
Laura Chieko loves many things: tea, monkeys, and dance. Since 2006, Laura has trained in Lindy hop, balboa, and blues, and dabbled in a myriad of other dance styles. She is known for her grace, enchanting performance, and effortless following. A former musician, Laura likes to play with rhythms and has strong opinions about how clarinets should sound. Laura loves blues for its emphasis on connection and acknowledgment of the range of human emotion—from sorrow to joy. On the dance floor, she is best known for her poise, ability to rock the color orange, and occasionally winning things.
An educator in dance halls and traditional classrooms, Laura values student engagement and seeks to inspire the blues aesthetic from a solid understanding of body mechanics. She pulls from her wide cross training from music to human evolution to create classes accessible to a broad range of students. Learn more about her teaching experience here.
A yonsei Uchinanchu and Japanese American, Laura has access to multiple experiences. Laura feels strongly about honoring the origins and culture of blues music and dance. Blues was born from the struggle of Black Americans after the American Civil War, a struggle which continues to this day.
Laura believes that the best dancing comes from a strong community. She works to create and share resources for dancers everywhere, and seeks to connect blues organizers around the world.
Competition Placements
2019 Placements
3rd place | Blues Muse Open Mix & Match | rotating partners | Video |
2018 Placements
2nd place | BluesGeek Advanced Idiom Mix and Match | Ross Blythe | Video |
Finalist | Austin Blues Party BYOP Strictly | Ari Hausman-Cohen | Video |
3rd place | bluesSHOUT! All-star Strictly | Ross Blythe | Video |
3rd place | Sweet Molasses Blues Advanced Mix and Match | Ross Blythe | Video |
Finalist | Great Lakes Balboa Escape Amateur Shuffle | rotating partners | Video |
3rd place | Blues Muse Follower's Invitational | rotating partners | Video |
1st place | Rose City Blues "Show Us Your Blues" Strictly | Ari Hausman-Cohen | Video |
Finalist | Rose City Blues Solo Riffin' Contest | Video |
2017 Placements
Finalist | Mo Better Blues All-star Jack and Jill | Jeff Segal | Video |
2nd place | Steel City Open Jack and Jill | Jake Robbins-Spevack | |
3rd place | bluesSHOUT! All-star Jack and Jill | Dan Legenthal | Video |
Finalist | bluesSHOUT! All-star Strictly | Clyde Wright | Video |
Finalist | bluesSHOUT! Solo Cuttin | Video | |
1st place | BABBLE Triple Threat Strictly | Ross Blythe | Video |
2nd place | PBEx Bring the Heat Jazz Competition | Taylor Bozarth | |
Finalist | PBEx Bring the Heat Blues Competition | Danielle Jacobowitz | |
2nd place | Blues Muse Jack Carey Competition | Ross Blythe | Video |
1st place | Rose City Blues Mix and Match Competition | rotating partners | Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 |
Finalist | Rose City Blues Strictly Competition | Chris Wells | Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 |
3rd place | Rose City Blues Solo Competition | Part 1 Part 2 |
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Finalist | Snowbound Blues Expert Mix and Match Competition | James Agena Georges | Video |
2016 Placements
1st place | Winter Blues Open Jack and Jill | rotating partners | Video |
1st place | bluesSHOUT! All-star Jack and Jill | Damon Stone | Video |
1st place | Mile High Blues Open Strictly | Clyde Wright | Video |
Finalist | Nocturne Blues Open Jack and Jill | Marc Longhenry | Video |
Finalist | Nocturne Blues Challenge Strictly | John Krieger-Joven | Video |
2nd place | Blues Yourself Solo Riffin' Pro-Am | Dan Legenthal | |
2nd place | Blues Yourself Solo Insanity | ||
Finalist | Blues Yourself Open Solo | ||
3rd place | Blues Muse Open Jack and Jill | Chris Carey | Video |
1st place | Snowbound Blues All-star Strictly | Ross Blythe | Video |
Finalist | Lindy Focus XV Slow Dance Contest | Mickey Fortanasce | Video |
2015 Placements
3rd place | Nocturne Blues Challenge Strictly | Clyde Wright | Video |
Finalist | Nocturne Blues Advanced Solo Riffin' | Team Dot | Video |
2nd place | Bambloozled Strictly Blues Competition | Brian Richards | Video |
3rd place | Blues Muse Open Jack and Jill | Amos Rose | Video |
Finalist | Snowbound Blues All-star Jack and Jill | Youngdon Kwon | Video |
2014 Placements
Finalist | Enter the Blues Open Jack and Jill | rotating partners | |
1st place | BABBLE Blues Jack and Jill | rotating partners | |
Finalist | BABBLE Balboa Jack and Jill | rotating partners | |
3rd place | Portland Blues Experience Blues Contest | Brian Richards | Part 1 Part 2 |
3rd place | Portland Blues Experience Jazz Contest | Brian Richards | Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 |
Finalist | Rhythm Shuffle Advanced Balboa Strictly | Eric Zhang | |
1st place | Blues Muse Open Jack and Jill | Forrest Rogers-Marcovitz | |
3rd place | Rose City Blues Open Jack and Jill | Brandon Istenes | Video |
Finalist | Music City Shuffle Amateur Balboa Jack and Jill | Patrick Freeman | Video |
3rd place | Snowbound Blues Social Jack and Jill | Nick Davis | Video |
Finalist | Lindy Focus XIII Blues Late Night Competition | Brian Richards | Video |
2013 Placements
Finalist | Gypsy Jam Lindy hop Jack and Jill | Jeff Liu-Leyco |
Performances
Lindy Focus XIII, The Amazebals, dancing with Andrew Willens — video
Coach Mickey Fortanasce
Bambloozled 2015, “Check Cashing Day”
Coach Jenny Sowden