Growing up in Vallejo, Marissa studied dance at Berkeley Ballet Theater under Sally Streets and Ilona McHugh. She then pursued her BFA in Dance at Alonzo King LINES Ballet/ Dominican University of California. Prior to graduation in 2017, Marissa performed and taught dance in Guatemala and Nicaragua with JUNTOS Collective. In 2016-2017, she co-lead a project for the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards to celebrate their 30th Anniversary. Marissa is currently a trainer at San Francisco GYROTONIC®.

Marissa’s first performance with Urban Jazz Dance Company was in 2018. The community within the company has allowed her to learn and share the power of communication through movement- whether it be learning new rhythms in dance, or new words in ASL.