Director of Choreography

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A native of San Antonio, Texas, Francisco Graciano is a choreographer, educator, photographer, and avid student of world mythology and religion. Having danced professionally with esteemed companies such as Ben Munisteri Dance Company, Cortez & Co. Contemporary/Ballet, Pascal Rioult Dance Theater, and Taylor 2, he is also a founding member of TAKE Dance Company and Dusan Tynek Dance Theater. Mr. Graciano's virtuoso talent was recognized by The New York Times as a “virtuoso star” during his time with the Paul Taylor Dance Company from 2006 to 2017. Dance Magazine also named him one of their "25 to Watch," praising him as a dancer with “a freshness that’s all his own.” He has danced in the most prestigious venues in the world – The Herodeon at the Acropolis, The Teatro de Generalife at the Alhambra, Royal Opera House Muscat, De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels, and several seasons at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center just to name a few.
He received an MFA in Dance from Florida State University and immediately founded Graciano Dance Projects in 2020. He was then invited to be the inaugural choreographer of Dance Lab NY’s Nexus Lab and has been commissioned by various dance organizations, including Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, Chamberlain Ballet, Ballet Conservatory of South Texas, Theater in Quarantine's Closet Works series and has created solo works for principal dancers of the Martha Graham Dance Company and Paul Taylor Dance Company.
Francisco's choreography explores the themes of bodily and psychological transformation, captivating audiences at renowned venues like the Gibney Theater, WestFest Dance Festival, Battery Dance Festival, Provincetown Dance Festival, Austin Dance Festival, the 50th Annual International Cervantino Festival, the Nantucket Dance Festival, and the National High School Festival. While also sharing his knowledge as a guest instructor nationwide, he designed the first Dance Filmmaking class for the Paul Taylor Intensives and proudly carries on the Taylor legacy by serving as a repetiteur and faculty member at the Paul Taylor School. He has had the honor of being a guest instructor for institutions internationally and domestically for over a decade. Notable creative collaborations include working closely with artists like Miriam Barbosa, Jacob Jonas, Bill Wadman, Jordan Matter, and a featured dancer in operas directed by Robert Wilson.
Beyond his artistic pursuits, Francisco serves as the Program Coordinator for #MyDanceFilm, a program within the Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center, where he curates programming and moderates filmmaker discussions. He has been on faculty at Sam Houston State University and is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance New World School of the Arts in Miami. He is also a licensed GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® trainer. For more information, please visit www.franciscograciano.com and follow @ciscograciano on social media.