MARIA GA'TSAL 

I'm a Mexican-Spanish teaching artist currently living in Helsinki, Finland. I have a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts in acting from the New York Film Academy, which I completed in 2016. My education in dance has been a combination of autodidactism and the guidance of teachers who have taught and exposed me to different dance styles, such as contemporary, modern dance, jazz, lyrical, and styles from the urban dance scene. I made my debut as a professional dancer with the piece Uncanny Valley, choreographed by German artist Lin Verleger. Since then, I have participated in dance festivals and competitions and joined Compound Company, a dance company based in Aachen, Germany. 

Additionally, I continue to hone my skills and remain active as an actor and performer while venturing as well into conceptual art and street art performances. 

I teach contemporary dance and improvisation to youth and adults, and I work as a substitute teacher for other dance styles. In addition to this, I lead acting and dance classes for children and youth in collaboration with Helsinki City and work as a freelancer for adult students interested in acting, dance, and movement. Lastly, I am a swimmer and a certified swimming teacher, as well as an old-time Taekwondo practitioner. I am interested in languages and am currently learning Finnish Sign Language.