Laura West Strawser

Adjunct Faculty
Classical & Contemporary Dance
Erma Lowe Hall

l.west.strawser@tcu.edu | 817-257-7615

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Education

MA, Master of Arts in Theatre, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX – May 2023
BPA, Bachelor’s in Performing Arts in Dance Performance, Cum Laude
Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, OK – May 1999

Courses Taught

DANC Pilates I
DANC Pilates II
DANC Pilates III
DANC Pilates IV
DANC Pilates Practicum III
DANC Pilates Practicum IV
DANC DanceTCU I
DANC Dance TCU II
DANC Directive Studies in Ballet - Musical Theatre Dance
THEA Musical Theatre Dance – Beginning Hip Hop
THEA Musical Theatre Dance – Intermediate Hip Hop

Areas of Focus

Pilates (formerly known as Bodywork), and Musical Theatre Dance

A native of Fort Worth, TX, Laura graduated college Cum Laude from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor’s of Performing Arts in Dance Performance and moved to New York to pursue a successful career in musical theatre. While living in NYC, Laura completed the re:AB® Pilates Comprehensive Teacher Training Program in 2007 under the instruction of Brooke Siler, bestselling author of The Pilates Body, The Pilates Body Kit, and The Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge.  Laura moved back to Fort Worth, and opened her first studio in 2009, which is now Fort Worth Classical Pilates, LLC.

Laura has performed and choreographed for a number of regional theaters like Casa Manana, West Virginia Public Theatre, and Arts Center of Coastal Carolina and National Tours including Crazy for You, Funny Girl, Copacabana, and Hello, Dolly! In 2013 she was nominated for a Column Award for Best Choreography for Theatre Arlington’s production of Altar Boyz. She has staged many more including Will Rogers Follies, The Producers, The Wedding Singer, Funny Girl, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mame, Footloose, Once On This Island, Annie, Nunsense, and Rent. She has also been seen in Singin’ in the Rain at Trump Plaza, and the world-renowned Radio City Christmas Spectacular! She recently graduated from Texas Woman’s University with Master of Arts in Theatre in May 2023 and is now also teaching Musical Theatre Dance for TCU’s Department of Theatre.

Laura began teaching Pilates at the School for Classical and Contemporary Dance at Texas Christian University in 2013 and has served as Rehearsal Director for Jamila Glass with LA Contemporary Dance, Bryn Cohn of BC+A, Stephanie Pizzo with Eisenhower Dance, Adam Barruch of Anatomie Occultii, Elijah Gibson of Social Movement Contemporary Dance, General McArthur Hambrick – Professor at West Virginia University’s School of Theatre and Dance, and Abby Zbikowski of Abby Z and the New Utility. She helped to develop and create the Pilates Teacher Training Program through TCU Extended Education, with its first graduating class in 2020.

Laura also owns, operates, and is the principal instructor at Fort Worth Classical Pilates, LLC, since 2009. She is a member of the Pilates Method Alliance since 2016, a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT) since 2016, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Authentic Pilates Union. In 2015, she hosted the 2015 Fall Classical Pilates Conference – Ft. Worth, TX and in studio workshops with Mari Winsor and The Classical Syllabus® Advanced Teacher Training seminars with MeJo Wiggin. She is now the Producer of THE TEXAS CLASSICAL PILATES CONFERENCETM series offering Continuing Education for Pilates Instructors and Advanced Practitioners with events in 2017 and 2020. In June 2022, she taught the first Fort Worth Classical Pilates Summer Intensive at her studio with teachers from across the DFW metroplex. She continues to study and train in workshops and classes traveling to locations like New York, Dallas, Chicago, Austin, Philadelphia, and LA. Learning from industry leaders like Brooke Siler, Mari Winsor, Cary Regan, MeJo Wiggin, Chris Robinson, Kathi Ross-Nash, and Alisa Wyatt is a privilege, and she is honored to pass down the incredible work and knowledge of Joseph Pilates. For more on Laura and Fort Worth Classical Pilates, visit www.fortworthclassicalpilates.com.

Stony Award Winner – Best Choreography – “Annie”

Column Award Nomination — Best Choreographer for “Altar Boyz”

GRATZ Pilates — Featured Studio

 

National Pilates Certification Program – NCPT (Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher)

re:AB Pilates — Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training Program

The Classical Syllabus — Advanced Teacher Training Program

National Certified Pilates Teacher – since 2018

Pilates Method Alliance – Member since 2016

Authentic Pilates Union – Board of Directors 2017 – 2018

Pilatesology – Member since 2015

FWCP Summer Intensive – 2020

Texas Classical Pilates Conference ™ – Event Producer 2017 & 2020

The Fall Classical Pilates Conference – Ft. Worth, TX – Event Producer 2015

GRATZ Pilates – Featured Studio in 2015

ClassicalPilates.net – Registered Instructor since 2007