About Martha

Martha Tornay has over 3 decades of intensive classical ballet studies with dance masters such as Mme. Gabriela Darvash, Gretchen Ward Warren and Robert Brassel. She performed as a soloist with regional and international ballet and modern companies including Newport News Ballet (Virginia), Israel Ballet (Tel Aviv), and The Robert Kovich Company (NYC) to name a few. After a rewarding career as a professional dancer, she founded East Village Dance Project (EVDP) in New York City in 1997. The program has been recognized for its innovative approach to dance education, and for offering pre-professional classes to all regardless of financial means. Through a partnership with GOH Productions, she conceived and co-directed The Shell-Shocked Nut, produced and performed at La MaMa Experimental Theater biannually from 2011-2018. In addition
to EVDP programming, she’s taught at New York University’s Experimental Theater Wing and at Bates Dance Festival annually for many years. Along with being a visiting artist at Connecticut College, she is instructing classes for community youth at the Norwich Recreation Department, Broadway Kids and Company, and at
various local dance studios.