Preview premiere of ‘Outo’ at Kaatsbaan
Dance, wit and wisdom, paper, clowning, and problems and solutions all come together in the preview premiere of “Outo.” The Upstream @ Showcase performance takes place Saturday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. at the Kaatsbaan International Dance Center, 120 Broadway, Tivoli.
“Outo” is the creation of Ana Maria Lucaciu and Nathan Griswold. Griswold’s elaborate use of paper as both a medium and performative set, combined with Lucaciu’s fascination with the vulnerability and humor of clowning, leads to a witty, dynamic and captivating performance that highlights some of humanity’s simpler — and sometimes ridiculous — sides.
Born in Bucharest, Romania, Lucaciu graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada. She then joined Canada’s National Ballet and went on to dance with the Royal Danish Ballet, Augsburg Ballet (Germany), The Portuguese Contemporary Dance Company (Lisbon) and, most recently, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in New York, where she danced for seven years.
Lucaciu has performed and created works with contemporary dance’s foremost choreographers, including Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, Hofesh Shechter and many others. The holder of a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance from Empire State College, she collaborates and performs with a wide range of artists and companies, and freelances as a dancer and choreographer in her own right. In addition to teaching, Lucaciu currently assists Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman with new creations and stages his work around the world.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Griswold finished his formal dance training at the Ben Stevenson Academy in Houston, Texas. He has danced as a member of the Atlanta Ballet, the Alberta Ballet and Houston Ballet. As a guest artist, he has performed with North Carolina Dance Theater and Los Angeles Chamber Ballet.
From the fall of 2010 to the end of 2013, he was engaged in Germany as a soloist dancer with Theater Augsburg and Theater Mannheim. Ballet Augsburg, Atlanta Ballet and Stadt Theater Ulm have performed his choreography. Griswold is also a proud co-founder of Fly on a Wall, a dance theater company in Atlanta. Tickets are $10. Call (845 757-5106, ext. 10 or ext. 2, or visit kaatsbaan. org for tickets or more information.