Communing Dance in Skool | Lauren Ashlee Messina
For far too long, the word “community” has been tossed around as a trendy buzzword, often diluted by vague interpretations and overuse, particularly in the world of dance. Add “online” to the mix, and we’re left navigating an even murkier sea of meaning. What does community really mean in the context of dance, and how can it be effectively cultivated in the digital age?
At the helm of Skool Dance is none other than Lauren Ashlee Messina, a trailblazing choreographer and passionate advocate for dance and connection. Lauren is a Big Easy Award-winning choreographer with a storied career spanning multiple dimensions of dance—performance, choreography, mentorship, and community-building. As the founder of Skool Dance, Lauren has reimagined what it means to create an online dance community. Her mission is to foster meaningful movement experiences that inspire empathy, transformation, and collaboration across disciplines.
In this episode, we unpack Lauren’s journey of building Skool Dance, the lessons she’s learned in fostering a vibrant online dance community, and her vision for the future. Along the way, we explore the essence of community itself and how dance can serve as a bridge between people in a rapidly evolving digital world. Welcome to Episode 6 of Season 3, Communing Dance in Skool.
Soundtracks:
- Birds - Tyler Twombly
- Poison Ivy Yard Work - Uncle Milk
- Beyond the time - Main 7425
Like our offers?
- S2 Summer SALE!
- Check out our new Dance Masterclass YouTube review
- Sign up for Dance Masterclass
- Choreographing Your Dance Career by Janaea Rose Lyn
- Try Nord VPN
Like what we do? Help us grow by
- Visiting The Background Dancer
- YouTube Channel
- Rate and review here
- Email me at backgrounddancer.jy@gmail.com
- Answer a survey
- Sign up here to receive future updates
- Leave a thought on Facebook and Instagram
- Join the Facebook group and introduce yourself as a member of our community
Lauren Ashlee Messina
Lauren Ashlee Messina is a mover, maker, and mentor, fascinated by the medium of dance. Messina holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance degree from Belhaven University and additional dance training from the Ailey School Professional Division of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where she received the Oprah Winfrey Foundation Scholarship Award. Messina has further developed her performance and choreographic artistry in the Greater New Orleans area in collaboration with the Marigny Opera Ballet, KM Dance Project, the New Orleans Opera, and ELLEvate Dance Company. Her choreography has been performed at the New York Jazz Choreography Project, the 92nd Street Y, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, and the Mississippi Museum of Art. Messina is a participant in the pilot program Moving Toward Justice Open Workshop at Gibney Dance.
