Maria Hackbarth

Maria Hackbarth began her study of ballet at age 7 and went on to graduate from University of Wisconsin-Steven's Point with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Sociology. As a dancer she has worked with various companies including Elation Dance Theater. As a choreographer Maria has been creating works and performance projects for many formal and alternative venues. The works themselves transform the music into emotionally charged and dramatic pieces while actively engaging the audience in glimpses of the human experience. Maria's professional company, Warped Dance Company, began in 2007 with just three dancers. Their first completed piece premiered with the Denver Independent Choreographers' Project. Soon after, the company was featured in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, the Uptown Performance Series (NYC), with Danceforms Productions in Biel, Switzerland, for the Elan Summer Dance festival in Massachusetts, the Blue Grass State International Dance Festival in Kentucky, the 1st International Dance Festival Antigua-Guatemala, and Panama City for Dance-A Celebration of Life. Maria is currently an independent choreographer and the lead ballet teacher for the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Because of her background and strengths in modern dance as well as classical ballet, Maria has been able to teach her dancers a well-rounded curriculum which includes all elements of her experiences.