Danser
Catarina (Portugal, 1997) is an Amsterdam-based freelance dancer and maker. A graduate of the Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK) and now specializing in sensorial and immersive performance. Her recent professional trajectory is defined by a commitment to both ensemble performance and community-driven art.
As a long-standing collaborator with the Amsterdam-based company DadoDans, she has performed in productions such as STeK, NachT, KoKers, and LiCHT. Her work extends beyond the traditional stage through her involvement with Muziektheater PRA, where she has been a part of the community-based project Leven in je Buurt since 2024, focusing on the intersection of performance and social impact.
Parallel to these, Catarina maintains an interdisciplinary research practice with saxophonist Xabier Oruesagasti. Together, they investigate the boundaries of bodily awareness, exploring how movement can fundamentally reshape a musician’s relationship to their instrument and create new spaces for shared physical and musical expression.
In 2025, Catarina and Xabier premiered the duet A fragment of Earth still open to listen at the Eibarsax Festival (Spain) and Grachten Festival (Amsterdam) , exploring the fragility and strength of human presence through shared physicality.
