decided that she was able to dance competitions, and so she did. Within a year and a half, she was dancing in C-class, with her new partner Peter and two new coaches Anthony and Moniek! After three and a half year of dancing, not without successes (Champions C-class, Vice champions A-class, 5th of Dutch Championships Ballroom 2007) their priorities in life changed from each other, and they decided to end their partnership.

At this point the desire to go to Italy grew more and more, and when she received an email from a talented Italian guy, she packed her suitcase to go and see with her own eyes what the world could offer more. The 16th of June 2008 she took the plane to Pisa, Italy where she met Marcello. This tryout week was filled totally of loves at first sights, inside and outside the dancing floor! And now, thanks to the best and best known professionals around the world of Team Diablo, which they as a couple joined immediately in 2008, an unbreakable trust in their teachers and coaches, hours and hours of practice and daily preparations, they are improving really fast! Only after a year of dancing, they are at the top of the Netherlands and became Dutch Champions in 2010 and are send bij the NADB to the world championships to present the Netherlands!

All this has been put in a magazine of the quarter of the town where Tessa lived: www.stiphoutnu.nl/joomla/images/stories/pdflindenberg/Lindenberg748.pdf

Did you know…

• That Tessa studies International Business Administration at Tilburg University?
• That we have a cat called Toni?
• That Marcello had a bit of difficulties with the Dutch food when he came the first time to Holland?
• That for example, he ate his cornflakes with coffeemilk?
• That since that time Marcello likes to eat ‘ontbijtkoek’ with ‘pindakaas’?
• That he also likes to eat ‘rijstwafels’ with butter AND ‘stroop’ AND ‘hagelslag’?
• That also Tessa had a bit of difficulties when she went to live in Italy?

 And now they are dancing for and with Team Diablo, in the Netherlands!

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