Lauren Christina Slater grew up and trained in sunny Encinitas, CA., studying dance and theater with Janice Lee, Carol Mead, Jean Isaacs, Faith Jensen-Ismay, Tom Hansen, Currie Peterson, and Sue Gilson. Beginning at age 10, she attended pre-professional training programs on scholarship at The Kirov Academy, BalletMet and Pennsylvania Ballet’s Rock School, where she was also a trainee.
Obsessed with movie musicals of the 1930s-1960s, Lauren loved the expression and glamour of a performers life. The lure of LA led her to work as a professional Rave dancer, sponsored by JNCO Jeans, for almost two years. This opened up her mind of what a dance career could look like, exposing her to the worlds of club, drag and burlesque. Concurrently, Lauren graduated from UCSB with a degree in Dance and Kinesiology.
She then moved to Europe, where she performed works of William Forsythe with members of the Frankfort Ballet, as well as working with post-modern artist Anne Therese de Keersmaeker. After moving to San Francisco, Lauren was a founding member of the contemporary company LEVYdance, as well as dancing for Larry Kegwin, Monica Bill Barnes, Christopher Pilafian, Abigail Munn, Capacitor, and Monique Jenkinson (Fauxnique). She moved to Seattle with her husband Doug Major in September 2018 and is honored to be dancing with the great artists of the House of Verlaine.
Photo by Mark Coffin