Marissa Rae Roberts and Elizabeth McGuire: Creative Directors Reveal Their Inspirational Life Story

Elizabeth McGuire

She is co-artistic director of ToUch Performance Art.

Elizabeth has been the resident choreographer and co-artistic director for ToUch Performance Art since its inception. Originally from Cazenovia, New York, she trained as both a classical pianist and concert dancer. She later attended the Boston Conservatory, where she received her BFA in Dance Performance. Elizabeth currently resides in New York City and works as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher.

With ToUch, she has choreographed original works, made a myriad of commissioned dance pieces for a multitude of clients, and has performed in ToUch’s hit show AcousticaElectronica for the past four years. Elizabeth aims to create work that is both visceral and dynamic while remaining accessible to all types of audiences! Through ToUch she has found that voice and continues to explore movement as a collaborative medium. She believes dance can be an impactful visual means of communication for audience and performers alike, and is honored to continue to create such work with the ToUch family.

Elizabeth McGuire is an exceptionally talented and accoumplished choreographer and artistic director. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You are from Cazenovia, New York and has been trained as both a classical pianist and concert dancer. You later attended the Boston Conservatory, where you received your BFA in Dance Performance.You reached the pinnacle of success by performing in ToUch’s hit show AcousticaElectronica. Tell us about your tale of professional success?

Ms. Elizabeth McGuire:

I was very lucky to have had a great education and training, first of all. That really opened the door to the type of career I’ve made for myself. I think what has helped me the most is that I wasn’t afraid of taking an unconventional route in my artistic career, choosing to forge my own path than to follow one already set before me. It has really paid off.

I’ve Co-Artistic Directed ToUch Performance Art for over 4 years, and have performed and consistently created work that whole time. I feel so lucky! It’s amazing to have a platform that I’ve built with my collaborators that allows us such freedom to create and share our own voice as artists.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You as a dancer and choreographer has created and performed jaw dropping show “AcousticaElectronica” Tell us how you visualize, think and create such spectacular unique entertaining shows?

Ms. Elizabeth McGuire:

Ever since I was little I was very visual. Studying music at a young age, I’d always imagine dances to basically anything I would play or listen to. I feel very at home when visualizing choreography and scenic design, it comes very naturally to me. But the kicker in all this is my amazing collaborators. The performers we collaborate with are all brilliant creators in their own right. These people are our muses, incredible sounding boards, and the kindling that really starts the fire. My partner Marissa is wonderfully imaginative as well: we both really feed off of each other’s visions to create these concepts.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You have selected a profession of being a theater performer and an artist that requires a lot of hard labor, technical soundness and excellence in different faculties to finally succeed, how do you achieve that?

Ms. Elizabeth McGuire:

I work my ass off. It’s the plain truth. I do my best to constantly cultivate my mind as a creator, and my body as a dancer. It’s a commitment to constant upkeep when you’re a professional dancer. Recently, I had surgery on an ankle injury, which was very challenging to come back from. I’m getting there now, but it takes so much determination. You just have to keep trying.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?

Ms. Elizabeth McGuire:

Well, I take dance class regularly. I was trained in ballet first, so often I return to a traditional ballet class to help keep my technique and body in shape. My guilty pleasure: spin class. I am a Soul Cycle junkie. And I’m also starting to train in aerial hoop classes, which is a new and fun challenge for me. But when I can’t fit in these separate classes with my rehearsal schedule I rely on the gym for maintenance. I challenge myself with interval training and resistance on low impact cardio machines, and make sure to then get great core exercises in after, with lots and lots of stretching.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Ms. Elizabeth McGuire:

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