Work with Maria

The Village Bully In one African village, when a person does something truly hurtful, work stops as everyone, young and old, circles around the accused. Each one tells all the good things they remember about the person. Every positive incident, strength and kindness is recited in detail.  The ceremony can often last several days and ends in celebration.   The ‘circle of love’ helps the person to feel and remember who he is. In an idealistic effort to reduce damaging angry behavior…  teachers, counselors

Ever colorful, Miss Maria… the StoryDancer, brings her stories to tell or to read, story poems and story dances, each one filling every listening ear with love. All of her delightful positive ‘lessons’ are interactive, simple and uplifting for children, teachers and families. They’re also perfect as a creative touch for your conferences and staff retreats. Whether you want one good story or a whole program, the performance is tailored for you.         

Lovely Unique Weddings Many couples want non-tradtional wedding ceremonies that include beautiful words and rituals from different cultures. Many want their marriages to begin with blessings from the ‘village’ (the people attending the wedding) or they want to incorporate and honor the ancestors or elements of nature. It is my pleasure to help create meaningful rituals for you and if you like, to officiate at your wedding. And if you would like a special or

The sight and the wonderful smell of a Homa fire is now increasingly familiar to many across the globe, as people search for natural ways to relieve stress and to diminish pollution. Homa is a Vedic science of purifying and nourishing the atmosphere through the agency of fire, prepared specifically in a small inverted copper pyramid. The most basic of all Homa fires is called Agnihotra which is performed daily at sunrise and sunset. This

  Come stretch, twirl. Shimmy your shoulders and shake your hips to rhythmic and soulful world music. Come to release all your aches, your worries, tension and stress. This is the ‘medicine’ in dancing. The heart beats faster. Emotions settle down and your spirit feels refreshed. You look radiant and youthful. You feel like a brand new person!  Each class begins with meditation, a time to rest your body and mind. The fragrance of a Homa fire and the

WORLD DANCE: Maria comes as a guest instructor to your studio bringing a basket of beautifully colored sarongs and introduces the basics of traditional Hula from Hawaii, hand mudras and dance steps from across India and simple movements from North Africa (belly dance). This is an excellent treat for students of ballet and modern.  DANCE AND MOVEMENT: Private sessions for individuals, couples, parent and child, teachers, performers, those recovering from grief or regaining physical strength.

Speak Like a President This workshop is designed for classes of adults, college students and high schoolers. It begins with a restful meditation to clear the mind and focus on deep breathing. The session continues with a vocal warm-up using the Primordial Sound Technique. This technique helps to strengthen and enrich the voice, making it more resonant. We then begin with extensive ‘word work’ which exercises the muscles of the mouth, focusing on clear and

LEARNING TO BREATHE TO CALM YOURSELF USING YOUR VOICE TO FEEL BETTER INSIDE  PRACTICING STILLNESS… (like the animals in a forest) Do your children ever have the chance to be still during their week? (without being punished) Are you looking for a way to help them to develop inner peace? Do they need time to focus inside themselves? It is hard to imagine just how much stress children carry every day. Tension on a child’s mind