Musician. Main instruments: diatonic balafon, kora-harp.
Doctoral researcher at the University of Arts / Sibelius Academy, Helsinki.

Degrees
→ Master of music (Nordic Master of Global Music, University of Arts / Sibelius Academy, Finland, and the Royal Academy of Music, Denmark).
→ Bachelor of Arts / graphic designer (LAB University of Applied Sciences, Finland).
→ Dancer (e.g. Finnish National Opera Ballet Education).

Bio
Having tossed her pointe shoes away for good, Maarika travelled to West Africa to study a different style of dance. In Dakar, Senegal, she was accepted both as a member of a touring dance company, Bakalama de Thionck-Essyl, and as an old-school balafon apprentice, the latter a rare privilege for someone not a member of a local musician family.

Africa is where she grew roots. Ever since those late 90s days, Maarika has been travelling, studying and performing as an internationally touring artist, specialising in West African traditional arts. Her most widely known long-time collaborator was the late kora-harp virtuoso Solo Cissokho (Norway / Senegal). In Finland and Scandinavia, Maarika has acted as both a member and a leader of numerous formations. In 2013, she received an honorary diploma from the Concert Centre of Finland (Konserttikeskus) as recognition of her merits as a touring school concert performer.

Research
Today, Maarika is working in the field of artistic research, aiming to share her time-tested experience and insight with other interculturally inspired artists and art-loving audiences. Click to read more about the Approcreations – doctoral research project.

Bookings
Maarika may be contacted for concerts with varying setups, as well as workshops and private lessons in music and dance.