Across the Ages Dance Project was founded in 2011 by dancers Eliza Mallouk and Marcie Mitler. Eliza and Marcie found in each other a shared passion for dance, having both returned to the studio after much life, motherhood, and active careers outside of dance. From their friendship and a from desire to open up performance opportunities for themselves and others, a vision of an intergenerational performance series was born. Their vision would bring together dancers of all ages, from all walks of life, and dance training, to move and perform together.  As compatriots and dance partners, their friendship fed this passion for the art form and a delight in the process of creating, producing, and performing in this diverse community of movers. Their blend of organizational skills, network building, coupled with a thirst to immerse themselves in the Boston dance scene enabled them to take the leap from vision to creation of Across the Ages Dance.

Eliza Mallouk discovered her passion for modern dance in 2005 when she took her first class “Intro to Modern” with Jody Weber. Eliza has performed in works by Caitlin Corbett, Danny McCusker, Joan Green and Audra Carabetta.  She is also a member of The Elder’s Ensemble of Prometheus Dance under the direction of Diane Arvanites and Tommy Neblett. Since 1976, Eliza continues to have a private practice in therapeutic bodywork which includes several modalities including massage therapy, Zero Balancing, Alexander Technique and Self Regulaltion Therapy (SRT), all aimed to help her clients heal from musculo-skeletal pain conditions as well as physical and emotional trauma. She is a founding member of Cambridge Health Associates, an holistic health center in Cambridge since 1985. Eliza was on the faculty of The American Dance Festival (1979-1981) where she taught massage therapy and the Alexander Technique. She was also on the faculty of the Muscular Therapy Institute from 1979-2000, training students to be professional massage therapists. Eliza has completed the Actor's Secret training with Betsy Polatin and teaches the Alexander Technique at Boston Conservatory under the direction of Debi Adams. For more info: www.cambridgehealthassociates.com

Marcie Mitler was a professional dancer until 1984, when she went into labor in ballet class. The maternity leave lasted 23 years, during which she did NOT do a single plie and became a practicing psycho-therapist, specializing in trauma, abuse and incest. When she noticed her sons were 18 & 22, she found her way back into a dance class and was thrilled to find that her love of movement had not waned: it was in fact right where she had left it. In addition to being a beautiful dancer, Marcie was a great connector of people and communities. She had a deep and abiding devotion to her values of community-building within and beyond the dance community, supported the complex nature of dancers' personal and professional lives, and ideally would support dance for generations to come. 

The June 2016 show, titled Honor, was a dedication to Marcie who died on February 18, 2016. Marcie knew how to uplift others with her positive attitude, infectious and easy humor and thoughtful advice. Her joyful spirit continues to inspire all of us who danced with her and the entire community of Across The Ages Dance.