Marina Wolf Ahmad

founder, director, Big Moves Dance Co.

Meet Marina Wolf Ahmad, a big woman with an even bigger vision for the future of dance. Marina is the director and founder of Big Moves, one of the only organizations in the world dedicated to getting all body types into the dance studio and onto the stage. By the Spring of 2001, Big Moves had produced it's first show, Bodies in Motion, a modern showcase which featured both original works created for Big Moves and pieces performed by guest artists from other companies. The overall reception of Big Moves in San Francisco was positive, and Marina found that the majority of the dance community understood the need for more size acceptance and diversity. Big Moves continued to expand in California, and when Marina moved to Boston in 2004, she brought Big Moves with her to the east coast. Big Moves hit the ground running in Boston focusing on more popular dance styles such as hip-hop, jazz, musical theater, and belly dance, while also incorporating performance styles such as spoken word and comedy. Their first east coast performance took place in Cambridge, Massachusetts during the spring of 2005.