LED - About us

About us

Shaped by the artistic vision of co-founders, Lauren Edson and Andrew Stensaas, LED weaves movement, original music, captivating stories and stunning visuals into cinematic worlds. Proudly based in Boise, Idaho, LED is a dance company, a music project, a film studio and so much more. Named by Dance Magazine as, "25 to Watch" and described as, "virtuosic-eye candy that invites the audience into another world," LED continues to redefine what an artistic encounter can look like and is a significant part of putting Boise on the map as a cultural hub.

We are LED.

We are a group of artists, directors, designers and producers who make art. We aim to uplift our community and far beyond by creating meaningful experiences for all that spark curiosity and wonder. We are a creative container that houses all the things we dream up. We are so much, and so much more.

We are LED.

Directors

Lauren Edson

Artistic Director & Choreographer

Lauren Edson

Artistic Director & Choreographer

Lauren Edson, originally from Boise, Idaho, is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of LED. She is a dancer, award-winning choreographer, producer and director. She received her training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and The Juilliard School and was a celebrated dancer with Trey McIntyre Project for many years. She returned to her hometown with the desire to build a community of artists and art-making practices that inspire risk-taking, greatness and sustainability.

Described as a “choreographer of the first rank,” by The Seattle Times, her works have been commissioned and presented by: The Kennedy Center (DC), Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival (MA), San Francisco Dance Film Festival (CA), Dance Camera West (CA), Winspear Opera House (TX), The McCallum Theater (CA), The Freeman Company (CA), Houston Metropolitan Dance (TX), Milwaukee Ballet (WI), Whim W’Him (WA), Ballet Idaho (ID), Northwest Dance Project (OR) and SALT Contemporary Dance (UT).

She received the 2022 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, is a 2021 Alexa Rose Fellow, a two-time recipient of the ICA Performing Arts Fellowship (2015, 2021), a 2023 choreographer of Dance Lab NY, winner of NWDP’s Pretty Creatives’ International Choreography Competition, the Grand Prize Winner of the McCallum Theater’s Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival, a United States Artist Fellowship nominee and recipient of the 2019 Washington Award for Excellence in Choreography.

Andrew Stensaas

Creative Director & Composer

Andrew Stensaas

Creative Director & Composer

Andrew Stensaas, hailing from Mason City, Iowa, co-founded LED and serves as its Creative Director. A talented self-taught musician, songwriter, composer, and producer, Stensaas honed his skills in piano and percussion from a young age. His musical journey includes playing in well-regarded bands such as Sons of Sirens in Portland and Edmond Dantes in Boise, with the latter scoring the soundtrack for the 2014 film Almosting It.

Moving to Boise in 2009, Stensaas began mentoring at Boise Rock School. He established himself as a singer/songwriter producer, dedicating himself to the musical and creative growth of youths aged seven to eighteen. His efforts in songwriting education have guided many students towards success in bands, further education in renowned universities, and auditions for commercial projects.

Together, they founded LED in January 2015, becoming key figures in artistic innovation both locally and nationally, and placing Boise in the global arts conversation.

Described by The Seattle Times as “ an important addition to the art’s scene in the northwest" the company has been recognized by Dance Magazine as “25 to Watch” for 2020 an honor given to break out artists and companies of the year.

They are parents to two beautiful boys; Finn and Liam.

Our story

Mallory Walker

Managing Director

Mallory Walker

Managing Director

Mallory Welsh Walker, originally from Columbia, South Carolina, is thrilled to bring her experience in performing arts and entrepreneurship to the LED team.

Mallory began her professional career as a teenager in New York City, dancing with the educational division of New York City Ballet while training at the School of American Ballet and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts. Her dance career led her to California where she performed with Ballet San Jose and Smuin Ballet, touring across the US and Internationally.

While working as a dancer, she continued her academic education, obtaining a degree in Business Administration. She moved to Boise, Idaho in 2013 and worked as a Pilates instructor while also pursuing her interest in local wine. She worked with the local Sunnyslope Wine Trail as an administrator where she aided in the establishment of their nonprofit, creating a cohesive marketing effort for their unique agro-tourism region.

Her variety of professional experiences helped to prepare her for the labor of love that became Par Terre Winery. With her husband, Travis, she opened and managed a small boutique award-winning wine production facility and Tasting Room in Garden City, Idaho beginning in 2016. As a business owner, she developed a passion for cultivating partnerships between local businesses and nonprofit arts organizations, increasing arts awareness and support.

She is the proud mother of two creative and clever young girls; Harper and Logan.

Collaborators