Dance Department

Marisa Plasencia

Plasencia_M_Photo-1.jpegMarisa Plasencia holds a PhD from the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies at UC Santa Barbara. Her research examines discreet forms of protest at the intersection of postmodern dance, visual art, and black social dance traditions. She was awarded a Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship for the 2021-2022 cycle to support her dissertation Black Minimalisms: Task, Pastiche, and Subterfuge in Choreographies of Routine Violence.

Marisa’s interdisciplinary background informs her research on dancers that challenge the legibility of dissent through movement. Prior to her graduate studies, Marisa received a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Trinity University as a first-generation college student. She then held a Fulbright Student Research Grant to study social movements in Seville, Spain. These experiences contribute to Marisa’s understanding of choreographers as theorists that contribute to political thought.

As a lifelong dancer, Marisa maintains artistic practice through choreography and teaching. During her time at UCSB, Marisa continued to train in modern dance and regularly taught Introduction to Acting. In addition to these studio-based classes, Marisa taught courses on dance and theater history. Marisa is currently working on a series of dance pieces with her twin sister that move across artistic disciplines and explore the complex boundaries between twin bodies. For more information about their current work, please visit: marisa-maribel-plasencia.com.