About Maren

Briefly...

I am a dancer, educator, and artist in love with Earth. I am here in service to repairing the world through dance, community, collaboration, connection…and joy!

I teach dance classes and private lessons in many styles of dance for teens, adults and elders. My specialties are Swing, Salsa, and Modern/Contemporary.

My creative projects focus on bringing climate change issues to life through dance. I collaborate with engineers, environmental organizations, health educators, scientists, permaculture designers, and other artists working on behalf of a resilient Earth to design meaningful and interactive programs. Visit Projects to learn more.

A little more…

Growing up in Rochester, NY, I started dance and music lessons at age 5. After completing my undergraduate studies at Haverford College in 2002 with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Geology, I headed to New York City to follow my passion for dance. There I trained intensely in modern dance at the Limón Institute, studied anatomy independently with Julliard professor Irene Dowd, attended workshops with many modern dance icons, and worked as an administrator for two modern dance companies. I attended multiple dance performances per week. Simply put, I immersed myself in the mecca of the American dance world.

Having enough of New York City, I moved to Ithaca, NY to attend the Finger Lakes School of Massage. I became a licensed massage therapist in 2007 and worked steadily in the field for 5 years while continuing to teach and dance. In 2012, I earned a Permaculture Design Certificate from the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute also in Ithaca. Driven by the desire to deepen my artistry, I traveled west to attend the University of Colorado, Boulder for my MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography, completed in 2014.

Over the years I have trained in tap, ballet, jazz, modern, transnational fusion, classical Indian dance, Hip-hop/House, swing, salsa, tango, samba, and more. My vocal and piano study for many years attuned my body and ear to sound; I have an astute understanding of music and ensemble work.

I’m now thrilled to be developing and sharing my soul’s work of creating environmental dance projects that connect humans to their truth as individuals, connect people to each other, and re-awaken all of us to the wonder of the natural world.