We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mary Moretti. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mary below.
Mary, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
From my experience, keeping creativity alive is a constant journey of self-development.
When I find myself lacking motivation or ideas, I go back to step 1. This means taking classes from people who inspire me and reconnecting with my art, in my case, dance, purely for the pleasure of recreation. I also take breaks and don’t force myself to create. Instead, I try to experience new things that keep me motivated and curious. This helps me build my skills and learn new things, giving me more to say as an artist.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I was born in Paterson, NJ, but my parents took me back to Italy when I was only 40 days old. I grew up in Puglia, South Italy. Despite having a wonderful and supportive family, the outside world was never kind to me. I was a very creative and daydreaming kid, which the teachers at school did not appreciate. They even felt the need to tell my mom that I needed assistance because they believed I wouldn’t succeed in life or graduate high school. Later on, I experienced episodes of bullying due to my sensitivity, which led to panic attacks and anxiety at a very young age. However, dancing in the living room kept me sane and gave me a sense of strength. I eventually asked my mom if I could sign up for dance classes, and that’s when I finally felt like I had a place in life. Dancing made me stronger, gave me discipline, and the confidence to face the outside world. Despite people telling me that there were more talented dancers out there and that dance wouldn’t pay the bills, I knew that dance was my future.
This story is essential because it shapes the way I create choreography and teach my students through storytelling and self-connection. In my classes, I combine technique and performance experience, providing a space for people to grow, learn new skills, be challenged, and feel safe to be vulnerable and bring joy to the dance floor. I approach working with young, aspiring artists in the same way, trying to understand them and guide them in expressing themselves through movement.
In 2016, I moved back to the USA and found myself starting from scratch. But after 8 years, I still train and have the chance to learn from the best. I teach at @sassclassnyc and Mark Morris Dance Center, in addition to teaching my own pop-up classes and 101 experiences. I work as a freelance dancer and model, and I have choreographed and directed movement for three talented emerging artists: I.S.Y Music, Lola Mars, and Sabrina Monique. I have been working with them for 3 years, creating history with three shows in the city and a new music video this year for their album release.
My goal is to continue evolving and helping more artists. I want to dance for major artists in the States and develop my modeling career, while also having longevity in the dance industry. My brand is centered around encouraging people to break out of their shells with kindness and love. I aim to inspire others to not listen to what other people say and use my own struggles as a way to make someone else’s journey better. On my Instagram page, @itsmarymoretti, I have a channel where my students can stay updated and build a community. I know what it feels like to be misunderstood and feel like you don’t fit in. In my opinion, those people are the most talented in the world, and it’s our responsibility to make them see us.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I believe there are three qualities that kept me going through those years:
1. Willingness to learn and be coachable.
2. Courage to take risks and listen to my inner voice.
3. Resilience.
My advice is to always remain humble and continue working on yourself. One important lesson I’ve learned is that we always have a choice. Where we are in life right now is a result of the choices we’ve made. The beauty of life is that we can always start from scratch and reinvent ourselves. So, be kind, open-minded, and continuously feed your mind. Practice your skills and find your own path to shine. Remember, never compare your journey to others’. Each person’s journey is unique and should be respected.
Also Very Important find the right mentors, build a community that helps you shine that wants to genuinely see you win.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Yes I am always down to connect with talented artists. Such as make up artist, photographers, videographers specialized in shooting dancer, to create visual, concept videos, Artistic pictures that for sure will lead to more work.
Like I said art is not just business if mostly for you and I love create specially when it’s slow season so I can have a solid portfolio when the times comes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/mary.moretti?fbclid=PAAaYnHD_Z-VoJhnNg_7A9awy1dVf_VLnbcAWN8dj_limMoxbLVBYayjQNAM8
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/itsmarymoretti?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Mary_Moretti
- Other: https://poplme.co/hash/2x5GhfGM/1/s
Image Credits
@sycphotography @dezannathalie_artist
