Leralee Whittle

I invite new clients to unfold a creative living and to activate their multi-dimensional selves including a full connection to embodied being and expression. Current artistic endeavors include La Lee Lee video, music performances with Paul Sprawl and print design.

I studied dance, theater and philosophy in college and started to perform in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 90’s. While deepening into a practice of Modern, Post Modern, Senegalese and improvisational dance, I began to create contemporary choreography and perform solo and group work. Community and solo studies of East and West philosophies, movement research, Action Theater, Qigong, Contact Improvisation, Energy Medicine, Process-Oriented Psychology and the visual art of video have become influences in how and what I create, teach and perform.

Relational intelligence research and improvisation performance grew to be both a specialization and a philosophical foundation for my body of work and as a lead collaborator/performer for 10 years with Nita Little in performance and in her Mind in Motion teachings. Inspired by the somatic and touch sense aspects of Post Modern dance and healing practices, I developed a somatics coaching and massage therapy-energy medicine practice over 15 years in Santa Cruz, Ca and the San Francisco Bay Area.

In my 30’s I met my husband, a touring musician/composer. We’ve since toured our multimedia performance widely and have worked in many places in North America and Europe. One of our biggest domestic projects was building off-grid art spaces in the Chihuahuan desert over eight years near Big Bend National Park, at the border of Mexico. This is where I developed La Lee Lee videos (originally named Lee Lee et Le Bus) and print making.

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DANCE BIOGRAPHY

Leralee Whittle trained as a dance artist, performing for Anouk van Djick, Nita Little, Rosy Simas, Tandy Beal, Scott Wells and others.

Leralee’s choreography and video art have been experienced in theaters, galleries, festivals, dance studios, living rooms, and as public art in parks and sports facilities. She’s been presented in Dinamiche Scomposte Festival, Italy, Twin Cities Film Festival, Twin Cities/Montreal Choreographer Exchange, PWNW, Portland, La Esquina Gallery, Kansas City, CAPSULE, KCMO, Rosy Simas Danse/Southern Theater, Minneapolis, UCP, KCMO, and Aria, Barcelona.

She is the recipient of a public art commission, MN (2018) and Charlotte Street Foundation, Kansas City (2018), Project Space Residency, Counterpulse, SF (2017) and grants from PLRAC, MN (2017), KU Spencer Museum, Lawrence, KS and Puffin, NJ and Theatre Bay Area, San Francisco, CA .

Leralee Whittle has been a guest teacher at Wayne State University, Performance Works NW and FLOCK, Portland, OR, Counterpulse, San Francisco, Sudstern Jam, Berlin, The Cowels Center, Minneapolis and more.