Dante Montagnani was born in, London to an Italian father and an English mother whose parents were both Lithuanian immigrants.  Dante's love was sport and his martial arts career started at 16 with sports Aikido. He started boxing at 18 and Judo at 19. At 22 Dante married Amanda and changed his surname to Tanikie-Montagnani. They have 4 children and are still together!
Later that year he got his first black belt in Aikido in Osaka Japan; his Judo black belt followed 2 years later.
Eventually he achieved 3rd Dan in both Aikido and Judo and was British Aikido Champion at the age of 33.
But it was in his 30s that Dante started to feel his creativity after so much sport.

This was also the year he formed his first film company Mad Pig Films (named after a drawing his daughter Pip drew!) and also marked his first visit to his beloved Kenya, so dear to his heart!
Films and music followed, and charitable work in Kenya became so important as the years rolled by culminating in forming a new charity with his lifelong friend Mike Meegan in 2009, New World International.
And in 2010 Dante started  a little company called Buttonsocks inspired by hardworking mums who have endless housework!
Nowadays Dante exhibits African Artefacts and Antiques in London, creates his own African inspired artwork, does power-lifting and Brasilian Jiu-Jitsu and is learning Swahili at SOAS in London, he also advises Athlone Group on it's African investments.