Laura Osterhaus is a movement artist, educator, and stylist born and raised in Maquoketa, Iowa. Across all modes of creating, she strives to slow down perception of time in order to provide spacious opportunities for human to human connection and expanding self-awareness. Laura’s work focuses on the reality that we are never isolated in our existence but instead always moving through the world in relationship to something, whether one might realize it or not. Osterhaus’s movement training includes Hip-Hop, House, Jazz, contemporary dance from numerous lineages, modern, ballet, ballroom styles, and tap. The expansiveness of her training influences her performance and choreographic aesthetics that heavily lean into musicality, rhythmicity, and sequential articulation of the body.

While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in dance and fashion studies at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Laura had the opportunity to perform the work of modern/contemporary dance choreographers Nora Chipaumire, Gregory Dolbashian, Maurya Kerr, the Martha Graham Dance Company, and Garth Fagan among others. As a member of Zenon Dance Company in Minneapolis 2016-2019, Laura performed the work of choreographers Kyle Abraham, Michelle Boulé, Danny Buraczeski, Sam Kim, Colleen Thomas, and others throughout Minnesota and across the country. Laura received her MFA in Performance and Choreography from Smith College in 2022. During her graduate studies, she had the opportunity to perform in the work of Chris Aiken, Shakia Barron, Sarah Konner, Erin Kouwe, and Chrissy Martin.

Osterhaus has a long-time collaborative relationship with Leila Awadallah and Emma Marlar in their creative trio, Kelvin Wailey, in which they meet to laugh, cry, and make dance for unique spaces. Laura is also the founder and artistic director of Slo Dance Company, working with an ever-evolving group of collaborators to build performance work seeded in Slowness, focused on embracing the process of intimate relationship-building. Laura regularly guest teaches at various locations throughout the Midwest. She has been an instructor at the Zenon Dance School, the Performing Institute of Minnesota, St. Paul Conservatory for the Performing Arts, and the University of Minnesota.

As a freelance performer, she’s been delighted to explore on-screen dance roles as well as the excitement of accompanying music artists in live performance. Laura has been featured in several productions for John Mark Creative, ranging broadly from Sylvan Esso’s music video, PARAD(w/m)E, to performing on stage with Weird Al. Laura currently resides in Brooklyn, New York working as a freelance dancer, choreographer, educator, and product/fashion stylist. She currently performs in dance projects for choreographers Shakia “The Key” Barron and Vanessa Anspaugh.

Photo by Atila Vadoc