PRESS

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By Shiriel King Abramson

Published August 31, 2026

"Laila J. Franklin's BABYBABYBABY, an  evening-length piece, stole the show. This Boston-based  multidisciplinary artist brought an exuberant ensemble piece to the  festival and lifted the mood of the entire evening. "

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By Rachel Howard

Published August 29, 2026

"... Boston-based Laila J. Franklin gave a master class in emotional clarity. ['BABYBABYBABY,'] receiving its West Coast premiere, featured eight  dancers romping to Aretha Franklin songs, among tracks by other artists, and deadpan vocal harmonies about how love starts with infatuation and ends in the compost bin. This dance could have coasted on its  soundtrack, but Laila J. Franklin is too smart for that."

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By Lauren Berlin

Published September 16, 2025

"Tell me about the first time you fell madly, head-over-heels in  love—the kind that lifted you, possessed you, transformed you, and then  wrecked you. I don’t like to remember the slings and arrows of that  can’t-eat, can’t-sleep kind of infatuation, but Laila J. Franklin and the cast of BABYBABYBABY bring us there."

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By Margaret Fuhrur

Published December 11, 2023

"Contradictions power Laila J. Franklin's charisma. She can shift from sly comedy to earnest sincerity over the course of an eight-count. She moves with disarming frankness, making even complex gestures look straightforward and open; she also seems to keep part of herself closed to the audience, protective of her own mystery."

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By Autumn Duke

Published March 7, 2023

"Franklin is interested in 'taking that veil off of dance.' She seeks to reveal something about the nature of humaneness through her work. Her practice relies on improvisation, collaboration and a raw sense of realism. “Nothing is precious unless you decide that it is,” says Franklin. Each piece of hers reveals or explores something different about the human experience. Something she chooses to make precious with her work and her body."

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