Marissa L. Aucoin is a New Jersey/New York based dance artist, educator and production aficionado. She began her dedicated study of movement and dance at Montclair State University where she graduated with honors. During her time there, she had the privilege of performing repertory by José Limón, Martha Graham and David Parsons to name a few. With a fervent interest in dance legacy and preservation, Aucoin continued her studies earning an MFA from the College at Brockport SUNY in 2016. Aucoin's exemplary work as an artist was recognized as she received both the college-wide Outstanding Graduate Award and the SUNY-wide Patricia Kerr Ross Award for artistic merit. She is also a 2016 Thayer Fellowship finalist.

        As an artist and educator Aucoin values improvisational exploration, creative problem solving and the collaborative process. She views the choreographic process as a threshold for theoretical inquiry and kinesthetic discovery, challenging collaborating artists to personally invest in an active process of embodied research. Aucoin is currently Artistic Director of Format Dance and has presented, performed and produced works at various venues throughout New York and New Jersey including the Rochester Fringe Festival, Dixon Place, Visual Studies Workshop, and Montclair Art Gallery. Her most recent performance credits include the premiere performance of Wild Beast Dance under the artistic direction of Tammy Sudgen-Carrasco. 

        As a multi-faceted artist, Aucoin fuels her personal practice through diverse, collaborative endeavors. She most recently served as guest artist to Chamber Ballet Brockport for the commissioned creation of an evening length inter-disciplinary performance of Saint Saen's "Carnival of the Animals". She has lead courses in both Modern and Ballet Technique, Dance History, Movement and Self-Awareness and Repertory. In addition to a career as a performing and teaching artist, Aucoin has extensive experience with production coordination, stage management and lighting design working with the College at Brockport, Wedge Works, Bill Evans Dance Company, as well as the American College Dance Association. She utilizes her range of dance related interests and experiences to further inform her creative practice. Current research interests include cultural mobility, embodied identity, and the impact of digital globalization on contemporary dance practices.