Maia Draper-Reich

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Maia Draper-Reich trained at the Preparatory Dance division of the Peabody Conservatory for 15 years. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Connecticut College with a B.A. in Biological Sciences and Dance, earning Honors in Dance. During her time at Connecticut College, she choreographed her own dance works and danced in choreography by students and Kyle Abraham, Ronald K. Brown, Wendell Cooper, David Dorfman, Faye Driscoll, Rennie Harris, Heidi Henderson, Shawn Hove, Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith, Lisa Race, and Doug Varone. She was awarded the 2015 Jose Limon Award for outstanding ability and artistry in dance and the 2016 Joan Connell Memorial award for outstanding accomplishments and dedication to the field of dance. 

Before moving to Alaska, Maia performed professionally for Carol Bartlett in Baltimore, Maryland, Shawn Hove in Lewiston, Maine, and Ayano Elson in New York City. 

Maia joined Momentum Dance Collective in 2019 and has served on the Leadership Team since 2023. In Anchorage, she has also been a resident artist for Pulse Dance Company’s BLOOM and Freshly Squeezed and is part of Spontaneous Commotion, an improv dance collective. She teaches various dance and movement improvisation classes, including at Momentum Studios. Maia delights in the creative community Momentum fosters where she can create, collaborate, learn, teach, produce, move, and expand as an artist.