Laura Dean is an American dancer, choreographer and composer. She is known for her collaborations with Steve Reich, a number of commissioned works for the Joffrey Ballet, and works for her own dance companies. Dean's earliest works were marked by a minimalist approach and an affinity for spinning; her later work saw more use of traditional dance methods.
Laura Dean has composed thirty music scores and choreographed one hundred and nine dance works. This includes the choreography for her own dance and music company as well as for ballet companies, ice skating companies, other modern dance companies, student dance companies, The American Indian Dance Theatre and The Aman Folk Ensemble. She has choreographed nine works to the music of Steve Reich with the music played live by Steve Reich and Musicians to five of the works. Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians commissioned Steve Reich for the music SEXTET for Laura Dean's dance IMPACT. Steve Reich and Laura Dean were awarded a Bessie/New York Dance and Performance Award for IMPACT/SEXTET in 1986. Laura Dean's company has performed in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Europe and Eastern Europe. Works for her company have been commissioned by Het Muziektheater, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The American Dance Festival, Walker Art Center, The Holland Festival, The Avignon Festival, Dartmouth College, The Styrian Autumn Festival, Graz, Austria. Dean has created ballets including two works for The Royal Danish Ballet with the first work DELTA with a commissioned orchestral score from the composer Gary Brooker of Procol Harum, The New York City Ballet SPACE with an orchestral score The Four Sections by Steve Reich, eight ballets for The Joffrey Ballet including CREATIVE FORCE with a commissioned score Ray One by John Zeretzke. CREATIVE FORCE was seen in the Robert Altman film The Company. CREATIVE FORCE, as part of the film, was nominated for an American Choreography Award. Dean stopped choreographing and writing music in 2001. As of 2009, Laura Dean, the choreographer/composer, is no longer arranging and allowing restaging/reconstruction projects of her dance and music works. Dean does not allow the teaching of her choreography or music in classes, lectures, panels or in any way whatsoever. The archive of Laura Dean's Papers is located at the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University and includes photographic prints, negatives, slides, clippings, programs, VHS videotapes, and an audio cassette.