Leslie Kraus

Leslie Kraus is the new Artistic Director of the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. From 2006 to 2014, she was a principal dancer with the Kate Weare Company, contributing to over ten of Weare’s creations and serving as Assistant Director. In 2012, Kraus joined the immersive theater company Punchdrunk in their acclaimed production Sleep No More(NYC), portraying the role of Lady Macbeth. She later performed in Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man(UK) and has continued with the company as both performer and guest rehearsal director. From 2020-2025, Kraus coordinated the Five Moons Dance Festival, which honors and celebrates the legacies of the five renowned Native American ballerinas from Oklahoma. Kraus holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington and a BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. She taught at the University of Oklahoma from 2018-2025, earning the rank of Associate Professor.

IG: @lesliekraus