Marika Kossakowski
Joined February 2019
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A New Jersey native, Marika Kossakowski started dancing at the age of 3 at a local competition dance studio. It wasn’t until age 11 she realized ballet was her true passion and started her ballet training at Ballet Technique under the direction of Julie Caprio. She was then invited to study abroad in St. Raphael, France at Autrand Ballet France under the direction of Pascale Autrand for the duration of her sophomore year of high school. She completed her final two years of high school at Walnut Hill School for the Arts under the direction of Michael Owen. She graduated magna cum laude and received the Dance Departmental Award of Excellence in 2017. Marika has been training privately with Caridad Martinez, Olga Kostritzky, Daniel Catanach, and Francois Perron in NYC. She attended Charlotte Ballet, Koltun Ballet, Walnut Hill, Ellison Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and Briansky Ballet summer intensives all on full or very generous scholarships.
She has performed in many ballets and contemporary works, including the roles of Sugar Plum and Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, the First Shade Variation in La Bayadere, and excerpts from Stars and Stripes. She has performed in many shows put on by the non-profit organization Live Dance Live in NYC who work to raise money for people in need through art. She has also danced for and with children of special needs at the Rock Brook School in Skillman, NJ on multiple occasions. She enjoys using her love for dance to help others. She is extremely excited to embark on her professional journey with XAOC Contemporary Ballet.
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