Laura Thurston is a Chicago-based dancer, choreographer, educator, and arts administrator with over two decades of experience in the field. She began her formal dance training at Northern Dance Theatre of Northern Illinois University and later earned a BA in Dance Performance from the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago in 2005.
Laura launched her professional career with Chicago Dance Crash, performing and training with the company for three seasons. She went on to work with Corpo Dance Company, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater, and numerous independent projects throughout Chicago. She is a Co-Founder of Piel Morena Contemporary Dance, where she performed both locally and internationally for four seasons. In 2013, Laura co-founded Still Inspired NFP, an interdisciplinary platform connecting dance and visual art.
Since 2009, Laura has worked in arts administration, developing a wide-ranging skill set that includes public relations, grant writing, fundraising, data management, accounting, and event coordination. Her dedication to the arts extends into education. She has been teaching dance to children, teens, and adults in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs for over 23 years. She is passionate about helping students grow as individuals and as artists.
Currently, Laura serves as Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Co-Producer of Still Inspired, where she thrives on creative collaboration and the opportunity to support and elevate fellow artists. She is endlessly grateful for the love and encouragement of her husband, Andrew, and her two children, Parker and Clara, who inspire her to continue creating and fostering a more vibrant, inclusive world through the art of dance.