Kaija Rae

Kaija Rae was instantly captivated by Kizomba for its beautifully complex footwork, fun rhythms, and sensual body movement after walking into a class in 2013. Since then she has traveled around the U.S., Europe, and Angola, training as much as she can on African dances of kizomba, semba, and tarraxinha, as well as training with world-renowned dancers like Vanessa, Mestre Petchu, and Lucia Nogueira. As the founding member and director of Kizomba Mpls, Kaija and her team are passionate about empowering community through Kizomba. She enjoys uplifting and celebrating students during their dance journey while teaching techniques in leading, following, body movement, and styling.