maria monakova

Teacher, Choreographer, Musician

​In preparation for an upcoming workshop, teaching The Butterfly, I sought out some background information on lady who created its beautiful choreography and taught it to me - non other than: Maria Monakova.  

We meet online each week along with a number of other percussive dancers, and enjoy each other's company and steps!

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BIO
Maria Monakova is a self-taught dancer and musician living in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.  She plays and sings in a band called "Magic Beans" and loves to create rhythmical patterns on the bodhran.  She learned to play the piano as a child and has transferred some of these skills to the piano accordion.
 
Maria began her journey in dance in 2005 with Irish competitive dancing; she then discovered traditional step dancing and sean-nós improvisation, and ultimately gave her heart to this discipline.  Maria learned her first sean-nós steps from Marian Conneely, Ronan Regan and Emma O'Sullivan when they visited Russia (2011-12); she took lessons from Mick Mulkerrin and Mairead Casey during a later visit to Ireland.  
 
From Maria: 
“My first real sean-nós workshop took place when Marian came to Moscow, by that time I already had a good understanding of Irish dance and my competitive background was of great help, so sliding into this style was a very natural process.”
 
Maria now choreographs her own steps, and her routines are loved by all who see them - around the globe.  She loves to share her work and passion for Irish dance with enthusiasts in her hometown as well as online.  She continues to watch and learn from other percussive styles. 
 
From Maria: 
“I am often asked why I chose a foreign tradition over my own; the answer is a simple one, Irish music stole my heart the very moment I heard it.”  
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Link to Maria's YouTube channel (theselfstarter): click here to view.

Link to The Butterfly, choreographed to the popular tune of the same name, a slip jig in 3 parts, 9/8 time: click here to view.

Link to Annette dancing these steps, close to her home: click here.

Annette loved this dance from the onset and in the summer of 2024, she performed this piece at:

• The Willie Clancy Festival - Co Clare
• Folk LT - Lithuania
• Rencontres Musicales Irlandese - Tocane - France
• Le Grand Bal de l'Europe - aussi / also in France​​

Click here to view Annette & Maria's first joint dance project, filmed near their respective homes.