Karola Lüttringhaus was born and grew up in Berlin, Germany, where she founded ALBAN ELVED DANCE COMPANY in 1997 to form an outlet for her diverse artistic pursuits in dance, visual art, film, scenic design and sound design. She has worked as a freelance artist, choreographer and educator at theatres and universities across Europe and the US. In 2007, she incubated the SARUS FESTIVAL for Site-specific & Experimental Art in 2007 in Wilmington, NC.

Karola holds a BFA in Choreography and Modern Dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and a MA in Scenic Design and Scenography from the Technische Universität, Berlin. She is faculty in Movement Science at Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC, a licensed massage and bodywork therapist, and an NCBTMB accredited Continuing Education provider.