Scientist by day, dancer by night, Maia Maiden has been a pillar in the Minnesota dance community for over 20 years. Born and raised in South Minneapolis, she has studied all genres of dance primarily focusing on West African, Hip Hop, and Step. Her passion for cultural representation in the arts has led to the creation of innumerable powerful performances including ROOTED: Hip Hop Choreographers’ Evening, the first and only choreographers’ evening dedicated to Hip Hop dance and its roots in the Twin Cities which showcases high-school level to professional-level choreographers, as well as the multidisciplinary Sistah Solo | Being Brothas, which features solo performances by women and men of color. With sold-out shows since their inception (2009 and 2011, respectively) and on the Minneapolis City Pages A-List (2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014), ROOTED received a Sage Dance Award for Outstanding Performance in 2014. In 2017, Maia Maiden Productions received the Cultural STAR grant and the MRAC Community Arts Grant. In 2018, The McKnight Choreographer Fellowship Program selected Maia Maiden Productions as their International Choreographers Residency Partner. In addition, Maia received the Ordway Sally Award for Initiative and was selected for a Fellowship with Upswell.
