Teacher Bios

Laura Peterson is the instructor and artistic director of the Okatie Youth Ballet. She earned a BA in both dance and psychology from Coker College focusing on dance as a creative educational process. Laura grew up dancing in the Spartanburg Civic Ballet (what is now Ballet Spartanburg).  She studied under many great ballet teachers and was selected for the SC Governors School for the Arts.  Mrs. Peterson has been teaching dance focused on young children for 22 years  and has owned and operated successful dance studios for 17 years. 

Laura taught for 13 years with the South Carolina Arts Commission as an artist in residence for the target 2000 project.  She was the first teacher in South Carolina placed by the state department of education to implement dance on the elementary level in public schools across South Carolina.  She taught all levels of dance for the Beaufort County School District.  Laura founded the Laurens Dance Theatre and Laurens Youth Ballet as well as the Louisiana Youth Ballet.  She has directed major performances including the Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, and many more original pieces of choreography.

Mrs. Peterson taught dance in the East Baton Rouge School system as an artist in residence for the Arts Council of Baton Rouge.  She is past president of the Louisiana Alliance for Dance and a certified comprehensive BASI Pilates instructor. Mrs. Peterson has completed the Leap N Learn teacher program and has been teaching using the world renowned Leap n Learn ballet curriculum for 5 years.