Maria Koripas, MA
Associate Lecturer and Award Coordinator for Performance
Course Director for Dance, Movement Tutor for Opera and Concert Singing
Contact details
Department of Media and Cultural Studies
Birkbeck, University of London
Malet Street, Bloomsbury
London WC1E 7HX
email: m.koripas@bbk.ac.uk
Biography
Trained at the Laban Centre in Dance Theatre Studies, Maria has worked as dancer in multi-disciplinary projects in the UK and most extensively in the field of opera with various companies including the Royal Opera, Covent Garden and, most notably, with the English National Opera performing in new productions, revivals and Royal Galas.
Following vocal training in opera her work developed in voice and movement based performance. Her roles include: Fiorilla, (Turco in Italia) Chilham Castle, Stately Homes Music Festival, Zerlina (Don Giovanni) and Rosina (Barber of Seville) Royal Overseas League, Papagena (Magic Flute) Questor’s Theatre, Spirit (Pillow Song) Purcell Room, South Bank and World Premieres composed for her as singer/dancer in El Tigre (BAFTA Award winning Composer, Ben Bartlett) Donmar Warehouse and Hutu in Conference of the Birds (Composer Dirk Campbell) Robin Howard Theatre, The Place.
She has sung operatic excerpts in a series of dance theatre pieces with 'CandoCo Dance Company' under the direction of Athina Valha, namely Momento Mori-Momento Amore with sound designer Wadjid Yaseem, Greenwich Borough Hall, In Praise of Folly (recorded voice) Queen Elizabeth Hall and International Tour also Spaces Between with composer Nick Parkin, Royal Festival Hall.
As movement director and choreographer she has worked with Opera Circus, Palace Opera, European Chamber Opera, English Touring Opera, Floral Opera student opera showcases at Wimbledon School of Art and in a long association with Birkbeck Opera and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design performances at the Cochrane Theatre and Birkbeck Opera performances at the London Oratory Theatre.
She has led movement workshops for the late Else Mayer Lismann MBE at the Royal Opera House, English National Opera’s Baylis Programme – ‘Live Wires’ and Abbey Opera Training at Kensington and Chelsea College.
Research interests
Study into the wider benefits of learning dance between the ages of 21 to 80+ and how people perceive the effect of these benefits, and the way they might contribute to transforming and sustaining individuals and society.
Research also explores how dance might be unique in the way it can offer a holistic learning experience, and enable individuals to engage body, mind and spirit.
