Portfolio Marja Merisalo 2022

CHOREOGRAHER / DIRECTOR /

BACKGROUND

Marja is a Finnish choreographer and dancer who, after attaining her master´s degree from the Theatre Academy of Finland pursued her own projects as choreographer, dancer and director in an assortment of productions. She has developed her own style, which combines movements and ideas from contemporary dance to Indian and other dance traditions.

Marja´s work spans modern and independent productions to big traditional theatre musicals and dramatized concerts with small and big orchestras and choirs. Her dancing and acting has been seen in numerous Finland-based theatres such as the Finnish National Theatre, Helsinki City Theatre, Lappeenranta City theatre, Q-theatre and many others.

Her career has taken her to a variety of international productions and artistic activities in numerous countries in five continents.

AS A DANCER-ACTRESS, MARJA MERISALO JOINED THE INTERNATIONAL TEV-THEATRE FOR THE PRODUCTIONS “WILLIAM BLAKES’S DIVINE HUMANITY“ AND “ETERNITY IN AN HOUR”, WHICH HAS TOURED IN THE USA, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, FINLAND AND TURKEY.

TEV THEATRE: ETERNITY IN AN HOURCHOREOGRAPHY “TIGER TIGER” BY MARJA MERISALO PERFORMED IN NEW PLAYERS THEATRE, WEST END, LONDON 2007

MARJA HAS ALSO CONCEIVED AND DEVELOPED HER OWN MULTICULTURAL “NAMASTE” DANCE THEATER-CONCEPT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TOGETHER WITH MUSICIAN CARL-JOHAN HÄGGMAN, WORKING AND TOURING WITH THESE MULTICULTURAL, COLORFUL AND POPULAR DANCE THEATER WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES EXTENSIVELY IN FINLAND AND ABROAD OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.

WORKING WITHOUT BORDERS

After studying Kathak dance and music at the Late P.K. Salve Academy of Fine Arts and Music in Nagpur, India, she started working with the oldest and best-known Finnish dance theatre, Raatikko, adapting and directing Indian mythological stories into dance theatre plays for the young. She has performed internationally in numerous countries. including India, Russia, USA, Australia, Turkey, and several Central and North European countries.

IN THE WINTER OF 2019, JUST BEFORE THE CORONA PANDEMIC, MARJA WORKED WITH HER GROUP AS A RESIDENCY ARTIST DIRECTING HER INDIA-KARELIA PROJECT IN SORTAVALA, REPUBLIC OF KARELIA, RUSSIA, AS A GUEST OF KARN - KARELIAN ART RESIDENCE NETWORK.

IN 2022 SHE IS GOING TO GO UP TO THE NORTH TO WORK IN HER SAMI-THEATRE PROJECT “GAM” VISITING ARCTIC FINLAND AND NORWAY.

THEATRE WORK AS ACTRESS IN WILLIAM BLAKE´S DIVINE HUMANITY - WEST END, LONDON 2007

MARJA HAS WORKED AS REGIONAL ARTIST FOR CHILDREN´S CULTURE IN SATAKUNTA, WESTERN FINLAND, WHERE SHE DEVELOPED AND ORGANIZED MANY CULTURAL PROJECTS AND ARTISTICAL ACTIVITIES AMONG THEM THE FESTIVAL “ILON JA VALON SATAKUNTA”, WITH OVER 300 EVENTS, A SANDCASTLE BUILDING EVENT PROMOTING PROTECTION OF THE BALTIC SEA WITH MANY MAJOR SUPPORTERS FROM WWF AND UNICEF TO BIRDLIFE.

SHE HAS ALSO WORKED AS CULTURAL COORDINATOR IN THE “ARTISTIC HUB” OF HELSINKI, THE SUBURB ARABIA, UNDER THE ARTS PROMOTION CENTRE FINLAND (TAIKE).

SHE HAS A SOLID KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PRODUCING AND CREATING ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS CULTURAL PROJECT PLANNING.

LINKS (IN FINNISH):

❁ ART PEOPLE ARABIA -PROJECT PLAN.PDF

❁ SUMMARY: MARJA AS REGIONAL ARTIST OF CHILDREN´S CULTURE.PDF