About Laila

Laila J. Franklin (she/they) is a freelance multidisciplinary dance artist based in Boston, MA, by way of Washington, DC. Featured as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” (2024), Laila’s work is interested in meta-commentary, deconstruction, and bits, approaching themes surrounding the human experience with complexity, nuance, curiosity, and humor. Her work has been commissioned by Brown University, Salem State University, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and Urbanity Dance Company, and shared through Public Space One (IA), Sideways Door Festival (MA), Cotuit Dance Festival (MA), Brooklyn Art Haus (NY), School of Contemporary Dance and Thought (MA), Movement Research at The Judson Church (NY), Philadelphia Fringe Festival (PA) and Motion State Arts (RI). Her performance credits include projects with Miguel Gutierrez, Stephanie Miracle, Melinda Jean Myers and Michael Figueroa’s Ruckus Dance. In addition to choreography and performance, Laila also regularly facilitates community dance classes, workshops, and lectures in the Greater Boston Area. This will be Laila’s fifth year at the Bates Dance Festival, and their third serving on the YDI Mentorship team!

Laila holds an MFA from the University of Iowa, a BFA from The Boston Conservatory, and is a proud alumna of Duke Ellington School of the Arts. When Laila is not making dances, she is making coffee. When she is not making coffee, she is hanging out with her cat, Roberta.