Marie Stinnett has successfully brought the joy of dance into the lives of aspiring professional and amateur dancers for 52 years.

As a professional performer and former member of SEG/SAG and AGVA, Marie enjoyed a career dancing on stage and screen. In movies she worked with Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, John Wayne, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly, Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae. On television she was a regular on “The Ozzie and Harriet Show”. In 1955, Marie performed with Wanda Smith and the Cover Girls at the El Rancho Vegas.

Marie’s influence on the performing arts includes a 10 year affiliation with the American Musical Theater. She performed the role of Gladys in “The Pajama Game” and Nellie Forbush in “South Pacific”. As a resident choreographer, she choreographed Ken Berry in “George M”, JoAnn Worley in “Gypsy”, and assisted Tommy Tune in “Seesaw”. In 1996 she was choreographer for “Lying Eyes”, an NBC Movie of the Week.

Marie also acted as performance coach to the Santa Clara Aquamaids. On the international scene, she had the honor of coaching Brian Boitano in showmanship and upper body movement for the 1988 Olympics.

For 10 years, Marie has taught dance for the American Musical Theater of San Jose in their highly acclaimed Theater Artists Institute; an intensive program designed for aspiring professional performers. Currently, she is on the staff of a joint project for Broadway By The Bay and Notre Dame De Namur University Musical Theater Conservatory.