Lauri Stallings is a contemporary dancemaker interested in the research of movement and its adherent ability to develop human potential. Unlike most professional ballet dancers, Stallings did not attend a professional school affiliated with a company. Rather, her formal studies were at Pofahl Studios in her hometown of Gainesville, Florida, followed by Point Park University in Pittsburgh, under the tutelage of Roberto Munoz.

Stallings began her performance career at Cleveland San Jose Ballet, devoting her early dance career to the classical and neo-classical works of such choreographers as Petipa, Balanchine, and Bournonville. She broadened her performance repertoire at Canada’s Ballet British Columbia, where she performed creations by such contemporary choreographers as Mark Godden, James Kudelka, and Jean Grande Maitre. At Ballet BC, Stallings was presented with her first occasion to choreograph a solo in BBC’s Boy Wonder. Stallings returned to the United States to dance the final five years of her performance career with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Her first solo commission, Moody Hollow, garnered Stallings several awards, including Chicagoan of the Year and the Ruth Page Award.

In just three seasons as a full-time dancemaker, Stallings has compiled a substantial body of work. Commissioned works include Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Vail and Hong Kong International Dance Festival, ABT II, Dutch National Ballet Project, SUNY/Purchase, American Repertory Ballet, and Atlanta Ballet, where she just completed a three year Choreographic Residency.

Stallings’ work explores connections of emotion and form through highly physical and emotional essays. Several of her works have reflected a creative engagement with other art forms, most
recently Big, a multi-disciplinary work in collaboration with Big Boi of the world hip-hop duo Outkast. Stallings has choreographed for the Tony award winning Alliance Theatre, and was in the original movement research team for Julie Taymor’s highly acclaimed film, Across the Universe. She also has an ongoing creative partnership with Cirque de Soleil.

Stallings is the recipient of a Driehaus Foundation grant and an IAC Fellowship.