Lauren Richter Henry first began her ballet training in Southern California in 1996 before eventually moving to New York City to continue her training at ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School under the direction Franco de Vita and Raymond Lukens. During this time, Lauren had the privilege of working privately with Prima Ballerina Assoluta Eva Evdokimova, who offered her the opportunity to continue her studies on scholarship in Monte-Carlo at the Princess Grace Academy of Classical Dance under the direction of Marika Besobrasova and Luca Masala. Lauren received her first professional contract with the Prague State Opera Ballet in the Czech Republic and then moved on to dance with the Bucharest National Ballet in Romania.

After retirement from professional dancing, Lauren went on to found her own school, Richter Academy of Classical Dance, in Southern California and has taught on Faculty at San Francisco Ballet School for multiple seasons, where she focused on the foundational levels as well as providing Pilates and strength training classes for the upper-level students. Lauren is currently the School & Trainee Program Director at Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education and judges nationally and internationally for YAGP, in addition to teaching masterclasses and workshops abroad.

Lauren is a certified teacher in Levels 1-8 of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy Teacher Training Program. She has also completed her Pilates certification with a dance specialization through Body Arts and Science International and holds a personal training certification and fitness nutrition specialist certification through the American Council on Exercise. Lauren firmly believes that it IS possible to train dancers to the highest professional level, while taking care to foster a healthy learning environment; one in which a students’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being can flourish.