Such a pleasure to speak with today's guest, Marinda Davis! You've seen her work on World of Dance and all over social media. Today, find out what inspires Marinda and how she navigates the dance world through good and bad times.
Originally from Florida, Marinda's dance training began at the young age of two. Between her training at Mary Jo’s Performing Arts Academy, Blake High School of the Arts, and regional musical theater, it was during these pivotal years that Davis' signature style gained its eclectic roots. Touring with conventions from age 15, it was on the circuit that Davis began to spread her wings working as assistant to Gus Giordano, Frank Hatchett, Ray Leeper, Dennis Caspary, & Lisa Allain. At 18, Marinda moved to NY to attend Marymount Manhattan College where she obtained a BA in Dance with a Musical Theater minor. Simultaneously, she trained extensively at BDC studying with her mentor, Sheila Barker. Marinda danced professionally with Sting, 98 Degrees, & was a founding & principal dancer for Anthony Morigerato's, AMDP, NY.
You’ll often find Marinda on the convention circuit inspiring countless dancers across the world. Marinda is on faculty at EDGE, BDC, Peridance, Dancerpalooza, Dance Teacher Summit, in10sive, Art of Movement, The Space, Power Pak, Genesis, and WILD. Dance.com recognized her gifts for choreography early on, when they named her a Top 10 Young American Choreographer 25 & Under.
Marinda is the Artistic Director of her company, marInspired ; the storytellers, founded in 2009. In 2012, she premiered marInspired’s first full length NY show, "Breakable". That same year, Marinda received her 1st Capezio ACE Award nomination. Now based in LA, Marinda was nominated for her 2nd Capezio ACE Award in 2015 & received 2nd place & funding for "UNbreakable", the company’s 2nd full-length show.
In late 2017, Marinda choreographed a piece for the DWTS Season 25 finale starring Julianne Hough. Marinda’s powerful story was the subject of the Emmy Honored docuseries My Last Days that premiered on the CW in 2018. That summer, her company, marInspired, as well as her choreography was featured on Season 2 of NBC's World of Dance. Marinda was the Executive Choreographer for Season 10 of Comedy Central's Tosh.0 as well as for Abbvie’s “Speak Endo” campaign where she choreographed a number of PSA’s starring Julianne Hough.
In 2019, Marinda was commissioned to set a new work on Giordano Dance Chicago. "Flickers" which premiered at The Harris Theatre in March of 2019, was named as “Best in Chicago Dance” by the Chicago Tribune ; the piece reviewed as a "masterpiece" and a "genre unto itself." That summer, marInspired was chosen to be the company in residence at the SCERA Theatre in Orem, Utah, where they presented "UNbreakable" yet again. In 2020 Marinda choreographed the film, "Clouds" for Disney Plus and in 2021, an art docufilm yet to be released, “Steadfast.” She recently appeared as a guest celebrity judge on Siwa’s Dance Pop Revolution on E !
Marinda recently launched and self produces “The Storytellers” an elite dance intensive for Pre Pro - Professional dancers, hosted twice a year in NY and LA.
She continues to guide countless artists to and through their professional careers as a faculty member for Pace University Commercial Dance and remains a beacon of light to the industry through her choreography, classes, public speaking engagements, and writings
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