Laura Baumeister is a freelance movement artist, with a BFA in Modern Dance. They have dedicated much of their independent work to long form improvisational studies in composing movement from a base of imagery, sound scores, environment, and deep feeling. Laura has found that disentangling the brain and personality from how we innately move is a delightfully impossible feat; thus letting them inform and inspire one another lets us explore ourselves and others in an inexplicably profound way. Their most recent projects include, GRIT 2.0 by Maggie Vannucci, an evening length work originally created for the Steppenwolf Lookout Series, and after undergoing a year of deepened research will be re-staged at The Chicago Athletic Association in Summer of 2026. Laura performed as part of an improvisational multi-disciplinary exhibition with movement partner Katlin Bourgeois, created by Brendan Fernandes called The Rite, at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the “City in a Garden” exhibition, spanning from July 2025- March 2026. Laura is currently in residency at The Driehaus Museum for In the Round, an improvisational multi-disciplinary performance curated by Brendan Fernandes. Laura has been part of work for Brendan Fernandes at The Driehaus Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Oxbow School of Art and Artists’ residency, and The Raclin Murphy Museum. Laura participated as a performer and choreographer for Little Fire Artist Collective in November of 2025.They have also performed in works by Jessi Stegall, Noelle Kayser, Robyn Mineko Williams, Sophie Allen, Chih-Jou Cheng for the Chicago Cultural Center Artist Residency and solo work (with a focus on shadow work and puppetry), Rebecca Aneloski (And Artists Company), and Fever Dream Dance Company. They recently premiered an evening length work, Inosculate, as part of a residency at The Driehaus Museum after a nearly two year long process with close friend and collaborator, Jenna Weatherbie. During this residency they also performed an in-process 2-hour durational solo currently titled, Octopus Dance. Laura’s greatest values in movement stem from genuine curiosity, a commitment to the task at hand, and a sense of wonder and humor in collaboration. Laura feels most alive when they are participating in the unexpected moments of magic that come from on the spot choice making and connecting to themselves and others.