Born in Cyprus, Maria Hassabi moved to New York in 1994 after earning a B.F.A. from California Institute of the Arts. Her dance studies included Cunningham and Alexander techniques, as well as improvisation. Hassabi has performed with choreographers Jeremy Nelson, Luis Lara and Wil Swanson, among others. In 1998, she joined ChameckiLerner Dance Company with whom she created five original works. Her own choreography has been presented by Dance Theater Workshop, Dixon Place, P.S. 122, The Kitchen, Danspace Project and P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center. Internationally, Hassabi’s work has been seen in Athens, Greece, as well as at the Sarajevo Biennale of Young Artists and at the Fringe Festival in Tomar, Portugal.