Tianne Frias has performed, taught, and choreographed in Modern, Ballet, Ballroom, Argentine Tango and Salsa for over 17 years. Tianne currently maintain a packed teaching and performing schedule in the San Francisco Bay Area while directing Alone with Ricardo Ricasalsa Dance Company.
Tianne Frias began dancing at San Jose State University under the direction of Fred Matthews and Gary Masters. Her first dance exposure was ballet class, but she immediately moved on to modern dance when she had the luck to study with the Limon Master teachers coming to her college. As well as Matthews and Masters, Tianne had the honor of studying with Carla Maxell, Nina Watts, and Risa Steinberg.
Two years into her dance life, she discovered another passion: social dancing. She made her first pilgrimage to Buenos Aires in 1994 after studying with Fabian Salas. Tianne feel in love with Tango dancing and the concepts of partner dance. She was again lucky to dance with now famous Tangeros, most notably Gustavo Narrvida.
Tianne is the recipient of many dance scholarships: Jacob’s Pillow, SUNY Purchase, Jose Limon Dance Foundation, The Academy of Ballet (Richard Gibson), Zohar, and The Metronome Ballroom.
For nine years, Tianne danced with the acclaimed Modern dance company, Robert Moses’ KIN, performing every home season and touring with the company nationally. Her performance skill has been called both “electrifying and vulnerable” by critics.
Tianne began studying Ballroom Dance in 1999 at The Metronome Ballroom and began teaching there in 2000. While she was staff at the ballroom, she began a two-year partnership with Theater Arts Champion Tom Slater. At the same time, she began studying International Standard with Richard Lamberty. In 2002, Tianne traveled with these two men and Ballroom dancer Alise Halbert to Sydney, Australia for the 2002 Gay Games. Tianne and Alise won the Bronze Metal in the Women’s Division.
As a choreographer, Tianne has been making solos for herself since her college years. In 2006, Tianne successfully directed and choreographed her first evening length concert, “The Imprint of Partnering” with eight critically acclaimed dancers. This piece was an experimental joining of modern dance and social dance. Her concept was to explore the nature of Relatedness through the metaphor of partner dance. The concert was a structured improvisation challenging the dancers to relate to space and each other through their social dance skills.
Five years ago, Tianne’s passion for Latin dance took a turn. While she still loves Tango, Salsa has become her preferred social dance.
Since teaming up Ricardo Tellez, Tianne teaches, directs, choreographs and performs Salsa with RicaSalsa Dance Company.
Her passion is to share her love of movement and movement exploration with as many people as possible. Tianne believes that everyone is born to dance. It is her mission to help others to express their joy and ecstasy through movement exploration, beauty, and meaningful dance art.