Ballaro Dance
SEE, MOVE, & SHARE
Ballaro Dance builds community through the creation and presentation of modern dance while inviting its audience, often first-time dance viewers, to SEE, MOVE, & SHARE with the Company in an approachable, welcoming environment. Adhering to its mission, the Company takes pride in skillfully connecting with various communities inviting them to SEE dance in formal and informal settings, to MOVE while participating in the art, and to SHARE while gathering for conversation enabling deep connections. Founded in 2014, Ballaro Dance is proud to call New York City its home. We dance to engage with people; we choreograph to tell stories; we produce art to build community.
Meet the Artists
Marisa f. Ballaro
A proud Buffalo, NY native, Marisa f. Ballaro (Founding Artistic Director of Ballaro Dance; Choreographer) is a curious learner and an avid community builder. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Montclair State University in June of 2022 and was selected to be the 2022 Convocation Speaker. With dual degrees in Dance and Interdisciplinary Arts for Children, she is a summa cum laude graduate of SUNY Brockport where she received prestigious honors including the Marion Schrank Student Leadership Award and the Outstanding Scholar in the School of Arts & Performance. Marisa is on dance faculty at The Brearley School in Manhattan and taught on faculty at the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) School of Modern Dance for over a decade. Passionate about bringing dance to new audiences and first-time MOVERS, Marisa prioritizes community-based, collaborative projects in her vision. She was recently awarded a $9,575 Impact Grant by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to lead a nationwide project in 2024. Marisa is a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan!
Hannah Dillenbeck
Hannah Dillenbeck (Company MOVER; Rehearsal Assistant) is a dancer and certified Pilates instructor based in NYC. Originally from Rochester, NY, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in Modern Dance Performance and a BS in Biology/Neurobiology in December 2020. Most recently she trained with LimónLaunch for the spring 2023 semester. Hannah has worked as a freelance artist with MUMOS, Forza Dance Company, Alison Cook Beatty Dance, and visual artist, Reza Farkondeh. During her studies, Hannah learned and performed work by José Limón, Merce Cunningham, Jirí Kylián, Tommie Waheed Evans, Robert Battle, Garth Fagan, and David Hochoy; she performed at International Dance Conferences in Beijing, China and Barcelona, Spain. Hannah was introduced to Dance for Parkinson’s Disease classes during college and has found a passion in volunteering for, and teaching, these community outreach classes. Growing up in Western New York, Hannah has a lifetime love of hiking and spending time outdoors. Hannah joined Ballaro Dance in February of 2021.
Marina Vianello
Marina Vianello (Company MOVER) is an NYC-based dance artist from Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from George Mason University (BFA Dance & Global Systems Minor), where she performed works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Robert Battle, Lar Lubovitch, and Christopher d’Amboise. Past professional credits include the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Yoo & Dancers. She teaches dance and does administrative work for Moulin/Belle, an artist residency center in France, and for Pony Box Dance Theatre. In addition to Ballaro Dance, she currently dances with Mari Meade Dance Collective, Arsenal Movement Dance Project, and Terre Dance Collective. She is fluent in French, and is a lover of animals and pasta.
Jen Silver
Jen Silver (Company MOVER), from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, is a dancer, dance teacher, and Pilates/fitness instructor. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with her B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University and then went on to receive her Master's Degree in Dance Education from Rutgers University. Professionally, Jen has danced with Ballaro Dance, Spark Movement Collective, Arsenal Movement Dance Project, Digital Movement Dance, Marked Dance Project, eSKay Arts Collective, Humanistics Dance Company, Kaley Pruitt Dance, and Erin Pryor Dance Theatre. Jen enjoys sharing her passion for dance with students of all ages. She is an ABT® Certified Teacher and currently teaches ballet, pointe, modern, lyrical, jazz, and Pilates at several dance and fitness studios in the NJ/NYC area. Outside of her dance life, Jen loves crafting! She particularly enjoys making birthday cards for her friends and family (and sending them via snail mail).
Tessa Fungo
Tessa Fungo (Guest MOVER) is a freelance dancer and digital creator based in New York City. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Oklahoma, holding a BFA in Modern Dance Performance, she has had the privilege of performing works by Jiří Kylián, Sidra Bell, Tommy Waheed Evans, and others. As a freelance dancer, she has performed with Billie Eilish, Earth Wind and Fire, Swami Sound, and Ken Pomeroy. Tessa is excited to join Ballaro Dance for “The Distance”. She is grateful for all those who have been supportive in her creative pursuits.