Dean, Laura, 1945-

Laura Dean (b. 1945) is an American choreographer and composer. After her graduation from the High School of Performing Arts in New York, she became a member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. In 1972, she established her own company, Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians, where she created the choreography for forty works, and in most instances, created the music as well. A number of Dean's pieces were also accompanied by the music of Steve Reich. She received commissions for new works from the American Dance Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Het Muziektheater, Walker Art Center, Hansher Auditorium, the Hopkins Center, and the Avignon Festival. Dean was also commissioned to create works for the Royal Danish Ballet, the New York City Ballet, the Frankfurt Ballet, the Ohio Ballet, and the Joffrey Ballet. She created works for professional skating companies including the John Curry Skaters, the Next Ice Age, and the Ice Theater of New York. She created works for modern dance companies including the Bat-Dor Dance Company of Israel, the Concert Dance Company of Boston, Repertory Dance Theatre, and the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. Dean continued to create works for her own company until 2000. She received the Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of her accomplishments as a choreographer and composer in 2008.