ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | CHOREOGRAPHER
MARLO MARTIN
Marlo Martin is a director, choreographer, educator and producer in Seattle, WA. She holds a BFA in dance from Western Michigan University and recently received the 2022 WMU Department of Fine Arts Distinguished Alumni award for Arts Education. Marlo finds fulfillment and joy in celebrating and practicing all that encompasses and defines dance. Martin founded and currently directs eXit SPACE (est. 2004), a center for dance education and performance opportunities for the beginning student through professional level dancer. Martin has grown eXit SPACE from a single room studio with two teachers into three locations, five studios, a theater, 19 faculty members, housing for local dance companies, a host of artist programming, a pre-professional training program, and over 90 classes per week.
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While developing eXit SPACE, Marlo has also continued to work as a choreographer. She has created works for her own company, oaklanDrive (2005-2009) and badmarmarDANCE (2010-2015, 2022-current). Since moving to Seattle in 2002 her work has been presented at numerous concerts and festivals including The Bridge Project Velocity Dance Center, the High Wire Series Seattle U, 12 Minutes Max On the Boards (2005, 2010, 2012), BASH theater, Redd Legg Dance, A Moving Conversation The Fremont Abbey, Evoke Dance Production's Full Tilt, Beyond the Threshold / Spotlight on Seattle (2011, 2013, 2015), the BOOST dance festival, the Fall Kick Off Velocity Dance Center, NEXTfest NW Velocity Dance Center, self-produced full length tenSIDES (2012) and SPLIT BILL (2013) and WITNESS (2024), Cornish Dance Theater, Bellingham Rep Dance, Strictly Seattle (2013/2015), and Western Michigan University Dept. of Dance.
Martin’s Artistic Directorship has evolved over the course of the past 20 years of leadership at eXit SPACE. In 2016 and 2021 Martin continued to develop eXit SPACE by creating two new artist's spaces called theNEST and Studio SEA. In 2021 Martin also founded NOD Theater in an effort to deepen her commitment to serving the Seattle arts & dance community; playing a vital role in its development and longevity.
In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Marlo is proud to be the Artistic Director and Choreographer of badmarmarDANCE. badmarmarDANCE is in creative residence at NOD Theater | eXit SPACE (Seattle, WA). badmarmarDANCE, is a collective of storytellers, performers, dancers, magicians of movement, and knitters of the human experience as we see and feel it. As a producer, Marlo proudly presents BOOST dance festival, takePAUSE, BOOSTmeUP, and PROPEL AIR.
As an educator Marlo spends the majority of her time at eXit SPACE. Currently you can find Marlo teaching weekly technique classes, guiding workshops, and co-directing the pre-professional division, thePROGRAM. She has enjoyed being a guest faculty member at Cornish College for the Arts and Western Michigan University as well as a variety of WA state studios, conservatories, and events.
Marlo is genuinely interested in sharing her vision and ideas through teaching and creating dance, by developing forums for the exploration and presentation of dance works, and by supporting and nurturing fellow dancers, artists, and directors.
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