Lachan Niedbala is a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. With 23 years of dance training and nearly a decade of experience in choreographing, Lachan has established herself as a versatile force in the dance community. She has choreographed for a wide range of platforms, with her work being performed in Chicago (Illinois), Paris (France), and various cities in Michigan, including Kalamazoo, Detroit, and Holland.

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As a passionate educator, Lachan has been teaching professionally for 6 years after almost a decade of experience as a student/assistant teacher. Her masterclasses have been featured at organizations such as Young Dancers Initiative, Oakland Dance Festival, Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, and Ballet Kalamazoo. In 2022, Lachan founded Movement Reservoir Dance Company, where she serves as the Artistic Director leading the company in its creative endeavors, while facilitating exploration through dance as creative expression. Through MRDC, she has been curating and producing innovative dance concerts, performing and collaborating within the Kalamazoo community and beyond, and sharing space with local dancers in their dance journeys. 

 

In addition to her work with Movement Reservoir, Lachan is a co-founder of the West Michigan Dance Festival and serves on the board of Dance Playhouse. She also serves as the YPE Coordinator where she runs and directs the Wellspring Youth Performing Ensemble. She has also been involved in festival and event productions, having volunteered for the Wellspring Community Outreach Committee in 2019 and interned for Brighton Dance Festival and RADfest.

 

Lachan has choreographed for dance companies including Chamberlain Dance, Wellspring/Cori Terry and Dancers, Atelier Dance Company, and the Novi Dance Program. She has also performed with companies like CPR Dance: Inhale Movement, Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, Atelier Dance Company, and Tapestry Dance Company.

 

Currently, Lachan is pursuing certificates in PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique), Yoga 200, and National Dance Education Organization dance education certification, continually expanding her expertise. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from Hope College (2019) and plans to pursue an MFA in Dance.

 

Lachan’s choreography has been featured in prestigious festivals such as RADfest (2021, 2022, 2024), Detroit Dance City Festival (2023, 2024), Emergence Dance by Alluvion Dance Chicago (2019), DaCi USA (2023), and Oakland Dance Festival (2024), cementing her place as an influential voice in the midwest dance community.

 

Lachan aspires to create a dance community that is authentic, intentional, and encouraging of each individual's pursuit in their dance journey. Dance is truly a vulnerable act and can only be explored in its fullest capacities within a supportive and uplifting community. Dance is meant for anyone and everyone and Lachan seeks to help people discover how dance plays a role in their lives and to see movement from new perspectives.