Today we’d like to introduce you to Cailan Orn.
Hi Cailan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started dance pretty young, at the age of 3, but it wasn’t until maybe 15 or 16 that I really had the thought of “oh wait, I’m in love with this and want to do this for the rest of my life”. I ended up at Point Park University in Pittsburgh PA to continue my education, and after that I headed straight to New York to work with a company called Company XIV, as well as other freelance dance opportunities.
It was with XIV that I fell in love with dance theater and experienced deep collaborations with other artists like jazz singers and musicians, writers and opera performers (I highly recommend going to see their Nutcracker Rouge). New York was fun, energetic, heartbreaking and incredibly formative. After 5 years there I was looking to leave the grind for a little bit. Through one of my best friends from college, they connected me with gloATL. here in Atlanta. I was still living in New York during my first major project with them in 2015. After years of living in other places and commuting back and fourth to Atlanta for projects with glo, I officially moved here in July of 2019.
I met my husband that same summer. He works in the film industry, and that only opened up a whole new world of inspiration and collaborations. We were working on a TV pilot together in early 2020 when the pandemic hit.
The pandemic for me, as it was for just about everyone else, was super difficult. gloATL and I had just gone our separate ways, and I could not get into dance movement through a screen. Because my connection with Atlanta was primarily based on projects with that one platform, I didn’t really have a relationship with the rest of the dance community beyond glo, and that felt super isolating.
I basically took a three year hiatus from dance and the impostor syndrome was heavy.
But on a fateful day in 2023 one of my besties (shout out PhaeMonae) eventually connected me Nadya Zeitlin for a small project, which turned into a bigger project, which introduced me to Sarah Stokes, and so the connections just continued. The dance community is so good like that. I felt that I was truly being introduced and seen for the first time by the rest of my peers in Atlanta.
2024 was a very influential year for me. Not only because I married the love of my life, but because it re-connected me with the BRILLIANT Annalee Traylor for the creation and premier of “this thing is real”, who then connected me with the equally genius George Staib. Staibdance started the process for Between Dog and Wolf at the end 2024, and as I’m writing this now, just ending our month long premier of it. 2025 has been so full of growth and continued connections across many different platforms. I feel like I’m just getting my feet wet here in Atlanta, and I very much look forward to what else it throws my way.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is smooth about being an artist. The work and time we put into every bit of a project is grueling. No one is getting paid enough. The fatigue is concerning and it’s always a grind. But I wouldn’t have it any other way (except I would love if we could all get paid our worth lol). I love sweating and working hard. It makes the results at the end so much sweeter.
I also struggle with anxiety and depression, but to be honest, art is typically the only way to find temporary reprieve. Whether it’s riffing and talking about a possible future project and collaboration, or getting in a studio and moving around.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I would say I am primarily a moving artist. I am definitely dipping my toes into film and love learning the processes specifically on the production side of it, but movement is where I excel.
I’ve done everything from burlesque to puppetry, but for where I’m at right now in my career I would say that I specialize in modern/contemporary dance and dance theater. I think in the studio I’m known for being down to try just about anything. I can be a little wild in my movement and I love to challenge myself until my body says “girl, stop.” While in a performance I believe my stage presence and subtly may catch the eye.
I’d say, looking back at my career I’m super proud of my persistence. Sometimes with dance you think there is a timeline. Everyone’s timeline is different and at some point you retire, and move on. But I’m constantly trying to listen to my body and my body and brain just want and need to keep going. I can get in my head about being an “older “dancer, but I sometimes think it gives me an edge too 🙂
I don’t know if this sets me a part from others, because in general the dance community is so supportive, but I’m super pumped about the young dancers that I see round me, and I feel (and hope) that I’m really supportive of them. Whether it’s encouraging in the studio, or being someone to talk to. They are so freaking inspiring to me.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Atlanta and I had a rough start. Partly because I was only coming in and out for projects for so long, and when I was here I wasn’t exploring much. It was movement/performance, and then off to whichever friends house I was staying at and I just didn’t get “it”.
When I finally moved here, and then the pandemic hit it slowed everything down. Some of my favorite memories are of me and my husband just walking around and exploring at that time. There is so much green here. I love the art community. There isn’t a lot of funding for the arts, but we persist, and that is so rebellious and heartening.
Also the food game is top tier,and I am incredibly food motivated.
Dude, the traffic. I hate the traffic.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @cailanorn
Image Credits
Jamison Unkrich
Justin Blaine Miller
Sean Micheal Gloria
Joshua Flannigan
