MA
Laila J. Franklin is a multidisciplinary dance artist based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her work explores kinetic imagination through the juxtaposition of virtuosic and intimate performances. She is interested in meta-commentary, deconstruction, and bits, approaching themes surrounding the human experience with complexity, nuance, curiosity, and humor. Her work extends from lineages of traditional and experimental Black, queer dance makers, with a particular interest in the collision of postmodernist creation frameworks and story ballet.
Laila’s work has been presented by Public Space One (IA), Loculus Collective Sideways Door II Festival (MA), Movement Research at The Judson Church (NY), School of Contemporary Dance and Thought (MA), and commissioned by Brown University (RI) and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee (MA). She has been the recipient of multiple research and performance residencies through the Boston Center for the Arts - Run of the Mills Residency (2022), Dancemakers Laboratory (2022/23), and Boston Dancemakers Residency (2023/24). While completing her MFA, Laila was an Iowa Arts Fellow (2019-2021), and post-MFA, she served as a Dance/USA Archiving and Preservation Fellow (2023) to Jennifer Harge/HargeDanceStories in Detroit, MI.
Laila’s performance credits include projects with Ruckus Dance (MA), Haus of Pvmnt (NY), Miguel Gutierrez, Dr. Christopher-Rasheem McMillan, Jennifer Kayle, Melinda Jean Myers, and Stephanie Miracle. While an undergraduate student, Laila had the opportunity to perform as a featured dancer in works by Keith Thompson, Aszure Barton, and Mark Morris.
Laila has been working as a teaching artist since 2018, teaching community class series' in the Greater Boston Area through Midday Movement Series and VLA Dance. She has served as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa and was a Visiting Lecturer in Music and Dance at Salem State University (MA). She also serves as a consultant and collaborator for social justice education projects and programming for Midday Movement Series.
Laila holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa, and a BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance from The Boston Conservatory. She is a proud alumna of the dance department of Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DC). She has completed additional training through the Trinity Laban Conservatoire (LDN), the Lion's Jaw Dance and Performance Festival (MA), Movement Research (NY), The Field Center (VT), and the Bates Dance Festival (ME).
Institution/Business Type:
Artist / Creative (Individual)
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
2018
Institution/Business Type:
Artist / Creative (Individual)
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
2018
Primary Discipline:
Dance - Modern / ContemporaryAdditional Disciplines:
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$40 - $1,700Teaching Settings:
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$40 - $1,700NEST Eligible Artist
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The following rates cover one performer Open to flat rates on a case-by-case basis Local (Within the Greater Boston Area) Performance Fee, Per Show: $150 - $300 Per Diem: $60 Travel: $60 Traveling (Outside of the Greater Boston Area) Performance Fee, Per Show: $150 - $300 Per Diem: $60 Travel: $250 Lodging: $125, per dayState of Residence:
MassachusettsMinimum Number of Performers:
1Maximum Number of Performers:
13