Marissa Wong
Marissa Wong is a Canadian-Chinese dance artist who has the privilege to create, play and share on the unceded territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səlílwətaɬ (Tsleil- Waututh), and xwməθkwəyəm (Musqueam) Nations, also named Vancouver, BC. She received her postgraduate studies through Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Ballet Austin. Her engagement with the Vancouver dance community has demonstrated her capability to produce, perform, and host works. Marissa is invested in continuous learning and growth, her work reflects her observations of the human experience. She is invested in changing systemic structures to create inclusive and sustainable spaces for artists. Marissa is currently the Artistic Director for the response., renamed The Falling Company. She was previously a member of TWObigsteps Collective, which she founded in 2015. Since then, she has choreographed works that have been presented in internationally, including performance of the work Departure (2021), Livespace at Dance in Vancouver (2019), Surrenderance at Dance in Vancouver (2017) and 12 Minutes Max Edition #41 at the Dance Centre (2017), and the performance of Veils at TEDxSoma (San Francisco, 2019), CADA/West Fundraiser (2018), and Amber Funk Barton’s Dance Café (2017). Marissa has also been hosted for choreographic residencies through New Works (2020), Made in BC (2021/2020), Banff Centre for the Arts (2019), the Dance Centre’s DanceLab Program (2019), MascallDance (2018/2019), Marta Marta Productions (2018), Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre (2017), SAFEhouse Arts (2016), and DORSALEDanse (2015). In addition to choreography, she has produced performances for her self-choreographed solo, Departure (2021), and a co-hosted performance, SPLIT/BILL (2018) with WAREHAUS Dance. She was Assistant Stage Manager for the response.'s VAST (2018) and Workspace III (2017), and Project Manager for MascallDance’s BLOOM (2019). She acknowledges the continued support from Canada Council for the Arts and BC Arts Council. Marissa has been active in community engagement workshops including Sessions by TWObigsteps Collective, LINES Ballet Training Program, Gulf Island School of Performing Arts, and participation in the Youth Engagement Program presented by the Dance Centre (2018/2019), a workshop series that shares dance with immigrant youth. She continues her role as the Senior Competitive Ballet Teacher at Spiral Dance Company.
photo by: Richie Lubaton