معرفی
Marya Ursin serves as an Adjunct Instructor in Dance at Connecticut College, while simultaneously holding leadership roles as Executive Director of Dragon's Egg arts/performance space in Mystic, Connecticut, and Artistic Director for the Mystic Paper Beasts performance troupe.
Her extensive educational background includes:
- B.A. in Art History from Swarthmore College (after switching from pre-medical studies)
- Graduate work in psychoneuroendocrinology at Columbia University
- Graduate studies at Wesleyan University's Graduate Liberal Studies Program (GLSP)
- Licensed massage therapist since 1986
- Certified Integrative Yoga Therapy teacher and RYT 500
- Candidate for Master of Arts in Oral Traditions at the Graduate Institute
- Multiple minor certificates in healing arts, esoteric practices, teaching mathematics to lower school students, and reading instruction for differently abled children
Ursin's artistic practice integrates Dance, Theatre, and Performance Art with specialized focuses on Yoga, Mask, Mythology, and Movement. Having studied yoga since 1969 and taught since 1981, she uniquely merges storytelling traditions with physical practice. Her work with the Mystic Paper Beasts transforms literary classics like Dante's "Inferno" and "Through the Looking Glass" into mask-based movement performances, while her ongoing study of sign language aims to further expand her expressive vocabulary. This interdisciplinary approach bridges ancient mythological narratives with contemporary movement vocabulary.
As Artistic Director of the Mystic Paper Beasts, Ursin has authored over 30 original plays and performs approximately 40 times annually across diverse venues. She directs seasonal events featuring regional artists and produces biannual dance/theatre concerts in New York City showcasing 18 resident artists. Her performance pedigree includes eight years of teaching at the Merce Cunningham Studio, training with the Pennsylvania Ballet, and studying mime at L'Ecole de Marcel Marceau in Paris, with credits at prestigious venues including BAM, DTW, and the Whitney Museum.
