Janina Tantoco

Choreographer - Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz

Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Janina began dancing recreationally at the age of five, focusing on ballet and jazz. At the age of eleven, Janina began to compete nationally and internationally in gymnastics, before eventually returning to her love for dance and joining the International School Manila Dance Company, where she was first introduced to lyrical dance. She continued to pursue both dance and gymnastics in high school before eventually concentrating primarily on dance at Babson College in Babson Park, MA. As a member of the Babson Dance Ensemble (BDE), Janina further cultivated her passion for dance, becoming skilled in a multitude of other mediums of dance including hip hop, street/pop jazz, theater/broadway, and contemporary. She began choreographing group pieces by her sophomore year, ranging from contemporary to broadway to lyrical hip-hop pieces. By her senior year in college, Janina not only became President of the Babson Dance Ensemble, but also won a scholarship to the MOVE9 Workshop, taking master classes with choreographers such as TOKYO, Natasha Louis, and Leo Morimune. After graduating from Babson College, Janina continued to pursue the art form by taking contemporary and hip-hop classes at Jeannette Neill Dance Studio in Boston, MA and eventually taking part in the studio's bi-annual repertory performance. Having joined DanceWorks Boston in the fall of 2011, Janina continues to hone her skills as both a choreographer and dancer while simultaneously fully enjoying the friendly and ridiculous atmosphere that is DWB!