Artistic Director and Choreographer

Originally from Brazil, Mariana Oliveira studied at the Royal Academy of Dance in London, and was a trainee dancer at the National Dance Company of Wales. At the age of 19 she was invited to perform with the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. In 2009 she founded The Union Project Dance Company.

She has been commissioned to create new works for the Richmond Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Academy, National Choreographers Initiative, Ballet Arkansas, and A&A Ballet. Mariana is a recipient of the NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts Fellowship, as well the Kansas City University Choreographic Fellowship. Her works have also been presented at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and for 2 consecutive years she has been a finalist of the McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival. Mariana taught at the Bolshoi Ballet School in Brazil (the only Bolshoi School outside Russia) for the dancers of the Youth Company.

Photo Credit: Dante V Dauz