Marisa Paull Gorst

Marisa Paull Gorst serves as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Dance at Vassar College, a position she has held since 2024. Her professional background includes extensive performance experience with classical and contemporary ballet companies across the United States and Europe, alongside featured roles in the national tour of CATS the Musical and The Phantom Of The Opera in Las Vegas.

She earned her BA from Smith College and received specialized training at New York City's School of American Ballet and Washington, DC's Kirov Academy. Her prior teaching appointments span the School of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, International Ballet School of Bled (Slovenia), Broadway Dance Center, Peridance (NYC), The Rock School (Las Vegas), and Hudson Valley regional schools.

Ms. Gorst's expertise centers on ballet technique, contemporary dance, and theatrical performance pedagogy. Her instruction emphasizes artistic development and technical mastery across classical and modern repertoires, leveraging decades of professional stage experience. She integrates performance insights from major productions into curriculum design while mentoring dancers in both studio and theatrical contexts.