In review:

"The choreography reflected extremely disquieting sentiments... provoked a forceful reaction from the company of dancers and audience alike to overwhelming applause."
re: premiere performance of Ultimo dia del verano - Armando Arias, nuevo milenio,
Queretaro, Mexico, Dec. 2000

"Laska danced softly among the grey notes of Weeler's score, flying above the Mediteranean and ultimately descending into Polish melancholy, followed by copious aplause."
re: jazz improve at the Raumori Mediteranea, International Jazz Festival, Rocella Jonica, Italy-Corriere de la Sera,
Rome, Italy, Aug. 1985

Biography:

Agnieszka Laska (b.1958 Slupsk, Poland) currently works as a choreographer and dance teacher in Portland, Oregon. Her works have been presented in North America and Europe.

Ms. Laska's studies in classical ballet were with Jerzy Maria Birczynski, Raissa Kuzniecowa, Andre Glegolski, Danuta Pisecka and Jaroslaw Piasecki. She studied the Limon technique with Carla Maxwell, Risa Steinberg, Aaron Osborn and Alan Danielson. Studies in Graham technique were with David Earle, Susette Shermann and Eva Pardave. She studied Cunningham with Douglas Dunn. She holds academic degrees from the Music Academy, Warsaw and B. Nowodworski College, Cracow.

She is also regularly engaged for guest workshop/lecturers at various schools and institutions, such as Los Talleres de Coyoacan, Mexico City (2000); Faculty of Fine Arts, State University of Queretaro, Mexico (1998 & '96); the Polish-German Workshop for the Physically Impaired (1997); State School of Dramatic Arts, Cracow, Poland (1994 -'96). Ms. Laska served from 1979 to 1998 as the principle trainer and choreographic assistant to Jerzy Maria Birczynski, artistic director of Balet Form Nowoczesnych, the Cracow-based, premier modern dance company of Poland.

In addition to her work with the dancers, Agnieszka Laska was the production and touring manager for Balet Form Nowoczesnych, for which she arranged all tours, workshops and promotions in Europe and North America for over twenty years.

She has also served as delegate and expert in contemporary dance, representing the Polish Ministry of Culture and Arts, to the Polish-German Conference on Artistic Education for Youth, in 1992 in Bonn, Germany and in 1994 in Konstancin, Poland.

Ms. Laska has received prestegious career achievement awards from the Polish Ministry of Culture and Arts, the Polish Ministry of Education, both the city and state of Cracow; a 1998 1st prize from the Polish Ministry of Culture and Arts Award, for her Masters Thesis: "Jose Limon - his life and art" and a 1989 Wyspianski Youth Artistic Prize (national award), for achievements in modern dance in Poland.

She has given award-winning performances in Jerzy Birczynski's choreography "Larghetto" - 1st prize in the International Choreography Competition, Le Ballet pour Demain - Paris, France, 1979 and in Birczynski's "Tears of Joy" - 5th place in the International Choreography Competition - Nyon, Switzerland.

Agnieszka Laska has received support for her artistic and scholarly work from the Mexican Government, the Toronto Dance Theatre, Douglas Dunn & Dancers, Cracow Art and Culture City Council, President of the City of Cracow, Association Departemental de Creation Musical de la Region Lorraine, Pont-a-Mousson, France and the Portland Regional Arts and Culture Council, Portland, Oregon, USA.

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