…strives to make dance accessible to a large audience.
Her primary tool is movement but she also uses other artforms, often in collaboration with other artists, to find ways of expression that best communicate her ideas.
The choreographic work is recognized as textural multitude combined with theatrical detail.
Educated at the Balletakademien in Gothenburg (SE) and later at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York City, Maria debuted as a dancer in 1987 and as a choreographer in 1989. She became a member of the New York based, international touring dance company Jennifer Muller/THE WORKS in 1991, subsequently taking a hiatus from her own choreographic work.
After 13 years in NYC and eight years with THE WORKS, she returned to Europe and her own artistic creations. Since relocating, she has presented a variety of her own works, choreographed for the opera and theater (Norrlandsoperan , Vadstena Academy, Raseborg Opera Society, Malmö Opera, Malmö Municipal Theatre, Teater 23, Theater Academy Malmö, Helsingborg Municipal Theatre), starred in a myriad of performing arts productions and worked as rehearsal-director at NorrDans (SE) and later at Carte Blanche in Norway.
Her work has been presented in Sweden, Finland, Japan, UK, USA, Germany, Austria, India, Denmark, Brazil, Norway, France, Switzerland and Cuba.
Maria has been teaching professional dancers worldwide since 1992, specializing in the Muller approach, as well as giving workshops in instant choreography. She was a founding member of the cooperative RÖRELSEN – choreographers in Skåne that formed in 2004 and has presented her work through The association of arms&legs since 2002.
She has held official positions as vice chairman for Danscentrum, The national organization for independent dance-artists in Sweden and as a board member for the regional chapter of the same organization.
She was appointed as an external censor to The National school of stage arts in Denmark 2014-2017 and was an Advisory-board member for independent stage arts (theatre) serving the The Swedish Arts Council since 2014-2018.
In 2018 she was appointed by the Swedish Ministry of culture to serve as a member of the board for the Swedish Royal Opera.
Maria is a certified SAFE® FLOOR coach. More info here: SAFE® FLOOR