About Marie Alonzo

Marie Alonzo is the founder and artistic director of Tangerine Dance Collective, a modern dancer, choreographer, author, scholar and educator. Born in the Philippines, Marie was raised in Italy and eventually settled in New York City attending New York University's Tisch School of the Arts earning her BFA and MFA in Dance. In NYC she trained with Larry Rhodes and Maggie Black.

She has performed and toured with HT Chen & Dancers, Asian American Dance Theater, Hikari Baba Dancers, Second Avenue Dance Co., Maude Baum & Co., and performed works by Don Redlich, Ruby Shang, Joan Finkelstein, Cliff Keuter, Remy Charlip, James Cunningham, Yung Yung Tsuai, and Rozalind Newman.

Since 1986 Marie’s works have been presented in New York, Princeton, Hawaii throughout the United States, Canada,Philippines and England. She has also been produced several times by the Chen Dance Center/Mulberry Street Theatre, NYC and commissioned by Ear to the Ground Series, supported by the Jerome Foundation.

Marie is a founding member of the West Windsor Arts Council and in 2004 she co-founded the “I’ll have what she’s having…” Dance Project, a dance cooperative of NJ 40Up women choreographers. Marie also earned her EdD from Teachers College, Columbia University.

As a scholar Marie has presented papers at conferences and classes at Texas Women’s University, Teachers College, Michigan State University, the University of Quebec, Princeton University, Barnard College, University of the Philippines, University of North Carolina, Raritan Valley Community College, Rider University and UH Hilo.

In 2009 she performed at the Lincoln Center Festival with Shen Wei Dance Arts as guest dancer. Also a certified Classical Pilates, American DanceWheels Foundation and ZoukNY instructor, Marie was on the faculty of Princeton Dance and Theater Studio and an adjunct at The College of New Jersey.

Marie was Program Director for DanceVision, now Princeton Youth Ballet, bringing quality dance education to the central NJ community. She facilitated the collaboration with The Parkinson Alliance in bringing to the community Princeton Dance for Parkinson's, a special class for people with Parkinson's Disease.

Her works have been presented at the 92nd St Y, Dance New Amsterdam, Dance Steps, Miami Salsa Congress, Philadelphia SalsaFest, LA Zouk Congress, London ZoukFest, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, NJ State Theater, Trenton War Memorial, Morristown Theater, Loree Dance Theater and West Windsor Arts Center.

In 2013 Marie joined rawZouk,artistic director, Jeremey Adam Rey , with whom she has been training since 2011, performing in NYC and Charlotte, NC. Marie has also studied Brazilian Zouk with Solange Dias, Larissa Thayanne, Evelyn Magyari, Xandy Liberato, Sofie Torris, Kayo Victor, Kim Rottier, Hisako Izutsu, Juni Shimitzu, Henri Velandia, Getulio Ramalho, Ronny Dutra,Bruno Cura, Cledson Gomes and Daniela Pascual. In November 2014 Marie moved to the Big Island of Hawaii where she enjoys teaching Brazilian Zouk in Kona, Holualoa, Waimea, Captain Cook and UH Hilo. She is thrilled to continue learning and mastering other dance forms like Belly Dancing with Stephanie Bolton , Pole Dance Art/Fitness with Almitra Karastan , and Kahiko Hula with Kumu Keala Ching. Marie has authored a book "The Art and Sensuality of Brazilian Zouk Dancing" available at www.liveZoukaloha.com