Biography

Marissa Thomas is a dance artist residing in Chicago, Illinois. Marissa is currently a Company Associate with South Chicago Dance Theatre and the Tour Manager for the Dancing Wheels Company & School.

Marissa is a former Company Dancer with Dancing Wheels Company in Cleveland, OH (2019-2022) and a former Company Dancer with Hixon Dance in Columbus, OH (2018-2019). Marissa has previously worked as a Guest Artist with Mojuba! Dance Collective, Ballet Legato, and Karamu House in Cleveland, OH. Marissa has also performed works by Donald Byrd, Dianne McIntyre, André M. Zachary, Crystal Michelle Perkins, Jillian Peña, Marianela Boan, and Pam Tanowitz.

Marissa received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at The Ohio State University in 2019 with dual minors in Society and Environmental Issues and Nonprofit Management. Marissa graduated with focuses in dance performance, education, and community engagement. During her time at OSU, she has performed works by Merce Cunningham in a MiniEvent directed by Daniel Roberts, danced in the School Tour Company directed by Edward Taketa, and has had many opportunities performing in student choreography.

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Marissa Thomas was first introduced to the art by community dance classes. At age eight, through the West Las Vegas Arts Center, she earned a full tuition scholarship to train at the Nevada Ballet Theatre, and in 2007, became a member of the Nevada Ballet Theatre Youth Company. After moving to Cleveland, Ohio in 2008, she enrolled in the Cleveland School of the Arts as a dance major, where she graduated from with honors. There she gained her modern training in Horton technique under the direction of Terence Greene and Aseelah Allen and ballet training under Kay Eichman and Erich Yetter. Throughout middle and high school she gained additional ballet training at the School of the Cleveland Ballet under the direction of Gladisa Guadalupe, and was a member of the Cleveland Ballet Youth Company from 2013-2015.

Marissa is a former Dance Instructor for Cuyahoga Community College Creative Arts Academy. Marissa also has had the opportunity of interning with Ohio-based dance organizations DANCECleveland and OhioDance.

Email: marissa.thomas20@outlook.com