KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 6, 2018

David J Tatu, Resident Lighting Designer for the Department of Dance, held a dance lighting lecture on December 6 for past and future choreographers and company directors attending the KSU Dance Festival. Tatu showed multiple options of lighting both the stage and the dancers using the KSU dance repertory plot. Topics in the free workshop included angles, color, and the creation of looks and cues. Tatu previously ran a similar workshop at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. 

Prior to joining KSU Department of Dance, he was the Director of Production and Lighting Director for Atlanta Ballet for over 15 years. A few of his original lighting design credits include:  Alice in Wonderland, Carmina Burana, Divertimento #15, Il Distratto, Intermezzo, Pastoral Dances, Rite of Spring, Troy Game, Coppelia, Prisma, La Bayadere Act II, Cinderella, Con Amore, Allegro Brilliante, Madame Butterfly, Nutcracker and he created the lighting for John McFall’s final work with Atlanta Ballet: Sleeping Beauty. He has also designed for Ohio Ballet, Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet, Nevada Opera, Gwinnett Ballet and Robert LaFosse’s Dancers from New York and he is the past Resident Lighting Designer for Dance Canvas.

As the Production Stage Manager and assistant lighting designer with Ohio Ballet, he worked closely with Tony Award-winning lighting designer Thomas R. Skelton. During that time, he recreated Skelton’s work for two seasons at the Joyce and designed the lighting for Ohio Ballet’s In Full Swing, A Person and The Exiles.

At KSU, David has created the lighting for a score of works. Some of his favorites: Rebuild, Alice, Winergy, Touchdown, Con Moto-Mosso, Derivative, Hyperkinetic and Table Manners 10.5. He has lit the Company at various festivals such as American Collage Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center and has managed production of various Department of Dance events around Atlanta. He was an integral part of the team working on the renovations to the KSU Marietta Dance Theater.