Who am I?

I am an out-of-space creature with moving capabilities. I have an everyday desire to move and to be moved. I try to understand people language and I am doing better and better every day. The people call me a dancer, dance teacher, mentor and most common name for me is Katja. When I land on Earth, I transform in to a very kind and positive person. Most of my time I am spending in country called Slovenia. 
My passion is also singing and playing the piano. 
I love spending all of my free time with my family, researching the beauty of nature.

What do I do?

I am a dancer; dance teacher and I have a master’s degree in pedagogy. With all that combined I try to learn from the children how to move naturally, let the imagination move the body and expand the existing world. 
I believe that with all of my knowledge about children development, embodied cognition and experience in dance, I can change the world in to a better place for next generations (and wave like a candidate for miss Universe☺). And I am trying to do that through creative dance and movement. I believe that we all have creative capabilities; we just have to allow them to speak to us through our inner child. So, I am constantly trying to wake up this part in grown-ups and teach the children how to keep this part in them further in life.

What do I want to achieve?

There are many things I want to accomplish and do in near future. I want to improve and accomplish different things for myself, but dance related, I want to open my own kindergarten where children would have an everyday opportunity to move and dance. And I would want to work in this kindergarten with my family or friends. I know I could trust people like that, and rely on them and create with them a warm environment for children. In this institution I would implement a cross-curricular program of arts and general fields of preschool education with main concept of the program - embodied cognition.

Who am I?
I am what i do: A long, long time ago (when I was 8 years old) I met with creative movement/dance. I fell in love and I knew at that moment, it is what I want to do in my life. I am someone who believes in magic and everything that makes my eyes sparkle.. Fast and furious. Energetic and magnetic human being, always researching and facing unknown. Sometimes too organized and always looking for chaos to reorganize. Thoughtful and caring, intuitive and alert. Sensitive and at the same time strong as a rock. Choreographer, dancer, artist, mentor, educator and co-founder of KUD Qulenium Ljubljana where, together with other members of the association we are connecting a platform of young and professional dance creators. As a young artist I have been working on the Slovenian cultural and artistic scene for 20 years. I graduated in 2014 at SNDO (Academy for New Dance development) in the Netherlands.

What do I do?

Currently I am teaching and working with young people on the contemporary dance scene, in various projects and competitions. In addition to dance, I am actively involved in the organization and performance of the Kaleidoscope Festival in Kranj and Ljubljana. Also I am working as an independent artist.
In addition to dance expression, I am also interested in the field of theater and performance and their interplay.
In workshops, I explore different forms of transformation (how movement can be transformed and transformed into another), exploring identity within oneself, and discovering the unknown, where I like to erase the boundaries between the real and the imaginary, and at the same time, reflect the current state of mind/ surrounding with a humorous-critical approach.

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)

I want to achive that from a very young age dance/movment becomes an important tool in everyday life. My main goal is to open different doors/perspectives, through movement research, that can be used not only on stage, but also in real life situations. That imagination should always be encouraged. To awaken body awareness, where we start listening more to ourselves, our body, mind and spirit.
To pass on the knowledge, inspire and use art as a valuable form of exspressing and healing at the same time. 

Who am I?

My name is Staša Prah and I started performing when I was 4 years old. My first performing art was Classical Ballet. I was in love with it because I quickly recognize how my body is changing in a very sophisticated way, I learned how many hours of training are important to be perfect in some move and especially that on the stage, along the performance, you have to show to audience just lightness, virtuosity and smile. One night after third rehearsal, I broke my leg so hard when I was 14, that I had to stop dancing in such a hard way. In that moment, I did not know any other way. However, theatre and Impro theatre came along to me. Because I am very passionate woman, the theatre and impro became for me a second BIG love. At our theater classes, I wanted to do everything. From playing on the stage to making scenes, writing texts, etc. However, Impro was for me at the start very hard because there it was normal to make mistakes, to do crazy things, to laugh a lot and I was a little bit confused. I quickly recognized that I know very well how to enter the stage, how to open the scene, how to lead some story forward and this just because I know my body very well, I know how to express fillings with the body, how to stay in one special creature of the body for some time and so on and so on. Through the years I learned that everything happened for a reason and now I know that I will never be a Classical ballet dancer again but without all this body knowledge, I would never be so good at my work know.  

What do I do?

I am a dramaturg. I do dramaturgy mostly for Drama Theater but in past years, I have also done dramaturgy work for opera, puppet theatre and ballet. Why I chose dramaturgy? Because I learned what it means to be on the stage and what that brings to life. I did not want to live life like a performer but I wanted to be part of theatre art. My nature is not to lead, to have the craziest ideas and to have strong visions but I know very well how to support, how to analyze and explain and how to translate visions to practical work on stage.

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)?

I just want that everybody who will be part of this project recognizes that they have a unique and the most special body. That they can use it for expressing feelings, that they can be the most beautiful and the ugliest one in one second and the most important, that they realize that using body and knowing our bodies is something that is most important for healthy and happy life.

Who am I?

I graduated from the famous Film School in Łódź in Poland in 1999, Acting Department. I have been doing impro since 2010, I started with my friends – actors, with whom we established AB OVO Improv Theatre. I am the founder of – the first in Poland – improv festival called 321IMPROV. The first edition took place in 2011 in Konstancin-Jeziorna, this year a big celebration was planned – its 10th anniversary but unfortunately the epidemic thwarted these plans.

During these ten years I did workshops for kids, youth, adults, seniors, worked with business people, teachers. A year ago I organized (first time in Poland) a conference for educational sector - „Improv at School - teaching by artistic experience” - dedicated to teachers. As for now I do workshops for this particular group with an intention to “install” improv in schools in my country.
 

What do I do?

Improv is my „love” and my passion. It is my life philosophy – I even named my business “Improlife”. I believe in improv  rules: keep it simple, be attentive, listen to others. I believe that the world could be better if we showed improv to people all over the world - globally. Why do I think so? Because improv changed me, it changed my point of view. During workshops I saw how improv opens, gives power and faith, sensitizes no matter who the participant is, everyone takes from improv. Improv helps people to be better for themselves and  others. 

 

What do I want to achieve?

I am very happy to be part of this project. Move/dance is a big space to explore improve in, maybe create a new way to dance or a new way to improv. Is the sky the limit?
I met wonderful people in the first project “Young theatre”, I was a guest then and now I am part of this crazy and professional Team. I will do my best to share all I know as much as I can. 

 

Who am I?

I was born in Pisz, a small city in Masuria. I got into music in my youth. It wasn’t any music but Death Metal. I used to play in some bands and I was overally doing good. After high school graduation I moved to Gdańsk and then the whole adventure started.
By profession, I’m a welder. Nevertheless, as soon as theatre had mesmerized me, I let go of my occupation in 1999 and completely devoted myself to art. With the thought of starting an adventure with no precise end in mind, I took a risk and decided to put all my eggs in one basket. 

What do I do?

In 2007, I directed my first proprietary performance, inspired by The Little Prince. From that time, I function artistically as Teatr Delikates. I’ve managed to direct few performances written by me, engage in performance art, and support several institutional and alternative projects. I was pleased to be a scholar at “The School for Mime Theatre” in Ohio, USA. I performed on the stage of Grand Theatre of the National Opera, as well as on numerous domestic and foreign stages. I still do.
I carry out performances for both adults and children. My main goal is to reach the public on location. The type of a spectator I find the most intriguing is the one that wasn’t intending to visit theatre but still did.
I’ve conducted theatre classes in Art School in Ełk since 2018. My job is based on the basics of  actor’s awareness on stage but we also gladly practice Impro techniques.

What do I want to achieve?

That’s a very complex question. How can I portray what I want to achieve when I cannot predict the nearest future?
But okay. I’ve once dreamed of having my own workplace. My own piece of wooden ground and a big mirror so I could devote myself to polishing my theatrical skills.
My also dreamt of being a part of a group involved in theatre. To have a common direction in seeking theatrical alternatives and carry out the most bizarre and bold ideas.
Long story short, I could answer this question as follows. To create theatre, live off it and have time to do whatever I want. That’s what I want to achieve.
PS. I have almost done it. The only thing left is to make my dreams come true. 

Who am I?

I am dance artist, dance pedagogue and physiotherapist.
I completed my master education in 2014 at Finnish Theatre Academy TeaK in Helsinki at the Department of Dance Art. In 2008 I graduated from Bruckner Art University in Linz/Austria with bachelor degree in Movement Research and Pedagogy. As young woman in 2001, I gain master diploma in Physiotherapy from Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Poland.
During my artistic studies I took part in many exchange projects and art pedagogical conferences in Denmark, Island, Estonia and Sweden.
Last six years I have been working at Children Theatre as performer and animator in Finland, freelance dance artist, teacher by Youth House and Cultural and Education Centre in Lohja, Finland. Currently I am living in Poland.

What do I do?

At the beginning of my artistic journey, twenty years ago, I have been actively engaged in theatre projects by many Silesian theatre groups like Cogitatur, Silesian Dance Theatre, and Atrum, working with teams and independently. Along with artistic work I have been teaching contemporary dance, improvisation, physical theatre and somatics to different age groups in different cultural and societal settings. Since the beginning of my art carrier I’ve been performing, choreographing and directing theatre projects. At the beginning of my journey I noticed improvisation and openness to unknown both in pedagogical and stage work was my personal strength. Hardly ever I taught according to set plan. Every class needed to be an act of Art with an element of surprise to experience and challenge the here and now. This led me to set my main teaching goals to provide education to my students which carries freedom to create, release and development of individual potential, encouragement, support and dialogue. My recent artistic works take more experimental direction with its interdisciplinary character. This journey is combining performance, pedagogy and art therapy together, so the improvisation as well as movement research is a strong component of my own investigations.

What do I want to achieve?

Today we are standing in front of new challenges, written by new orders. Times as such require ability to listen, react accordingly, being integrated, brave and full of empathy in order to make the world a better place. I do hope that through my work I can impact positively my local environment and contribute to a positive change.

 

 

Who am I?

I am a professional actor, director and a theater pedagogist but also an Impro actor and trainer. I owe all of these titles to the participation in the Young Theater project, in which I have taken part for the last 2 years. Moreover, I am a teacher. I teach classes for the students of the 10th High School in Warsaw. I also work with and conduct classes for university students as the chief and the founder of the Warsaw University of Technology Theater. At work, I use both Impro and traditional acting techniques to direct numerous theater performances. I am also the Chief Executive Officer of the Trans-Atlantic Theater Foundation, in which, along with professional actors, we seek new forms of expression in theater.

The combination of movement and improvisation can bring interesting results in working with theater professionals as well as students and teachers in the project. I am already looking forward to this work!

What do I do?

On a daily basis, I work with my students and train impro in the Impro Booom group with Katarzyna Michalska, the founder of the first Polish professional Impro group, and Tomasz Majer, the actor from one of the best Polish cabarets. Moreover, I travel with the Trans - Atlantic Theater and do my best to promote the play Album of Karl Hoecker all over the world. The play has been created with Impro techniques. What is more, I play in movies and TV series and I try to use the philosophy of impro in my everyday work.

In everyday work, I don't think I think enough about movement on stage, and thanks to this project I will be able to learn how to introduce it to the daily life of an actor and director.

What do I want to achieve?

I would like to learn techniques that will enable me to enhance my body movements  in Impro so I can use them later in the process of creating theater performances. As an actor, I would like to adapt my body to Impro techniques, polish them and, eventually, master so that, in the future, I can transfer my knowledge to not only teachers from Elk, but my students as well.

I would like to introduce impro move to my individual work as well as among my students.

Who am I?

This is what I know right now. 
I am…. 
the woman answering to this question
Irina
my parent’s child
an optimist
a mother
human
an observer of people and their actions
a wanderer of my soul.
growing… falling…experiencing…trying to figure this out.

What do I do?
 
I work at The Comic Opera for Children in Bucharest. I start “building” new shows as a producer and sometimes as a director. I play violin – music is one of my greatest passions. Another thing that I love very much is working with both children and adults in musical theatre and improv theatre, as a trainer of the former Young Theatre Project.
I love reading, traveling, goofing around with my kid, procrastinating and trying to overcome that. I work every day to improve myself. And whenever I find myself thinking I can’t do that…pushing myself towards I can’t wait to do that.

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)?

I want to achieve freedom. Freedom of my body, of my mind, of my emotions and my creativity. In a way…to get out of the box. I’ve already learnt through Young Theatre Project how to be more confident and how to express my emotions and my thoughts better. So to be more comfortable in my body and to learn more about storytelling through nonverbal language is the next peak that I want to achieve. 

Who am I?

Music is who I am. I'm a happy person who loves and enjoys every experience life brings with every moment. My name is Ioana Andreea Iftimescu and it’s a blessing to be part of the Young Theatre Project. 

What do I do?

I’m an opera singer at the Comic Opera for Children and a theatre impro trainer in the Young Theatre Project. I’m also a singing teacher, daydreamer, surfer and snowboarder. 

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)?

I would love to achieve more freedom of expression through art. I think we are unlimited beings that can expand more than our mind sets allow us. As I see it, any type of art opens an access door straight to Creation. So, as music and theatre are already some of my blessings, I’m looking forward to add dance in my life. 

Who am I? 
I am a ballet dancer and a dance choreographer. I enjoy life, cars, laughing  and the way my ballet colleagues describe me; they say that they never saw me sad. 

What do I do? 

I dance and I teach dancing. And I love it. I work with professional dancers, but also with people that just want to get out of their comfort zone, or they are asked of to get out of their comfort zone for a social event. And I take proud of helping all the dancers, professionals or amateurs, to overcome their limits and approach different kind of styles. 

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)?

As a professional dancer and a pedagogue, I wish to reach as many souls as possible and to share with them my experience. I, myself, felt a big change in my life being a part of Young Theatre project. I became more open to challenges and I feel I got out of my shell. I wish through YTOM project to let children, pedagogues and professionals know that it’s ok to have your comfort zone and know what it is, because that represents the point from where you can grow. I do know that movement and dance might feel uneasy for many people, but I hope that I can be a mediator for the participants in the project and make them create their own safe space. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed of how you move. Each person should find their own way. Just impro to the music and you will find something that suits you. 

Who am I?

I’m Theodora Marin, happy as one can be, dancer, daughter, wife, teacher. 

What do I do? 

I am a ballerina at Comic Opera for Children since 2007. Few years back I started teaching ballet, which is one of the most rewarding things I did so far and theatre trainer in Young Theatre project.

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)?

Teaching is one of the reasons I joined Young Theatre and I’ve learned so much since then. But there are still things to do, to learn, to grow and get better at what you are doing. My goal is to help the youth learn about dance, movement, help them become more confident and creative. Spreading as much information as I can and give back to them what stage and life in theatre gave me.

Who Am I?
Englishman. A Europe and world loving anti-Brexit, anti-Royal family Englishman. I have been living in Serbia for 12 years. I like to run and to try and speak Serbian; but not necessarily at the same time. I like to cook, eat, swim, be at the Croatian coast and follow Leicester City football team.

What do I do?
 
I am an actor, director and pedagogue. I perform in films and on stage in English and Serbian. I have been running an English language youth theatre for 11 years and we now have 80 young people who meet weekly aged 7 to 18 years of age. I am also an academic with an MA in Theatre and Education and PhD in Philosophy of Theatre.  I am a playwright and I write occasional articles for journals in the fields of social engaged theatre. I have worked as a trainer and consultant on various EU projects and have enjoyed all of them. 

What do I want to achieve?
 
I would like to share ideas about theatre and dance with other professionals. I am interested in how techniques of theatre/dance/physical theatre performance and performance-making are developed, how can be shared and what are their potentials for educational settings.
Most of my recent work has been as a trainer and director so I look forward to getting new resources from friendly and relaxed colleagues to stimulate my practice and mind.

Who am I?

My name is Ivana Tabori Obradović. I am an editor in cultural programs for children, psychologist and a freelance choreographer from time to time. I am a mother of two. Still trying to grow up….

Since my childhood and kindergarten I started to create moves, to dance and to express my thoughts and feelings through movement. Also, during the teenage period dancing helped me a lot to articulate my feelings and to overcome this turbulent period. As a youngster I discovered the world of dance improvisation and contact improvisation. Those workshops opened a whole new dimension of dance to me and made me discover myself in a new way. That is why I believe in the affirmative power of dance improvisation. Improvisation is also a good way to be in touch with your inner self and to transform what bothers you into something constructive.  I strongly believe if we give a chance to kids to play with dance improvisation and to feel beauty of free movement and creation we will largely put them on the road free from the bad environment impact. 

What do I do?

For the last 10 years I have been employed at Children’s Cultural Centre Belgrade, primarily in the field of culture and child education. I am an editor in chief of the International gathering of children of Europe - Joy of Europe, founded by the City of Belgrade, which has a tradition of 50 years. Within the platform Dance Hub, I created and organized several seminars, workshops and stage performances for children and teenagers, as well as for dance pedagogues and choreographers, in Children’s Cultural Center Belgrade. I have created and produced a variety of educational and physiological programs and executed many debates and forums/round tables for children and teenagers.
I have been involved in contemporary dance since 1997, working as a dancer, but also as a choreographer and dance pedagogue for children and adults and also as a choreographer for commercials, events, theatre etc. 
I have 4 years of experience working in the corporate sector within the HR department.

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)?

I want to popularize the importance of dance in the education and development of children overall. I want to learn and improve my professional work and to incorporate new insights, experiences and knowledges in our professional practices.

Who am I?

My name is Dragana Stanisavljević. I started my dance education with classical ballet because, like most children, I was fascinated by the glamor that carries with it. As I grew up I began to learn about the world of contemporary dance and I am still learning. In the meantime, while I was studying, I started working as a dance educator, sort of as a pocket money. I liked it a lot, and till today I still work as a dance teacher. It is unbelievable, but I still do it. Being a theater is natural state for me, dance is my life and cooking is a passion. For me the work process is more interesting and important than just performing it. Now I am a freelancer, dance teacher (educator), choreographer and I still take a part in some dance and drama performances. Whoever calls me, I am there. I am a co-founder of “DDT – creative movement center” and cook-chief amateur.  My family can hardly wait for me not to work because then they can enjoy the various deacons (specialties) I prepare for them. They are pretty spoiled and frown when I, for example, don't have time to mix bread. Unfortunately I am a freelance artist and I never know how or when I will be busy.

What do I do?
I have been actively involved in the work of Children’s Cultural Center Belgrade as a dance teacher (educator) since 1992. My job as a teacher is to teach children how to love and enjoy dance besides technique. I created many workshops for children and youth, many of them supported by the Ministry of Culture of Republic of Serbia. I try to bring magic of dance and theater in general trough the workshops. I have executed and performed dance performances with DDT company as choreographer and dancer and organized international dance workshops for dancers and choreographers. With my performances I have performed on independent stages and festivals in Serbia and abroad. I have gained professional working with many international artists from all around the world.

What do I want to achieve?
My idea is to bring dance closer to everyone, to explain the importance of creative expression through movement and to develop critical thinking. I want to integrate dance and drama into the education system because I consider them as important factors in the education of children and young people. I want to explain to responsible adult people that theater (dance, opera, drama) is a serious job - business.

Who am I?

I am Tijana Kesić Stamenković, or easier Tika. I'm a graduated actress with 14 years of experience in lecturing and managing my own acting school. I worked in creating different programs, training lectures, and i'm also teaching in other acting schools. I have developed characters in the project »We live together« with people with special needs and elementary school kids. I also worked as a drama professor at the English speaking Chartwell International School in Belgrade, creating 4 musicals in cooperation with Milena Petrović, Phd. 
I am a professional associate and coordinator for NTC-drama workshops wich I have created in cooperation with the authors of the NTC learning system. Also i am the author and director of the International Festival of Children's Drama Plays »Glumijada« in the past 4 years. I am a child locked inside a grown up body, so I became a drama teacher not to get in trouble with the grown up world. 

What do I do?

I love learning. I learn how to play with my children as much as possible, and how trough that play to activate as many brain regions as possible in them, and thus to encourage all aspects of their development. We learn to come up with new ideas trough fun, play and mistakes. I also teach other adults how to do the same, to play and make mistakes and teach children in this way.
I play with children in drama classes in Serbia and the region so that they have an opportunity to learn more about themselves and to have more self-esteem. I see at least one “snake emperero swallowing an elephant“every day and share it with my children and associates.

What do I want to achieve (related with theatre/dance)?

With the help of Improvisational theatre, movement, games and NTC methods, I try to “infect” as many children as possible with various artistic forms. I also want to “infect” the adults working with children (actors, directors, educators and teachers) with imrpo and associative approach to learning, because learning by heart is proven to be the most primitive and stressful form of learning with worst results.
I wish for children, as many as possible, to be much more creatively and physically active, in movement, while simultaneously mentally engaged, so that they spend less time on digital gadgets.
  
I want for as many people as possible to keep the inner child within themselves and for today's children not to lose it! I think theater, movement and dance are the best for ay for that.

Who am I?

I'm 24, i was born in Belgium.

What do I do?

I studied dramatic art and classical danse in Belgium and in Lille, in France.

What do I want to achieve?

Find a way to mix danse and theater.

Who am I? 

My name is Sarah Duthille. I am a dancer/performer, teaching artist and artist therapist.

What do I do? 

I have danced for various choreographers. I am a performer in dance, theatre and buto. I have also been an assistant director. I have been teaching contemporary dance for more than 20 years.

What do I want to achieve?

I am always curious to discover other practices and to continue my rich journey of encounters. The body is at the heart of my work.

Who am I? 

nathalie cornille, dancer and choreographer, director of the CNC danse company. I have been dancing since I was 5 years old and I have been a professional for 25 years. I have a background in classical and contemporary dance, I also attended a theatre school and worked with theatre companies as a professional actress.

What do I do? 

I have created 23 choreographic pieces to date, intended for all audiences, from 1 day!
I like to transmit dance through improvisation, creation and the participation of everyone, young and old, without dance experience, without technique, just the pleasure of participating in a workshop and becoming a curious spectator.

What do I want to achieve?

I would like contemporary dance to allow everyone to express their emotions and feelings, regardless of their history, language, country or difficulties. Dance is a real engine of integration, a universal language and sharing. I want to discover other cultural practices in other countries, other habits and always enrich my universe.

Who am I? 

Sabrina Del Gallo, 37 years old born in Lille, France.
I studied classical and contemporary dance at the Ballet du Nord school from 1993 to 2002. Then I joined the Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in Angers from 2002 to 2004. 

What do I do?

After my school career, I dance for various French choreographers and I create personal projects in contemporary dance.
I am taking my State Diploma in Contemporary Dance at the Centre National de Danse in Pantin to teach dance in accordance with my choreographic language and my personal background.

What do I want to achieve?

Search for movement in adequacy with one's "self", develop one's skills and creativity.