For movement artist Marielis Garcia, dance is much more than performance. “Movement is a language, a way of thinking, and a tool for transformation,” she says. Her work is rooted in curiosity and a deep commitment to process, and she creates spaces where physical exploration leads to intellectual and emotional discovery.
Garcia first found her way into dance because “it felt like the most natural way to express myself. Moving was how I made sense of the world.” In her early years, she was drawn to the joy and energy of performing. But as her practice grew, so did her questions. “Could movement do more than entertain? Could it spark new ways of thinking or help people connect more deeply with themselves and each other?”
Those questions continue to drive her work today. After working in New York City as a freelance dance artist, taking classes across disciplines, collaborating widely, and in her words “attempting to expand her vocabulary”, Garcia began intentionally moving away from dance as entertainment. “I am more interested in intimate exchanges, where something real can unfold,” she explains. “The questions we ask through movement do not need immediate answers, but can linger and resonate.”
Values of presence, inquiry, and vulnerability guide her, which she describes as both personal and communal, expressive and reflective. “My goal is to share the full range of who I am in my work. The playful, the serious, the strange, the thoughtful. I believe all of it belongs.”
Garcia’s connection with The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro has deepened both her artistic practice and her sense of place in the region. Through support from the Artist Support Grant, she realized a project that invited audiences into a sensory experience where movement, water, and environment converged. “One of the most rewarding aspects was witnessing how people responded to the delicate sprays of water, which reinforced my belief that dance can be a way of listening, feeling, and thinking.”
Equally meaningful was the chance to collaborate directly with local artists. “Instead of outsourcing talent, I was able to engage with Greensboro’s creative community, which made me feel more rooted in the city’s cultural landscape.” In every sense, her journey reflects her belief that movement is a starting point to spurring curiosity, connection, and transformation.
