03/22/2026
Introducing Founding Executive Artistic Director .laura .thurston.pro ✨
Laura takes care of many of the organization’s ‘behind-the-scenes’ work. She co-produces the annual professional production and produces the Future Artists production. Laura is honored to share the creative choreographic research and development in Still Inspired’s 12th season premiere of OLD. LONG. SINCE. Inspired by Visual Artist ✨
Laura is a Chicago-based dancer, choreographer, educator, & arts administrator with over two decades of experience. She began her formal dance training at Northern Illinois University & later earned a Bachelors in Dance Performance from the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago in 2005.
Laura launched her professional career with Chicago Dance Crash, performing & training with the company for three seasons. She went on to work with Corpo Dance Company, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater, & numerous independent projects. She is a Co-Founder of Piel Morena Contemporary Dance, where she performed both locally & internationally for four seasons. In 2013, Laura co-founded Still Inspired NFP, an interdisciplinary platform connecting dance & 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, & event coordination. Her dedication to the arts extends into education. She has been teaching dance to children, teens, & adults in Chicago & the surrounding suburbs for over 24 years and is currently on faculty at Extensions Dance.
Laura serves as Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Co-Producer of Still Inspired, where she thrives on creative collaboration & the opportunity to support & elevate fellow artists. She is endlessly grateful for the love & encouragement of her husband, Andrew, & her two children, Parker & Clara, who inspire her to continue creating & fostering a more vibrant, inclusive world through the art of dance.
