Lauren Sheely

Lauren Sheely (she/her) is a chronically ill dancemaker, dramaturg, and arts professional from Chicago, IL. Her works centers on exploring the bodily manifestations of invisible illness and finding joy in all manners of movement. Lauren is a co-facilitator for the weekly Inclusive Dance Workshop series and collective member and regular collaborator with Unfolding Disability Futures. Select dance works include: And Yet We Are Here (Dancer, 2026, 2023), Monitrice Sway (Dancer, 2024), Close/Across (Dancer/Audio Describer, 2022), and Ti(c)k To(c)k (Choreographer, 2022). She also regularly collaborates with TimeLine Theatre. Lauren has previously reviewed both theatre and dance for the Chicago Stage Standard, and has written for the Performance Response Journal. She holds a BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from Grinnell College and an MA in the Humanities with a Concentration in Performance Studies from the University of Chicago, where her research focused on choreographic practices for physically integrated dance making.