Laurie Sefton

Choreographer/Artistic Director/Creative Thinker

Laurie Sefton is an award-winning choreographer, director and creative thinker.  A Los Angeles native and granddaughter of a Cuban immigrant.  She trained with original Lester Horton Company members Elle Johnson and Don Martin and studied Graham, Cunningham, Limon techniques while pursuing her BA in Dance at UCLA.  She has trained with Ronald R. Brown, Kai Ganado, Matt Mattox and Ido Tadmor.  Laurie’s choreographic works focus on conveying complex ideas and that impact our daily lives, emotionally and intellectually. Each of her works is created with a different and alternate process and perspective, and it is often said of her work that no two look alike.  She founded her own company in 1989 and has created over 30 choreographic works which have been performed in Germany, Poland and throughout the USA.  Her work extends beyond the stage to short films, VR360 and site-specific works.  Ms. Sefton is known for her collaborations with composers including Erika Poh, Mark Hadley, Victoria Vasta, Philip Gompartz, Emer Kinsella, spoken word artists and hip hop poet Jason Chu and her long-time collaborator Bryan Curt Kostors

During the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic Laurie rebranded her company from Clairobscur Dance to Laurie Sefton Creates.  While Clairobscur still embodies many of her artistic tenets, Laurie Sefton Creates more fully embodies the range of her current projects.

In 2020, Laurie began work on two technology projects: an app (that brings together music and visual artists to offer a unique experience for users), an online platform for co-watching (both projects are currently the various stages of development and pitching);  she created an interactive choreographic work for audience members in their cars; produced two short dance films; and worked with a coalition of LA Dance Companies to bring funding and political clout to the community of over 350 performing dance entities.  Her dance films Breathe (a short dance film documentary) and Requiem for Air and Normalcy, (originally performed as part of a live stream event produced by The Ghost Road Company and Warsaw Bauhaus under the auspices of Aurea Porta Friends of Arts Foundation) are available for viewing thru our website.

Press Quotes:

“Sefton has long been one of Los Angeles’ most talented choreographers, and with her two new works, Supremacy Ride and Triptych: Experience in Defiance, she has raised the bar for other companies in this town.”

“… beautiful artistry … extraordinary choreography and dancing… intricate choreography…”

Jeff Slayton, LA Dance Chroncile and See Dance

“a tour-de-force not to be missed by Los Angeles-area dance aficionados….the choreography was innovative, compelling and accessible…”

            Vanessa Adelmann, Setting the Dancer Within Free