Over eleven years of award-winning works, Chicago-based choreographer Stephanie Martinez moves her audiences along a journey guided by the kinetic momentum of her work. With original creations for Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Charlotte Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Eugene Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Kansas City Ballet, and National Choreographers Initiative among others, Martinez’s versatility expands the boundaries of contemporary ballet movement. Martinez has created over 60 ballets on companies and collegiate programs across the country.

In 2015, Martinez was awarded Joffrey Ballet’s “Winning Works: Choreographers of Color” commission and the Chicago 3Arts Award in recognition for her work as a female artist of color. More recently, Martinez was awarded an NEA grant for her premiere of Bliss! with Joffrey Ballet. Dubbed “a chameleon” of choreography by the Chicago Tribune, Martinez’s psychologically revelatory works challenge the viewer’s notion of what’s possible.

PARA.MAR Dance Theatre

Stephanie Martinez is the founder and artistic director of Chicago-based repertory company PARA.MAR Dance Theatre. Founded in July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PARA.MAR was created together, with, and for diversity and access to excellence in contemporary dance - created, curated y hecho en Chicago.

Choreographic Reels

Professional Residencies: Verb Ballets
Joffrey Ballet of Chicago
NWA Ballet
Freckled Sky
Amy Seiwert’s Imagery
MADCO
Charlotte Ballet
Visceral Dance Chicago
Kansas City Dance Festival
Ballet Memphis
Dance Kaleidoscope

Eugene Ballet
Big Muddy Dance Company
National Choreographers Initiative
Ballet Hispanico
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
Neos Dance Theatre
Sacramento Ballet
Kansas City Ballet
Dance Kaleidoscope
Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works
Chicago’s Field Museum & SHEDD Aquarium

Amaranth Dance Company
Island Moving Dance Company
Visceral Dance Chicago
Dancing in the Parks
Elements Contemporary Ballet
Chicago Dance Crash
Same Planet Different World
The A.W.A.R.D. Show
Thodos Dance Chicago
Dance Chicago
Luna Negra Dance Theatre
University Residencies: UT Austin
North Carolina School of the Arts
Jacksonville University
Chicago Academy of the Arts
Jacksonville University
Oakland University

James Madison University
Denver School of the Arts
University of Richmond
Northwestern University
Boston Conservatory
Point Park University

Virginia Commonwealth University
Jacksonville University
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Shenandoah University
Ball State University
Master Teacher: Joffrey Academy of Dance
2009-present

Ruth Page School of Dance
2007-2011

Lou Conte Dance Studio
2005-2020

Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago (Guest)
1995-2011

Luna Negra Dance Theatre
2007-2008

Same Planet Different World
2007

Répertoire

Behind-the-Scenes

May 15, 2020

Charlotte Ballet, Unsex Me Here

May 15, 2020

Charlotte Ballet, Unsex Me Here

May 15, 2020

Charlotte Ballet, Unsex Me Here

May 15, 2020

Charlotte Ballet, Unsex Me Here

May 15, 2020

Kansas City Dance Festival, Dos Lados

May 15, 2020

Kansas City Dance Festival, Dos Lados

May 15, 2020

Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Bliss!

May 15, 2020

Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Bliss!

May 15, 2020

MADCO, Of the Meadows

May 15, 2020

Visceral Dance Chicago, The Weight of Sound

May 15, 2020

Ballet Hispanico, Two Sides

May 15, 2020

Ballet Hispanico, Two Sides

May 15, 2020

Luna Negra Dance Theater, AviMar

May 15, 2020

Visceral Dance Chicago, Orange Bird

May 15, 2020

Nomi Dance Company, You’ve Come Along Way, Baby

May 15, 2020

Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez

May 15, 2020

Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez

May 15, 2020

Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez

May 15, 2020

NWA Ballet Theatre, Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez

May 15, 2020

National Choreographers Initiative, Wandering on

May 15, 2020

Ballet Memphis, Lover of Shadows

May 15, 2020

Kansas City Ballet, In Close Proximity

May 15, 2020

On Stage

Charlotte Ballet, Unsex Me Here

Kansas City Dance Festival, Dos Lados

Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Bliss!

MADCO, Of the Meadows

Visceral Dance Chicago, The Weight of Sound

Accolades

Copy of “To know Stephanie Martinez is to love her. It doesn’t surprise me that she is creating during this incredibly difficult year. But she seems fired up like never before, exploring new mediums and platforms for.png — *“See Chicago Dance”* feature article recognizing Martinez’s continued risk-taking and exceptional choreographic work.

Read the full article

Press

“Accompanied by Stravinsky’s sparsely appointed “Dumbarton Oaks,” Martinez tries to excavate the guts of this multi-layered score which was, unlike the other Stravinsky, not originally intended for dancing. Martinez pulls, as per usual, from a grab bag of styles including ballet, jazz and even hip-hop, with some goofier moments giving the sense of a band of bumbling boys bro-ing out on a bright summer day. Not to be forgotten, the cast’s two women hold their own with a cute and sassy duet and extraordinary partnering as the group of men tangle them up and over themselves.”

— Chicago Tribune

“Furthermore, it is significant that Martinez was the choice for this world premiere, not just for joining a very small list of women who’ve made work for the Joffrey. The list of local choreographers is smaller still: By my count, she’s one of three in the last decade…”

— Chicago Tribune

“Utterly deserving of the finale, Dos Lados embraces the spectacular mood of the Spanish guitar and brings us the full power of this extraordinary 13-dancer ensemble. Creating literal toe-curling intensity coupled with a coy connection with the audience, this performance was a stunning showcase of sheer talent…”

— Arts Wave Guide

“The performance emanated playful eroticism... What resulted, however, was less a battle of the sexes and more a harmonious coexisting, with the dancers coming together to play off of each other.”

— The Daily Californian

“Stephanie Martinez’s “In Close Proximity” matched classical and street aesthetics, contrasting loose, shrugged shoulders with stylized gestures in individualized break-out solos and duets that were both intense and gentle.”

— Kansas City Star

“...featuring the dancers often in pairs and the introduction of one hat, was subdued and lovely”

— SFExaminer

“Martinez’ choreographic vocabulary was the highlight of Otra Vez – an intoxicating mélange of ballet, partnered dances like Tango and Pasodoble, even a little formal Fosse-inspired jazz.”

— DanceTabs

“Unsex Me Here” finished with a flourish courtesy of several carefully crafted and technically dazzling pas de deuxs between the various male-female character pairings that each ended with a voiceover line by the female protagonist; those ending pas de deuxs lifting the ballet’s energy and interest, giving rise to an enthusiastic standing ovation”

— The Chautauquan Daily

“I’ll hope to see more from Ms. Martinez’s interesting creativity.”

— Asota

“Clocking in at an expansive 44+ minutes, Unsex Me Here was richly enjoyable and never struck me as an academic or PC rehab of these familiar men and women.”

— Broadway World

Awards

Featured

Bliss! by Stephanie Martinez recieved an NEA Grant for its Joffrey Ballet of Chicago premiere

"Dancer to Watch" by Sid Smith

Joffrey Ballet of Chicago's "Winning Works: Choreographers of Color" Award

Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Performance

3arts 2015 Awardee

Stephanie Martinez featured on NPR for her creation on Big Muddy Dance Company

Chicago Magazine Feature: "You Should Know Stephanie Martinez"

Photos

Amy Seiwert's Imagery Artist Shania Rasmussen in _Otra vez, Otra vez, Otra vez_ by Stephanie Martinez for SKETCH 9. Photo by Chris Hardy

Amy Seiwert's Imagery Artists in "Otra vez, Otra vez, Otra vez" by Stephanie Martinez for SKETCH 9. Photo by Chris Hardy

Amy Seiwert's Imagery Artists in _Otra vez, Otra vez, Otra vez_ by Stephanie Martinez for SKETCH 9. Photo by Chris Hardy

Amy Seiwerts Imagery Artists Austin Meiteen and Constanza Murphy in Otra vez, Otra vez, Otra vez by Stephanie Martinez. Photo by Chris Hardy

A rehearsal still from Stephanie's interpretation of Romeo & Juliet for Charlotte Ballet. Photo by James Wiley

Artists of Charlotte Ballet rehearse with Stephanie. Photo by James Wiley

Artists of Charlotte Ballet take note from Stephanie. Photo by James Wiley

Charlotte Ballet artists rehearse for Stephanie Martinez. Photo by James Wiley

Charlotte Ballet artists Sarah Hayes Harkins and Ben Ingel rehearse for choreographer Stephanie Martinez. Photo by Joshua Komer

Choreographer Stephanie Martinez with Dr. Lynne Conner

Choreographer Stephanie Martinez works in rehearsal with artists of Dance Kaleidoscope. Photo by Crowe's Eye Photography

Dance Kaleidoscope performs work by Stephanie Martinez. Photo by Crowe's Eye Photography

Peter Mazurowski and Karlee Vadalabene-Donley of Charlotte Ballet rehearse for choreographer Stephanie Martinez. Photo by Joshua Komer

Stephanie at Kansas City Ballet

Stephanie Martinez onstage with MADCO. Photo by Scott Shy

Stephanie Martinez speaks on a panel with MADCO. Photo by Scott Shy

Still from Stephanie Martinez's work with Modern American Dance Company (MADCO). Photo by Scott Shy

Stills of choreographer Stephanie Martinez in rehearsal with Dance Kaleidoscope. Photo by Crowe's Eye Photography

Dance Kaleidoscope, Taking Watch

Joffrey Artist Derrick Agnoletti in Stephanie Martinez's "Bliss!". Photo by Cheryl Mann

Joffrey Artists Aaron Renteria, Derrick Agnoletti, Graham Maverick, Jonathan Dole and Hansol Jeong in Stephanie Martinez's "Bliss!". Photo by Cheryl Mann

Joffrey Artists Brooke Linford and Anais Bueno in Stephanie Martinez's "Bliss!". Photo by Cheryl Mann

Joffrey Artists Derrick Agnoletti, Hansol Jeong, Graham Maverick, and Yoshihisa Arai in Stephanie Martinez's "Bliss!". Photo by Cheryl Mann

Joffrey Artists Edson Barbosa and Anais Bueno in “Bliss!” by Stephanie Martinez. Photo by Todd Rosenberg Photography

Joffrey Artists Evan Boersma, Brooke Linford, and Stefan Goncalvez in Stephanie Martinez's "Bliss!". Photo by Cheryl Mann

Joffrey Artists Fernando Duarte, Greig Matthews, Stefan Goncalvez, Evan Boersma, and Xavier Nunez in Stephanie Martinez's "Bliss!". Photo by Cheryl Mann