Meet Laura Hymers Treglia | Dance Artist, Teacher, and Feldenkrais Practitioner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Hymers Treglia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, what do you attribute your success to?
Approaching each aspect of my work with a balance of logic, care and creativity has contributed greatly to my successes — big and small.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have the tremendous fortune to live a life in dance. It’s funny how sometimes we love what is hard. That was dance for me in my formative years. I loved (and love) an art form that was not always welcoming to me. My passion for dance kept me reaching onward and I earned a BFA in Dance Performance from The Ohio State University. I moved to NYC after graduating and spent the next 12 years dancing professionally and working in arts administration. It was after leaving NYC and moving to other parts of the country, that I began to open my heart and mind to how dance could benefit all. I was invited to teach dance to adults living with traumatic brain injury, and this experience revealed to me the power of dance to make a difference in people’s lives. The movement, music, creativity and community connected each dancer to him/herself and to the group in a true and meaningful way. Although I was the “dance teacher,” the class participants taught me far more about the vast potential of dance.

This was the beginning of a new path in my career in dance. I completed the Dance for PD® training, a program of dance for people living with Parkinson’s Disease, and have led a program of weekly Dance for Parkinson’s classes at Ormao Dance Company for the past 6 years. I also co-teach a class called “Dancing Your Stories for Elders.” My love of dance is re-energized with each and every opportunity I have to dance with people who show me the potential for human expression and connection.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the many reasons I love Colorado Springs is the balance of city and nature. A fun day with a visiting friend would include: Breakfast at Mountain Shadows in Old Colorado City
Short(ish) hike on the Seven Bridges trail or pack a lunch and go on a longer hike up Mount Muscoco to see gorgeous views
Head to the Ivywild School for great food and drink options including Bristol Brewery and amazing empanadas at Lazo Empanadas
Catch a play, concert or dance performance at the Ent Center for the Arts
If we had more days, I would also recommend going to the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, Garden of the Gods, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, a show at the Milibo Art Theater, dinner at Paravacini’s or Marigold’s. If my friend likes sports, we could head to the Olympic and Paralympic Museum and a Switchbacks soccer game.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to dedicate my “shoutout” to Janet Johnson, Artistic and Executive Director of Ormao Dance Company. Jan welcomed me into the Ormao Dance Company family when I moved to Colorado Springs and has been an endless supporter of my teaching, creative work, and community engagement programming. Jan’s commitment to sharing the art of dance in the Pikes Peak Region for 30+ years is an inspiration.

Instagram: @hymerstreglia

Facebook: Laura Hymers Treglia

Image Credits
photo credit for solo image: dave+sonya photography. dancer: Laura Hymers Treglia photo credit for group photos: Kristopher Orr, Patrizia Herminjard and Laura Hymers Treglia. Dancers: Dancers from Dance for Parkinson’s and Dancing Your Stories for Elders.