Bloomington, Indiana native Mariesha Garner brings over 20 years of professional experience as a dancer, choreographer, and educator across colleges, studios, gyms, public schools, and Christian dance companies. She holds a BFA in Dance from The Ohio State University, with a focus in modern/contemporary performance and education. She and her family of five are recent transplants to the French Valley from the LA/Santa Clarita area. Mariesha has taught or coached a wide range of styles—including hip-hop, funk, street dance, jazz, contemporary, beg-int ballet, musical theater, tumbling, and cheerleading—to students of all ages and levels.

Mariesha has designed hip-hop curricula for K–12 students for the CalArts Community Partnerships and Saugus Union School District and has served as adjunct dance faculty at CSUN, Pomona, and Indiana University.

Her passion for hip-hop runs deep, shaped by her training in funk styles and mentorship from LA legends like Poppin’ Pete, Toni Basil, and Greg Campbellock Jr. In addition to her competitive and professional dance background, Mariesha also has a background working in her former church’s children’s ministry and dance ministry.

In recent years as a new mom, she was inspired by her son’s speech delay, autism diagnosis, and sensory needs. She has developed a growing commitment to advocate for inclusive/adaptive play, dance, and fitness for early childhood development in both typical and ASD children.

Mariesha finds ways to incorporate research-based techniques and therapies into her dance and play classes that are known to support children’s social-emotional, cognitive, physical, and gross motor development.

Mariesha enjoys time with her husband and three little boys and is continuing her advocacy through PLAY and MOVEMENT with soft play rentals, sensory integration, and movement classes through her business Rock With Me Play Rentals and Rock With Me Dance and Play Ent.