Teacher Spotlight: Laura Bailey

Miss Laura is an absolute favorite of our students! From choreographing solos for competition with our Dance Company to teaching ballet and contemporary lyrical to our tiniest dancers, Miss Laura inspiries us with her constant positivity, all while maintaining the busy schedule of a professional dancer in NYC. Read below to find out more!

1. How long have you been teaching at Garden Street? About two years.

2. What classes do you teach at Garden Street? Ballet, Contemporary/Lyrical, and Acro.

3. Where do you draw inspiration from when choreographing? Many places - But mostly from people. How humans react, behave, succeed and fail are all wonderful platforms to create from.

4. What is your favorite thing about the students at Garden Street? Their character, passion and their kindness towards each other.

5. Where are you from and why did you move to the area? I'm originally from Australia. I moved to New York in 2012 to pursue the American dance culture and its artistic community.

6. What initially drew you to dance? The ability to move your body and connect to the music. Also the challenge; I've always liked things that are hard and present a challenge; it helps build character and forces you to grow.

7. What advice do you have for your dance students? Talent grows from sacrifice; The ones who work hard, who practice everyday (even when inspiration is lacking or when they are too tired) those who seek to invest in challenging themselves, in extending their branches out into new opportunities - They are the ones who will find greatness. Also, keep believing in yourself. You are capable of everything.

8. Where do you perform as a dancer? I dance at New York City Center and recently Performed with The Twyla Tharp dance ensemble in a piece called the "One Hundreds" at the River to River Festival.

9. What would you do if you were not a dancer? I'm not sure.. But I would stay in the arts, the creative - artistic world.

10. What is one interesting or unexpected fact about you that most students do not know?

I still own a little pony called Jolly that I learnt to ride on as a kid. He is a part of our family in Australia and is about 80 years old in human years.