“soft(er) focus is more than a dance class – Maarika creates a safe and comfortable space where everyone feels welcome to move their bodies and have a good time. even though it was a room full of strangers at first, the whole class was smiling and chatting by the end . it was such a pleasure to include soft(er) focus in the Vancouver Fringe lineup!”
- ERICA BINDER, Artist Services & Community Engagement Coordinator @ Vancouver Fringe
“I felt like I could trust Maarika to not just teach something I’d be able to pick up quickly, but something that was fun & inclusive. Maarika paused in all the right places for us to learn new moves and link it to the last choreography we just learned. She used the funniest and easily understood analogies. Paused for questions. And just generally had a good time while leading us seamlessly. I can’t recommend her enough.” - SHIRA SNEG
"I have been dancing throughout my childhood and have tried to come back to it for years. with soft focus, I finally found my place! maarika is a dedicated teacher who creates beautiful and fun choreography and makes everyone feel comfortable and empowered. no matter how I enter her classes, I always leave with a full heart and a big smile!" -ESTHER HOCHHÄUSER
"I am so grateful to maarika! she has an incredible energy and is very adorable! I always have felt too awkward to go to dance classes but she made me and everyone just relax and enjoy and it was easy to try something new. when she says she aims to bring out “your inner child” she means it. I am excited for the next one." - DANIELLA LANG
“I went to the soft(er) focus “britney” workshop and as a person who doesn’t really dance it was so much fun. maarika was a blast, full of positive energy and was great to do workout and learn some dance moves at the same time. highly recommended.” - PAULA FAY
“maarika's soft(er) focus “britney” dance class was so much fun and good exercise. I loved the inclusive environment, energetic choreography, and positive feedback throughout. I left feeling reenergized and strengthened. maarika brings professionalism and her sweet personality from canada; it is refreshing to have a class like hers in tel aviv! great experience!” - ESTI NOF
“dance has always been my favorite form of exercise, I’ve been doing it for years, and I have to say that soft focus is one of my favorite classes I’ve done! the choreography maarika creates perfectly straddles the line of being complex enough that I feel accomplished when I get it right but not to the point of being too challenging to be fun. I always leave sweaty but refreshed and can’t recommend it enough.” - MICHAL PEER
“I am so glad I found maarika's classes! her classes are so many good things all at once - a chance to work hard and feel yourself grow, a fun way to let loose and a chance to discover things about yourself! maarika has an amazing understanding of how people learn and she makes the class fun and approachable for ALL. her good energy just fills the space. I've been recommending her classes to friends and they've turned into regulars too.”
- MARCIE YOSELEVSKY
“I wouldn't exactly call myself a dancer - but I like to move my body and try new things, and that's exactly what maarika's classes gave me. there were all different types of bodies, levels of dancers in the class, and maarika led in a way that made me feel not only comfortable, but like any move was doable. I can't wait to take another class!”
- HUNTER WEINSHEINK
“maarika's soft focus workshop was great! the choreography was really fun, and once we started mastering the moves, they felt really natural. I still remember the moves that we learnt long after the workshop finished, and I am incorporating them at my dance now. maarika understands that remembering moves in a sequence takes time, and she made sure that we repeated the choreography enough times to make everybody comfortable and focused on adding personality to the moves, rather than just repeating them. looking forward to more workshops!” - KLAUDIA ALONI
"I'm not really into sport. the last time I did something regularly was over 3 years ago. so, after the first 45 minutes I already felt that I had done everything I could and I wondered how I was going to survive another 45 minutes of the dancing part.
but unexpectedly it turned out to be great fun!
I do highly recommend at least trying maarika's class, I promise, you'll enjoy it whether or not you are an experienced sportsperson. and you will really enjoy the way maarika runs the practice. not only are her classes very well planned and conducted highly professionally, she takes the closest attention to the well-being of the participants, adapting the class to their needs and state on the way. maarika is supportive and encouraging in a very delicate and gentle way, without being like: "come on!, you can do it!", so the atmosphere of her classes is really friendly, relaxed and inspiring." - YULIA SOKOLINA
“I attended soft focus and can recommend the classes to anyone who wants to develop coordination and get to understand their body better. I think they are suitable for everybody independent of level of training. it’s a great way to get some movement in a fun way.”
- ZOE SOKHOR
“I partook in maarika's 3rd soft focus dance workshop and it was an incredible experience! I hadn't danced in many years and had been anxiously looking for classes at my level, taught in english. so when I came across the soft focus workshop, I signed up immediately. the workshop is super fun and challenging in addition to being suited for all levels of dance experience. maarika first leads a warm-up which incorporates flexibility and strength training so that we can dance safely and avoid any injury. she then teaches her creative choreography at a reasonable pace, and she makes sure to observe and assist each and every participant. whether you join the entire workshop, or just drop in for a single session, your dopamine levels will skyrocket (in the best way).
I can honestly say that the soft focus workshop exceeded my expectations, and I am looking forward to the next workshop! I highly recommend checking it out!”
- EMMA GROB
"I really enjoyed learning new choreography and dancing to fun music! maarika is a natural teacher, welcoming all levels and covering all the details (including great directions to find the studio!)" - YVONNE COBERT
“maarika’s soft(er) focus workshops merge childhood fantasy and exercise in a way that’s accessible to everyone. simultaneously she makes everyone feel like the star of their own movie while encouraging us to listen to our bodies and showing us how to modify based on our individual needs. I walk out of those workshops with the biggest smile on my face.”
- KATE SCHOENSTADT