Lara Branen graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder with a Masters in Dance. She started teaching dance as an undergrad student. Lara has taught jazz since she was an undergraduate student and studies with jazz dance masters including Lynn Simonson, Ed Mock, Ann Garvin and Joe Tremaine. After grad school, Lara started her aerobic dance teaching career at Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa where she was trained by Sarah George an exercise physiologist and accomplished aerobics instructor and coordinator of the Spa fitness programs. Shortly thereafter, she was hired to teach aerobics through SRJC in Sonoma. Lara has been artistic Director of the Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop an annual dance intensive held at the University of Colorado and its resident dance company Interweave Dance Theatre since their inceptions. In addition to her choreography for Interweave, Lara choreographs annually for Santa Rosa Junior College Dance productions (Ensemble and spring concert) and has choreographed for California companies Kaleidoscope and De/Em Dance Collective. She has become the regular choreographer for the SRJC musicals and her credits include West Side Story and Cabaret among numerous other musicals.