Episode 45: Laura Victoria Ward

Laura Victoria Ward is in the studio this month! She is a choreographer, somatic movement educator, musician, painter, performer, and maximalist artist. Her work intersects with ballet, theater, geometry, punk rock, and self-acceptance. And she’s so talented at all of it!She is the artistic director of Octavia Cup Dance Theatre, a contemporary ballet company known for creating surreal, expressionistic works that push beyond traditional ballet vocabulary while still remaining in conversation with it. She’s also a movement analyst and a somatic movement educator.Laura’s work makes space for contradiction, experimentation and complexity through the structure of ballet and the joy of improvisation. We discussed what belonging looks like in dance, and why some of her work wasn’t initially well received by audiences and how she pushed past it to create meaningful work that resonates. She also gave advice about connecting with mentors, collaboration and doing work you believe in. Check out our conversation!Learn more about Octavia Cup Dance Theatre: https://www.youtube.com/user/octaviacup?app=desktopLearn more about Laura: www.lauravward.net Check out her somatic movement work: https://www.youtube.com/@SOMATICSwithLauraVWardFollow Laura on Instagram: @lauravictoriawardSubscribe to The Adult Ballet Studio on YouTube: @adultballetstudioMusic in this episode:Waltz of the Flowers - TchaikovskyBarroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeodBarroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310Artist: http://incompetech.com/@eblosfield  | theadultballetstudio@gmail.comSupport this podcast on Patreon! https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.