Biography

Lauren Herfindahl began her serious training with Boston Ballet School for seven years prior to joining Boston Ballet II at the age of 15. She continued her studies at numerous summer programs, including School of American Ballet, Canada’s National Ballet School, Banff Summer Dance Festival, and Boston Ballet School’s Summer Dance Program. She also trained with the Chautauqua Dance Program and at Suzanne Farrell’s Cedar Island Program. Once joining the main company as an Artist, Herfindahl furthered her experiences by attending The School at Jacob’s Pillow in Beckett, MA and ART of in Madrid, Spain, which is supported by William Forsythe and introduces young dancers to the foundations of Forsythe improvisation techniques and repertoire.

Herfindahl’s repertoire includes soloist or principal roles in Sir Frederick Asthon’s Cinderella (Summer Fairy), George Balanchine’s Chaconne, Coppélia (Prayer), Theme and Variations, Diamonds, Episodes, Kammermusik No. 2, and Serenade, Lia Cirio’s Chaptered in Fragments, William Forsythe’s Artifact 2017, Pas/Parts 2018, Blake Works I, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, Approximate Sonata, Défilé, and Artifact Suite, Jiří Kylián’s Bella Figura, Ivan Liška’s Le Corsaire (Odalisque), Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker (Dew Drop, Arabian Coffee) and Swan Lake (Pas de Trois, Pas de Cinq, Tall Swans), Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote (Kitri’s Friend), Justin Peck’s Everywhere We Go and In Creases, Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty (Lilac Fairy, Crystal Fountain Fairy, Pas de Trois), and Leonid Yakobson’s Pas de Quatre.

As a Boston Ballet School student, Herfindahl was the recipient of the Tatiana Gardner Scholarship and named the Mikko Nissinen Artistic Scholar for her final two years. In June 2012, Herfindahl was awarded the silver medal at the Boston International Ballet Competition in the Junior Division.

In May 2022, Herfindahl graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Studies with a Business Minor. She was acknowledged for her academic commitment and achievements with the Compass Award in 2022. She was also inducted into the Huntington 100, which honors students who embody the mission, ideals, and values of Northeastern. Herfindahl teaches at Boston Ballet School as a guest teacher during the Summer Dance Program. She has also explored choreography, creating her first piece for the BB@home: ChoreograpHER program in 2019 titled Baroque in Beauty.

Herfindahl joined Boston Ballet II in 2011, was promoted to artist in 2013, and to second soloist in 2017.