About | Lauren Carnesi Daniels

Lauren Carnesi Daniels is a contemporary choreographer, dance educator, and program director working across diverse training levels and performance contexts, with an emphasis on artistic agency, rigor, and choice.

She works with dancers from introductory contemporary training through pre-professional preparation, as well as in performance-driven choreographic settings, guiding movement that is intentional, grounded, and responsive. Her work prioritizes decision-making, cause and effect, and the development of artists who understand not only what they are doing, but why.

Philosophy

Daniels’ work investigates the mechanics of contemporary movement and the decisions that give it meaning.
Through both choreography and teaching, she asks dancers to inhabit movement with intention, presence, and responsibility, sustaining that commitment under physical and performative demand.

Rather than training dancers to replicate shapes, her teaching and choreography cultivate awareness, accountability, and specificity, allowing movement to remain adaptable, articulate, and alive across styles and performance contexts.

In Practice

As a choreographer, Daniels creates physically demanding work that values stamina, risk, and precision. Her choreography is crafted in response to the dancers involved, allowing structure and individuality to coexist without compromising clarity or intention.

As an educator and program director, she works across a broad range of training environments, focusing on technical organization, compositional understanding, and artistic ownership. Her teaching supports dancers in building sustainable movement practices that translate across classrooms, stages, and professional pathways.

Selected Experience

Program Director & Contemporary Director, Pre-Professional Program — Dance Academy of Loudoun
Artistic Director & Lead Choreographer, Harford Dance Theatre’s Kinetic Canvas Series (11 full-length contemporary productions; 10+ years)
Founder & Artistic Director, InvisibleWings Dance Project
Commissioned Choreographer, Shenandoah Conservatory — Reflections
Lead Choreographer, E-Street Dance Academy

Work presented in NYC (Manhattan Movement & Arts Center; City Center Studios); Washington, DC (Jack Guidone Theater); Chicago (Athenaeum Theatre); and at Capital Fringe Festival, Hatch Presenting Series (NY), and Maryland Dance Alliance Showcase.

International presentation and touring across England, Greece, Macedonia (Macedonia National Opera & Ballet Theatre), Canada, and Spain.

Awards & Recognition

Youth America Grand Prix — Outstanding Choreographer (2×)
Universal Ballet Competition — Outstanding Choreographer; Outstanding Contemporary Coach
YAGP International Finals — Top-12 and finalist placements; Approach to Cubism — 3rd Place Quartet; invitation to Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow Gala

Education

MS, Arts Administration — Drexel University (Summa Cum Laude)
BFA, Dance Performance & Choreography — Shenandoah Conservatory (Cum Laude; Elizabeth Weil Bergmann Choreography Award)

Working Style

Daniels is known for creating studio environments that are focused, demanding, and collaborative. She values curiosity, accountability, and humor, encouraging dancers to take risks while remaining grounded in structure. Her process is rigorous but human, balancing expectation with support.

Navigation

This site reflects multiple facets of her work.

• For choreographic projects and performance work, visit Choreography
• For teaching philosophy and written training resources, explore Teaching Resources
• For inquiries, residencies, or collaboration, use the Contact page

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Philosophy​​

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