PERIDANCE FACULTY
Current
![Mari Ella](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f3af2a_9ffff025676b4bbba680132a90d4a572~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_474,h_424,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/Image-empty-state.jpg)
Mari Ella
House
BIOGRAPHY
Mari Ella is a DJ, dancer, podcast host and all around artist originally from Vienna, Austria. A dancer and clubhead since the mid 90s, she moved to New York in 2004 and immersed herself into the NYC club scene and culture and was fortunate to be guided by members of New York’s Dance Fusion Crew. She has danced & performed with Dance Fusion Family, Ladies of Hip Hop and other companies and projects for almost two decades before transitioning from dancer to DJ in 2018. She has since played at multiple venues in NYC, as well as in Detroit, Houston, Philly & Denver. Her blend of Deep & Soulful House as well as Soul, Funk and Disco has taken her internationally, to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Zurich & Vienna & Mexico. Her deep sound prioritizes the dancer in the dark room in front of the speaker.
Besides organizing her own party DEEP WATERS in Brooklyn, NY she hosts and produces the podcast DANCE TO THE MUSIC, focusing on the meaning and importance of “dance” in dance music (available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube). Having observed a constantly growing lack of dancers in the current NYC clubs, she decided to use her experience as both dancer & DJ, to teach the multiple aspects that make a great clubbing experience. Remembering her teacher Marjory Smarth, who after every class took her to multiple parties in NYC, Mari Ella is looking to pass that knowledge on to newer generations interested in dance and & music.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
This class focuses on the most common dance vocabulary in House Dance and how to apply it in a club setting. Rather than focusing on the athleticism and battle & competition geared dance tricks, the aim is to bring the social aspect to the forefront and focus on the communal importance of club culture. Besides learning the various names and steps, students will also learn about (House) music and club etiquette.