About me
My name is Mariana Hilgert. I am a dancer, dance and movement educator, and researcher. Since 2016, I have been living in Berlin, although I originally come from Brazil.
My artistic and pedagogical work revolves around creativity.
In this sense, curiosity is a central force in my work. It enables me to cultivate a state of learning and perceiving that goes beyond the categories of right and wrong. It keeps my interest in people, the world, and what is waiting to emerge alive.
My path
For over 20 years, I have been engaged with dance, my first language of movement. My journey began with Hip-Hop in Brazil and, over the years, led me to contemporary dance, West African dances, and Brazilian rhythms, among others.
Since 2017, I have also been working with a holistic approach to movement. The combination of dance, artistic expression, and a generalist movement practice continues to shape my pedagogical and artistic work.
My transdisciplinary Ph.D. at the intersection of Translation Studies and Dance Studies has also deeply influenced my perspective on movement, learning, and creativity.
I work with people of all ages and accompany them through courses, workshops, and coaching sessions, helping them discover movement as a space for learning, creativity, expression, and personal development. It brings me great joy to support people on this journey and to explore new possibilities for perception, learning, and creation together.
My qualifications include:
* 20+ years of dance experience (workshops, groups, performances) in Brazil, the U.S., and Germany
* B.A. in Journalism (UFSC, Florianópolis, Brazil)
* M.A. in Translation Studies (University of Heidelberg, Germany)
* Ph.D. in Translation Studies/Dance Studies (UFSC, Brazil / FU Berlin, Germany)
* Certifications in Pedagogical Training from *mehr als lernen e.V.*
* Movement Coach at Joseph Bartz Training
Since 2025, I have been working independently as a dance and movement educator and artist.
As an artist, researcher, coach, and aunt, I am inspired by children, nature, animals, emotions, taking responsibility, and kindness.
I value depth and sustainability, as well as the metaphors life offers.
My values
Joy
I am a passionate trainer and human being. I love working with people and sharing in the joy of movement and discovery, passing it on to others.
Curiosity
I value discovery. In everything we know well, there is still so much that remains unknown to us.
Autonomy
My goal is that you won’t need me forever — but that you’ll be able to integrate your own Creative Body practice into your life independently. All of my offerings are designed to empower your self-agency.
My vision
My work aims to support people in their development and to translate their potential into vitality, expressiveness, and agency. Dance, movement, creativity, and pedagogical and artistic processes are the tools I use to facilitate personal transformation. I am interested in how people learn through movement to become more aware of themselves and their environment. Beyond the purely physical experience, I create spaces where curiosity, creativity, and personal development can be explored. In my work, I encourage people to: Question limiting beliefs Explore new possibilities Develop trust in their own abilities Find their own expression Become available to keep on learning Through my work, I aim to show that personal and artistic development are part of a living process of learning, inquiry, and creation.
Study with me
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