Lara M. Friedman-Kats, born and raised in Central NJ, began her dance training at Kaye-Lynn Dance Studio in Edison. In 2008, Lara received the NJ Governor’s Award for Excellence in Dance. Lara is a proud BFA and Dance Education graduate of Towson University’s Dance Department in Maryland. In 2011, she won the National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL) regional competition for Art of the Solo and went on to compete and place nationally. She also received the Outstanding Achievement in Dance Education Award in 2013 from Towson University. Lara has performed with Dissonance Dance Theatre (DC), Deep Vision Dance Company (Baltimore), Deviated Theatre (DC), Carolyn Dorfman Dance (NY/NJ), Mish-Mash Productions (NYC), Nikki Manx Dance Project (NJ), and Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre/Sean McLeod Dance Experience (NYC). She has studied with Amy Marshall Dance Company, Parsons Dance, Limón Dance Company and Carolyn Dorfman Dance during the summers. While a student at Towson University, she performed works by noted choreographers including Alvin Ailey, Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, Nicole Martinell and Troy Powell. She also had her work adjudicated at the American College Dance Festival Association (now ACDA) in 2011. Lara was the permanent dance substitute at Academy for Performing Arts in Scotch Plains from 2014-2015 and continues to teach both dance and fitness throughout studios, schools, and gyms in NJ. She finished her 6th season with Carolyn Dorfman Dance where she rehearsed, performed, toured and taught master classes, residencies, and workshops throughout the states and internationally. Lara is currently pursuing her MFA in Dance from Montclair State University set to graduate in May 2022. Most recently, Lara had taught Modern II at DeSales University in Pennsylvania as an adjunct professor, was the long term dance substitute at Piscataway High school and currently is an adjunct professor at Montclair State University. She is passionate about teaching, creating, and wishes to share her wealth of knowledge of dance, health, and physical fitness with the next generation. To Lara, “Dance is a way of healing and finding acceptance within one’s own life. Socially charged work and personal experiences have motivated my creative endeavors. My mission is to bring awareness to the surface that which remains unseen or unspoken. Everyone has a story to tell- I tell mine through my body.”