"Almost", a Romanian Premiere at Battery Dance Festival

We return to one of NYC’s most beloved festivals, Battery Dance Festival, with an original, specially produced show, stunningly choreographed and performed by Ana Maria Lucaciu and Razvan Stoian. Artfully shot by director Tobin Del Cuore, “Almost” is an opportune parable of survival during uncertain times and the unstoppable flight of human spirit despite all hardships.

Don't miss the premiere on the YouTube Channel of Battery Dance Festival on August 17 at 7 pm EDT.

ALMOST

World Premiere

Choreography by Ana Maria Lucaciu & Razvan Stoian

Starring: Razvan Stoian, Ana Maria Lucaciu

Filmed, directed and edited by Tobin Del Cuore (Imagination + Muscle)

Music by T.M. Rives

Production Assistance by Boswell Scot

Produced by the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York

Tune in to watch the show HERE!

See trailer HERE. More info about the entire program at https://batterydance.org/battery-dance-festival/from-europe-japan/

"If this were a typical August, dance fans would be heading to the southern tip of Manhattan right about now for the annual Battery Dance Festival, an eclectic collection of local and international dance companies performing on an outdoor stage against a sunset-streaked harbor. This year, however, the festival’s 39th iteration occurs on Battery Dance’s YouTube channel (...) The silver lining of this virtual format is that while some of the 52 performances were recently shot in Battery Park, others take viewers to stunning global locations — from beaches to mountaintops to city streets." - The New York Times

ANA MARIA LUCACIU

Born in Bucharest, Ana Maria Lucaciu graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada, moving on to dance with the parent company, Royal Danish Ballet, Augsburg Ballet, Portuguese Contemporary Dance Company, and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. Her choreography has been presented by the Norwegian National Ballet, New Dialect and SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, among others. Holder of a BFA in dance from Empire State College, Ana Maria teaches dance across the US, Europe, and Asia. More at http://www.anamarialucaciu.com/

RAZVAN STOIAN

Razvan Stoian hails from Constanța on the Romanian shore of the Black Sea. He is a graduate of the National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest, the Arts and Cinematography department. He danced internationally for Tangaj Dance Company and Gigi Caciuleanu’s Romania Dance Company, with the latter also at the Battery Dance Festival in 2014 and Sandler’s Wells Theatre in London in 2016. He presented his own choreography at the 2016 Battery Dance Festival and subsequently joined the company. Razvan is a champion ballroom dancer, winning competitions in Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Turkey, and elsewhere. He has performed with Battery Dance in Sri Lanka, South Korea, Germany, and the US. More at https://batterydance.org/dancers/razvan-stoian/

TOBIN DEL CUORE

A native of Maine, Tobin Del Cuore began his ballet training at the Walnut Hill School in Natick, Massachusetts and attended The Juilliard School under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy, graduating in 2001 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Upon graduating, Del Cuore joined the artists of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, where he danced for six years and had the opportunity to work with some of today’s most important choreographers. He has staged work internationally for HSDC resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo and often stages existing work for Aszure Barton and assists her in the creation of new works. Del Cuore is also the owner of a video production company, Imagination + Muscle, which creates promotional and music videos, short documentaries, video projections for live performance, and dance films.