Meet Marie Spieldenner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marie Spieldenner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marie, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success has to be my authenticity. Over the last 8 years of living in Los Angeles, I have had to not only physically grow up (from fresh 18 years old to my present age) but also emotionally evolve how I want to move through this world. Within my industry I have become close to incredibly influential outlets and I feel a sense of responsibility to be as honest and true to my purest form of self. If I can share my art from my most authentic state, maybe it can help the artists around me chose to do the same. I take pride in honest communication as well as holding space for other artist’s truths. I love collaboration and I believe it takes vulnerability from both sides of the project. If I can make another artist feel safe enough to share their heart than my job is complete. No matter what the platform is, you will see authenticity first within all of my artistic displays.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love that my whole job as a dancer/choreographer is storytelling. From creating visuals of my own, to working with an artist, everyone has a story to tell. I love building worlds based off of the lyrics in a song. As a child, my Imagination was my favorite friend to play with. Now, I get paid to be co-partners with my Imagination and build new worlds every day.

I started working professionally at 17 years old and haven’t stopped since. When you combine passion with work, things can be very difficult. I am choosing to be vulnerable with my art but I also have to be guarded in regards to how I run my business. I find those two parts of myself can feel like a tricky balancing act. I believe I overcame most of my challenges when I learned early on that there will always be some sort of challenge. Life will always find a way to produce an obstacle. The flow has to come from within in order to be unphased by said, “obstacle.” I have also worked very hard at building a strong and healthy trust muscle within myself. Somehow everything always works out. I believe that to my core so not much phases me during the chaotic moments within the industry. It was not easy builidng that trust muscle stamina, but through life experiences both inside and out of the studio, I have had the chance to discover who I am and how I want to move through this world. Even in that statement, I recognize my views could change at any moment because there will always be some sort of obstacle.

If I had to explain myself in three statements to help the world understand my brand, I would express that I am in a constant state of practicing authentic presence; I am happily, forever a student; and my current goal is learning to love my mistakes. The commercial industry can feel superficial from the outside, but more times than not, I tend to meet like-minded individuals. Nothing feels better than working with a team of artists that all believe they have the power to make magic come to life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
On Monday, I would start by taking them out of California for the day, and head to Santa Barbara to hang in the Montecito Hot Springs. I love going on.a random week day, when no one else is around. We’d cruise up the coast and hang out there during the morning/mid-day. After, we’d grab fish & chips and a cold beer with a view at Padaro Beach Grill on our way back down to LA. On Tuesday, I would venture to Little Tokyo, where we would spend our day thrifiting and eating delicious Japanese cuisine. My favorite spot is the 100+ years old Mochi shop, Fugetsu-Do Confectionary. If this is one of my hiking friends, then on Wednesday I would spend a day in the San Gabriel Mountains and hike Mt. Baldy with them. Maybe we would bring some left over mochi from the day before to enjoy on top of the peak. My favorite snacks are mountain snacks; they just taste so much more special with a view like that. Of course, on Thursday we would spend the evening at the NoHo Food Truck Collection in the park on Magnolia Boulevard. Such a fun thing to do when the summer nights are all glowy and warm. On Fridays, I teach in the morning in Glassell Park, but after I love going to Bub and Grandma’s right next door and smacking down on one of their delicious Cauliflower Cheddar sandwiches. I also love Verdugo Bar right across the street. Affordable drinks, bomb food, and there tends to be a DJ every time I am there, so maybe that’s how we’d spend the evening. If we didn’t want the night to end, then I would suggest the rest of the night roaming around East LA; I love hitting a step on the dance floor at Tenants of the Trees. Of course, with a Friday evening like that, that means Saturday is recovery day. When I have a slow day, I love going to Valley Skate park in Burbank to sit in the grass and watch the skateboarders. There’s just enough shade from the trees where you still feel the sun but you don’t get scorched, and it’s fun watching both novice and advanced skateboarders shred. Sunday would be for the Studio City farmers market (gotta get my fresh veggies and seamoss) and then a night at Le Petit Ermitage where my dear friend has a Jazz show called The Tyler Hammond Jazz Experience. The show is out of this world and the bar itself is so darling. This would be a dream week for me!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to thank all of the beautiful mentors that I have crossed paths with during this life journey of mine. You know who you are. Thank you for believing in me before I believed in myself. I am me, because of all of you.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariespieldenner?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Image Credits
(1st picture): Photo of Marie assisting on set of ON Running Commercial – Photo Credit: Katie Prinz @ktprinz (Picture in purple sweats with “Oak Room” on the wall) Photo of Marie teaching a dance class – Photo Credit: Anaiah Simons @papayashotthis (All other portraits): Self Portraits – Photo Credit: Zachary Kemper @zaacchk