Maria is from New York City where she trained as a ballet dancer. She is very proud of all the teachers she has had the opportunity to learn from; but has felt particularly inspired by Robert Christoper and Maestro Vincenzo Celli. Maria herself began teaching in 1990 and has taught ballet and modern to children and adults in New York City. She now resides in the Minneapolis area and has taught at a variety of schools including Riverbend Dance, Danceworks Performing Arts Center, Bauer Dance, Zenon and is now teaching at Fusion Dance in Red Wing since 2006. Maria is a certified instructor for Progressing Ballet Technique and has been teaching an ongoing PBT class for a year. She was the artistic director, choreographer, dancer and founder of the American Heritage Dance Company. Maria has appeared with the Dances of Isadora Duncan in the New York City area andhas danced with the B.M.C.C. Dance Company at Clark Center, City Center, and schools in New York. Her work has been favorably reviewed and recommended by the New York Times, the New York Daily News and Attitude Magazine. Herstudents have gone on to study and/or work at a variety of places such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Minnesota Ballet and the University of
Minnesota.