Carlos Cruz Casas

Carlos Cruz holds an MFA in Physical Theatre (2007) from the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre where he studied a range of movement techniques including Commedia dell’Arte, Laban, Lecoq-based theatre dynamics, Alexander Technique, as well as an extensive voice training in the Linklater voice method. As part of his thesis project, he went on to train Circus Arts and Chinese Acrobatics under the tutelage of Master Coach Lu Yi at the San Francisco Circus Center. He specialized in the disciplines of Aerial Straps(Sangles Aériennes) and Acrobatic Rope(Corde Lise).

In the professional realm, Carlos was a fulltime company member of the Do Jump! Dance Theatre, and Imago Theatre, touring nationally and internationally, and was awarded a Princess Grace Acting Fellowship prize in 2011 for his unique physical acting work with the Miracle Theatre Group. Out of the desire of creating new work that would perhaps reflect what now has become his main research area, he founded Pelú Theatre. Pelú is a company mainly interested in finding ways of telling urban stories, particularly through a Latino lens, in more physically engaging ways. Mixing pre-conceived notions such as Commedia and Melodramas, Circus and Theatre, Clowns and Death… the company blends, twists and flips up to deeper social subjects.

Professor Cruz offers theatre students a rigorous training in physical theatre, stage acrobatics, circus arts, and vocal techniques.

Professor Cruz is the winner of the 2014 McColl Award, given by the Arts & Science Council for the creation of new work.