Lauren Curley ’14 was named Private/Professional Dance Educator of the Year by the Utah Dance Education Organization this past October and has been a member of Repertory Dance Theatre since 2014.
The pieces Lauren performed and the guidance she received from Hartt faculty has propelled her into a successful dance career. Lauren said, “I would not be where I am in my professional career today without the education and mentorship I received while at Hartt. At the recommendation of my Limón technique professor Nina Watt, I auditioned for Repertory Dance Theatre (the nation's oldest modern dance repertory company, based in Utah for the past 55 years) and received a full-time contract with the company the day after I graduated.”
Lauren has been dancing professionally with RDT for the past seven years, and has toured throughout the United States with the company. In addition to performing, she also works with the state wide public school system to provide educational outreach services. “The dance education classes I took at Hartt have been a huge help throughout my professional career,” she continued.
When thinking back to what factors her and her family considered while choosing UHart, Lauren was impressed with the quality of the performance, but even more so with the sense of camaraderie amongst the students. The program seemed like a place that would both nurture and push her.
It was this welcoming and collaborative community that made Lauren’s time at Hartt productive artistically. She had many opportunities to collaborate with different departments including performing as a dancer in the Hartt Opera Theatre’s production of Hansel and Gretel, taking jazz classes with music theatre majors, and working with a Jazz musician for her senior composition class. “I had many wonderful experiences working with other bright, motivated artists,” she said.
There are so few dance programs that provide such a rich history of classical techniques and repertory, and while I hadn't considered that when deciding on colleges it has helped me immensely in my professional career. The quality of the education here is astounding and the individual attention you receive is a huge asset to the program.
Faculty mentorship at The Hartt School is something that has stuck with Lauren well beyond her time in college. Stephen Pier, artistic director of Hartt Dance, has continuously reached out over the years to check in, share ideas, and provide advice or insight. Lauren has also maintained a working relationship with Nina Watt, who she has had the immense fortune of continuing to work with and learn from. “Nina has offered me so much advice and taught me so much about what makes a good performer and educator. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet her at Hartt, along with the many other talented and generous faculty in the dance division.”
While at Hartt, Lauren had the opportunity to perform pieces of choreography that are iconic pieces of ballet and modern dance history. “There are so few dance programs that provide such a rich history of classical techniques and repertory, and while I hadn’t considered that when deciding on colleges it has helped me immensely in my professional career. The quality of the education here is astounding and the individual attention you receive is a huge asset to the program,” said Lauren. “Hartt provided me with all of the tools and guidance that I needed to begin my career as a professional dancer and educator and made friendships that have lasted to this day.”
Advice Lauren has for students majoring in dance, “There is so much that you can learn from every single faculty member! Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for guidance. Each and every person truly wants you to succeed and will tell you in an honest and encouraging way what you can do to get there. You’ll have to work harder than you thought was possible throughout your four years, but the end result could not be more worth it.”