Door County Folk Festival
Marie Merkél
(South Milwaukee, WI)
(Dance Instructor)
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Marie Merkél began international folk dancing in her Kenosha elementary school’s physical education classes and continued dancing into her teens. While working toward a degree in education at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, she also studied various forms of dance.

During college Marie began to teach international folk dance starting with elementary school children. Upon graduation she moved to Milwaukee and was employed as a rehabilitation therapist where she adapted traditional ethnic dances in order to teach adults with various forms of mental and physical disabilities. After joining the Kavkaz Russian Dancers, she performed with them regionally for six years. Following a relocation to North Carolina, Marie taught and danced with various international folk dance clubs in that locale.

Returning to Milwaukee, she spent four years as the assistant to the Milwaukee Ballet’s Artistic Director and taught character dance in the Milwaukee Ballet School. Presently Marie dances and teaches with the Milwaukee and Racine international folk dance groups on a weekly basis. In addition she has taught at June Camp, the Lake Geneva Folkdancers’ October Camp and conducts an ongoing international folk dance class at a senior center.

Although Marie has attended DCFF for many years, this is her debut as an instructor.