Mar Parrilla

afrotaíno borikua and award-winning choreographer mar parrilla is the founding artistic director of danza orgánica. she is a proud mother, community organizer, and aspiring herbalist. after attaining a bachelor's degree in languages (italian, french) ​​from la universidad de puerto rico, mar crossed the ocean to nueva york, where she completed a master's degree in dance education at new york university. now a boston resident, parrilla is a recipient of several awards from the new england foundation for the arts, and the boston foundation, among others. mar is also a luminary artist at the isabella stewart gardner museum, where she has been commissioned to create artistic work. in 2017, parrilla was awarded the brother thomas fellowship award from the boston foundation. danza orgánica was invited to a creative development residency at jacob's pillow, and performed at the jacob's pillow dance inside/out festival. parrilla is the founder and producer of the boston-based acclaimed annual festival: 'we create!'. in 2018, mar was selected for the city of boston artist in residence program, with a focus on environmental justice. currently, she is collaborating with local native american communities in massachusetts, with a focus on best practices towards decolonization. she is also collaborating with puerto rico-based artists on a residency-based cultural exchange towards the development of proyecto melaza: a project that explores the colonial relationship between puerto rico and the united states of north america. most recently (2019), parrilla was awarded an 'outstanding community arts collaboration award in dance' from the arts/learning organization. 

mar has been a dance educator in boston and nyc public schools, boston university, new york state university at stony brook, wesleyan university, roxbury community college and green street studios, to name a few. mar's production history includes annual company concerts since 2007, as well as the annual festival: we create! she is also the founder and curator of the dance research online forum- a site dedicated to free and progressive dance education.