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LAURA MENDES

Belo Horizonte- MG, Brazil

Company member since 2023

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Laura Mendez is originally from Brazil and graduated from the Joffrey Ballet School on a merit scholarship. During her training, she worked with choreographers including Greg Lau, Omar Roman, Antonia Franceschi, and Yin Yue. She also spent summers attending programs such as Nederlands Dans Theater, Orsolina28 with Ohad Naharin, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in creation with Adam McGaw and James Gregg, Springboard with Jermaine Spivey and Spenser Theberge, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, and GALLIM.

 

Laura began her professional career in New York as a company member and Rehearsal Assistant with the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group for two seasons. While there, she assisted Bradley Shelver on his new work with Graham II. Her time in Europe included performing full works and excerpts by Paxton Ricketts, Crystal Pite, Jiří Kylián, and Hofesh Shechter.

 

Since joining Visceral Dance Chicago three years ago, Laura has performed works by Shannon Alvis, Roderick George, Marco Palomino, and taken on the lead role of Carmen by Gustavo Ramírez.

 

In commercial work, she has appeared as the lead dancer in a Pantene curly hair campaign and for the fashion brand FarmRio. She also performed with the cast of Hamilton at Playbill Pride in Times Square.