Maria Sánchez Alonso is a dancer, poet, director/choreographer, yogini and teacher, born in Northern Spain. Currently based on the Greek island of Aegina, she works on her own dance projects, collaborates with other artists, and is preparing the publication of her first poetry book. Alongside her artistic pursuits, Maria is dedicated to teaching, offering regular Yoga sessions, courses on dance improvisation, as well as poetry classes, through her personal method, "The Poetry of the Instant." She is also passionately pursuing ceramics and finds daily joy in exploring the sea through free diving, as well as cultivating and caring for her garden.
Graduated in Theatre Arts (BA). She was a member of the professional Physical Theatre and Dance company “Rabos de Lagartija” directed by Ana Fernández. With her and the company she trained and learned dance improvisation, physical theater, action theater, butoh and the positive feedback method. The company performed all over Spain with several productions, and their piece “Zigurat” was awarded the prize “Best Theatrical Piece” at the TEA Festival in Toledo.
Following the desire of continuing to dance, she traveled to Berlin and studied the Dance Intensive Course at Tanzfabrik. There she dedicated great time to dance training, creation and performance. Made her first works: solo & with colleagues, as well as danced in pieces directed by teachers that were invited to the program. She trained regularly with different teachers in: contemporary, gaga, flying low, release, ballet, improvisation and instant composition.
She has also studied and studies independently with teachers and artists that inspire her; such as Maya M. Carroll, Julyen Hamilton, Javier Martín or Atsutshi Takenouchi (Butoh). Furthermore, she worked as a dancer for Maya M. Carroll - The Instrument - (Bloodsong 2019 , Eternal Returns 2022 ) and worked with her on their stay at the Greek Island of Aegina (Chamber dances 2022 - Illustrations 2023). The work and teachings of these artists had a profound impact on her dance, artistic and personal path, and it has still continued to inspire her to this day.
As a director and choreographer, she created and staged the group pieces (We Ghost's 2017, Wound.Light 2018, and Doors to Magic 2021, all showed in Berlin) for the students of the performance project that she lead in Berlin between 2017 and 2021, under the name The Poetic Body.
Together with the body, Maria always had a strong impulse for writing, and it always came in a poetic manner. Passionate about the revolutionary reign of poetry since she was an adolescent, she writes, reads, teaches poetry, and includes it in her work. A constant heartbeat and center of light in her path.
Right now Maria works on her own pieces / projects, collaborating with other artists, and continuing her poetry writing as she works towards publishing her first book.
She is also dedicated to teaching, offering a regular Yoga practice at her home Shala and a weekly course on Dance improvisation and instant composition (Dance poetics). Since 2018 she has been teaching poetry. She has developed a personal method (The poetry of the Instant) born from years of personal practice / investigation and through the inspiring testing of her students. She has three active groups for whom she teaches weekly sessions throughout the year and organizes immersive retreats.
She is also a certified Yoga Teacher and Yogini, with an embraced and loved many years daily practice. For the past ten years, she continues to study Yoga, meditation and the TAO at the Yin Yang Yoga School with Ana Moves.
Maria is also deeply interested in Jungian Psychology, Inner growth work and Eastern spiritual traditions.
At the moment, she lives on the Greek island of Aegina, with her partner, her three cats and a garden. After a couple of years of training, she has recently begun creating as a ceramist (to see her pottery work, click here) and has also taken up free diving enjoying the exploration of the sea and its underwater wonders.