USC Cinematic Arts

Marlise began her career as a dancer and choreographer at Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal after completing her degree in Music at the University of Ottawa. New York City was an additional training center for her: at The Alvin Ailey Dance School, The Limón Institute and with Lynn Simonson. She immediately entered the international scene touring Europe and the Middle East with her first dance company, Eviedanse. In 1988, she was recruited to choreograph the Opening Ceremony for Montreal Expos Baseball Team, this marking the beginning of a long series of large scale televised events in her varied career as a choreographer. She went on to do two additional season openers for the Expos and, a few years later, was Choreographer and Assistant to the Artistic Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada. For two years in a row, she designed, directed and choreographed the Opening Ceremonies for The International European Dance Festival. In 2010, Marlise was Associate Director of Choreography of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and a few months later, was Artistic Director for 2010 Canada Day Celebrations. In 2012 she delivered the Opening ceremony for the 2012 FIFA Soccer World Cup which featured Cirque du Soleil, with a cast of 900 local performers.

Marlise is equally at home on television and film sets, formal theatres, outdoor venues, convention centers, big tops and stadiums. Production and theatrical projects include:International Earth Day 2012 (Canada), David Foster Foundation 2011 (Canada), Cafe Diablo(Holland), The Necklace (Canada), The Number 14 (Canada), Grease (Canada) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canada). Residencies have been at Axis Theatre (Canada), The Underground Circus (Canada) and Fontys Arts University (Holland).

As a designer and choreographer, Marlise McCormick is in demand all over the world.