Lauren Cox: The Journey from Freelance Dancer to Jazz Professor

“Dance has always been something I have gravitated to, to understand the world around me.”

In this episode we speak with Lauren Cox. We discuss what inspired her to begin a career in commercial dance, how she built a schedule as a freelance dance artist, and cultivating healthy relationships in the field. We also talk about her transition from freelance artist to jazz professor.

About Lauren: Lauren is an accomplished poet, story-teller, and professor of Jazz Dance at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from San Francisco State University. Lauren has been on faculty at Joffrey Ballet School Jazz & Contemporary, The Ailey School Junior Division, and the co-creator and lead choreographer for Kaimera Productions’ SPACES. Her choreography has been commissioned by many institutions such as LaGuardia Performing Arts Center and Harlem Arts Festival. As a professional performer, she has taken part in a wide variety of commercial and contemporary works both live and on television.