Q&A with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet dancer Ana-Maria Lucaciu

Q: How long have you been dancing with Cedar Lake?
A: This is my 4th season.

Q: Where were you dancing before this? What company and/or school?
A: I graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada and then danced with the National Ballet of Canada, the Royal Danish Ballet, Augsburg Ballet in Germany and the Portuguese Contemporary Dance Company in Portugal.

Q: Which dance piece out of the 3 being performed at the State Theatre is your favorite and why?
A: I would say it's between Ten Duets and Decadance. They are on the complete opposite side of the spectrum as far as the movement quality is concerned, but they each offer me new possibilities every time I dance.

Q: What’s your preshow ritual like?
A: I eat, do my hair and make up and the do a thorough warm up. Eventually I go over some steps, but normally I use the time to just get focused and warm, and to connect individually to each piece that I'm performing that night.

Q: What do you do when you’re not dancing?
A: I'm going to school, studying to obtain my BA on the side. When I'm not doing that, I love going out to discover more hidden corners of this fantastic city. I read, eat all that I can. Photography is also a secret hobby.

Q: Who or what inspired you to become a dancer?
A: Well it wasn't my first passion as a kid, but when I got accepted at the National Ballet School every teacher there made me realize that this what I love doing.

Q: Who inspires you now? What dancers/choreographers and/or companies?
A: My colleagues, the many choreographers I've worked with everywhere in the world, younger dancers who are so eager to arrive in the dance world and just absorb everything around them.