A native from Seattle, Mariah Eastman graduated in 2017 with a degree in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. At VCU, she performed in many student works and faculty works throughout the years. For summer studies - Mariah has attended Bates Dance Festival, Christopher K Morgan & Artists, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance as well as ArcDanz - Mexico. At ArcDanz in Cholula, Mexico, she had the opportunity perform in a newly choreographed work by Angel Arambula and a “Minievent” with choreography by Merce Cunningham and staged by Andrea Weber, formerly of the Merce Cunningham Company.
Mariah’s choreography has been adjudicated for a variety of VCU concerts. Her previous works performed at VCU include: Untitled (2013), Deconstruction (2015), The Interview (2015), Typeface (2016), and Stop, Drop, Hi! (2017). Mariah danced in Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble’s production of A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer February 2018. She presented a Chicago debut at J e l l o: Let’s Get Technical (Live from Chicago!) in April 2018.
In June she was selected as a choreographer for Project Bound Dance’s One Hour Project. Mariah’s solo “Tidbits and Beginnings” was premiered at Built On Stilts Dance Festival in Martha’s Vineyard. Another of one of her solos “Efforts of Contemplation” was presented at “The Performance Party” at Arts On Site last August in New York City. Her piece “Live From Chicago!” was chosen to be performed at Small Plates Choreography Festival in Brooklyn, NY in October. In late October, her solo “A Look in the Mirror” was chosen for the BUILT production at Links Hall in Chicago. This January, her piece “Gesturing Steps” was selected for the Trifecta Dance Collective’s A New Light Choreography Showcase. “Efforts of Contemplation” was chosen through an adjudication process to be performed at Baltimore Dance Invitational in February 2019. It was also selected for the 17th Annual Mid-Atlantic Choreographers Showcase in Richmond, VA and Waxworks on June 9th in New York City. Eastman was also selected to participate as a choreographer for Simantikos 2nd Annual Choreo Kick-off in August. She also created her first self produced virtual production of Patternalia in fall 2020 which explored the process of dreaming using live dance, projections and dance film. In June 2021 she presented Cafe Cortado which was a virtual production exploring Chicago's unique coffee shops using live stream dance performance, interviews and dance film. Eastman wanted to highlight these small businesses that are essential to the community by creating pieces to be live streamed from the coffee shops. Starting in Back of Yards then commuting to Old Town while pre-recorded interviews and a dance film play, Eastman draws inspiration from coffee culture and the shops themselves.
