Mariana spent the first 25 years of her life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Early on, she developed a deep passion for dance, 

harmonious connection between movement and her natural surroundings, and a healthy life style.

Her journey into becoming a devoted yoga practitioner was not planned. In the beginning, Mariana dedicated her time to dance, theatre and design. She spent years rehearsing and researching different ways to deepen the connection and understanding of our minds, bodies, and external surroundings. While she grew as a dancer and actress, she went to school and graduated with a bachelors degree in design. Her focus, during her studies, was on the creation of three dimensional tools that help individuals deepen their body awareness. In 1995, the desire to experience the world led her to leave her native Rio to Angola and then to the United States, where she lived until 2013.  In the US, she got an MFA in theatre, where the focus of her studies was in expressive movement and choreography. While at grad school, she "accidentally" found an Ashtanga Yoga class, and immediately fell in love. It was like she had found a home, a safe base, after much searching.

The transition between being solely a yoga practitioner to being a full time yoga professional took 5 years. During this time, Mariana continued to perform as a dancer and actress, as well as being involved in different areas of theatre: scenery and props design, as well as directing and writing children's plays. She also became a mother. It was the questions that arose after she began practicing yoga, as well as the questions that arise daily, that keep her in this path without a finish line. For the teachers she has met along her pathway, Mariana feels profound gratitude.