Mari Kai Juras, a native of the Pacific Northwest, received her young training at Portland Youth Ballet with Chris & Lynn Tabor and under the early tutelage of Diane Zink and Tresa Cooper. Mari’s professional training includes Ballet Austin, Texas and Alonzo King Lines Ballet Training Program, San Francisco. She continues to expand her dance knowledge working with local dance companies, Skinner|kirk Dance Ensemble and Eowyn Emerald and Dancers. In August 2016, Mari performed at the 2016 International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mari began her teaching career under the Pedagogy program in Austin, Texas under Ballet Austin. After completing the program she continued to teach for Ballet Austin in the studio and in their outreach program. When living in San Francisco, she joined the Alonzo King LINES Ballet outreach program, traveling to local schools to teach ballet and contemporary. Since moving back to Oregon she continues to teach at many studios; working with students of various ages, covering creative movement to adult classes in Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Contemporary.
Mari has performed original works by Uri Sands, Iratxe Ansa, Lauren Edson, Katie Faulkner, Gregory Dawson, Banning Bouldin and Yoshito Sakuraba. Additional experiences include Launch with Northwest Dance Project, Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Lemon Sponge Cake.