Talia Kurlansky

Born and raised in NYC, I began dancing at age 4. For the next 14 years, I trained at pre-professional ballet schools across NYC, including Ballet Academy East, The Ailey School, and Manhattan Youth Ballet. I also danced with Dances Patrelle in productions such as their annual Yorkville Nutcracker and Gilbert & Sullivan's The Ballet. I trained at various summer intensives across the country, including Next Generation Ballet, SSDI, CPYB, and Gelsey Kirkland Academy. As a teenager, I struggled to find balance between my academics and passion for ballet. This led me to Bates College, where I double majored in Dance (choreography) and Political Science, and minored in Asian Studies. My Dance thesis explored the role of burnout in pre-professional and professional dance spaces. While an undergraduate at Bates, I held many positions, including Dance Club Co-President, I also , worked in Bates' Office of Admissions and on several political campaigns.

After graduating Bates, I was awarded a Fulbright grant through the U.S. State Department to teach English in Taiwan. I spent a year living in Asia teaching both English and movement. Upon my return to the U.S., I have worked as a Production Coordinator for the NYC-based dance company Dances Patrelle and in sales and administration at a boutique fitness studio. Currently, as a Program Assistant - Social Welfare at Claims Conference, I support a portfolio of agencies in over 18 countries which secures material compensation for Holocaust survivors around the world. For 2025, Claims Conference will distribute approximately $530 million in compensation for survivors globally and $960 million for survivors’ welfare needs, such as home care, medicine, and food. In particular, I work with agencies across Eastern Europe, France, and South America.