Life & Work with Marissa Lee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Lee.

Hi Marissa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was only two years old when I first realized I was supposed to be a dancer. My mother had put on The Nutcracker for my siblings and I to watch, and I instantly found myself learning the dances and trying to be just like the dancers in the performance. My mother, my biggest supporter, knew almost immediately to put me into dance classes, and the rest became a journey to where I am today.

I began my dancing career by taking on ballet, lyrical/contemporary, tap, jazz, pointe, acro and competition hip hop. By 11-year-olds, my gears had shifted, and I had begun to show more interest in hip hop. I started taking more and more classes and frequently found myself enjoying this dance genre and knew I had chosen a path I would stay on for the rest of my life.

I had planned my whole life at a young age, and I never looked back. My dream was to continue to pursue my dancing passion until all my dreams were chased. My eye was on the prize to move to California so I could let my career blossom. However, my mother’s wish was for me to finish school. After attending Houston’s Performing and Visual Arts High School in Houston TX, I attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. I successfully achieved degrees in both dancing and accounting while I was there and even graduated Cum Laude. Once I left, I turned my dreams into a reality and made my way to California. With my bags packed, I went for a whole new state on my own, with the determination to succeed.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No journey is made to be an easy one. I have learned over the years to turn my challenges into achievements by overcoming them and not letting them consume me but teaching me instead.

It was 2012, and I was in high school when my family received a late-night call that my brother was involved in a car accident and had suffered fatal injuries. A drunk driver had hit the vehicle that he was in. As we rushed to the hospital, we were told that the chances of him surviving were slim, but we never gave up hope, and we didn’t stop believing in him to survive this. However, my brother, Brandon, did not survive, and I realized I would never speak to my brother again.

My eyesight has always been an issue for me; I suffer from a disease called Thygeson’s, which is the inflammation of the cornea and can occur when my immune system is low, or I am dealing with stress. Little dots cover my eye and make it incredibly difficult to see, and my vision becomes blurry. Contacts and glasses cannot fix this problem either, and there is no cure for this disease. I usually wear one contact because of it, so when I’m out and about, I can only see clearly out of one eye. It is something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life, but I don’t let it stop me from achieving my goals!

Ever since I was a little girl, I had always been tiny compared to others. However, like most girls, when they hit puberty, my body transformed into the body of a woman. While I was in high school, I was constantly reminded to maintain a specific body image. My dance instructors would point out how “big” I was and informed me about losing weight. When you’re that young, being told that you aren’t good enough based on your weight can be heavy on one’s heart and mental state. Additionally, I have thyroid disease, so it is challenging to manage my weight. However, this has never stopped me from pushing the stereotypes and proving women of all shapes and sizes can make it in a competitive dancing community.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional dancer first. I am trained in numerous dance styles and proudly say jazz, heels, and jazz-funk are my most vital takeaways. Since living in California, I have been given many opportunities to showcase my talent. I have worked with some talented dancers I have ever met and have been grateful for all the experiences I have been given so far. By the second year, I lived in Los Angeles; I booked my first world tour with Lil Baby and saw places and things that I could only dream about. Dancing in front of thousands of people and even inspiring some along the way was a dream come true. I felt as if all the years of practicing and performing were finally paying off.

What sets me apart from others is that I have a drive that will go from 0 to 100 in seconds. I put my career before anything else in my life and continue to push myself not just to be better but to be the best. I easily pick up new routines quickly and progress with each new step with ease. I believe a strong work ethic keeps you on top of yourself, mentally and physically. I am accountable for my actions and am determined beyond belief in myself. I know that I am where I stand today is because I worked for it and will continue to reach for new heights.

What are your plans for the future?
When I look to my future, I am confident that I will continue to dance no matter what is thrown at me. I know there are issues in and out of my control; however, this will not stop me from pushing myself to continue to dance and love what I do. The world is ever-changing at this point, and I hope to make my impact on it still, even though it is no longer the world I once knew.

I want to be a name many people know of. To be a friend and an inspiration to those around me and successfully book more dancing opportunities for myself and continue to grow as not only a dancer but also a woman. I look to every day as waking up and hoping for greatness and giving my all, so I know that I faced this world with my best foot forward. I set my goals high because I know reaching them is impossible.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissa529/

Image Credits:
Wes Klain