Marika Brussel with Jenna Marie and Calvin Thomas
San Francisco, CA, United States
Ballet has always been my safe home, no matter what was happening in the rest of my life or the rest of the world. It is my daily meditation and a reminder of who I am. I wanted to share that sense of peace through this project. When our country finally started looking at the truth of racial injustice, I felt it was imperative to include echos in my current work. New Earth Rising speaks to a generation that is rising and connecting. Many thanks to Tyshawn Sorey for sharing his music.
PEACE BUILDER BIOGRAPHY
Marika Brussel is a contemporary ballet choreographer. Her work reshapes narratives through ballet, showing our interconnectedness and equity as humans, from country to country, class to class, and generation to generation, bringing ballet into the 21st Century. She has had work commissioned by companies around the USA, including ARC Dance, Columbia Repertory Ballet, and Bay Pointe Ballet. She was a 2019 Choreographic Fellow at UNCSA and is a current LABA East Bay Fellow.
DAILY PEACE ACTION
Find something repetitive that can be a meditation for yourself. We are also excited about the organization Brown Girls Do Ballet, which empowers black and brown girls who want to pursue ballet. They have scholarships, mentorships, and apprenticeships.