Firebird team is now all set

Royston Maldoom
The British choreographer Royston Maldoom has been the initiator and leader of numerous dance projects around the globe for the past 30 years.
The dance project "Le Sacre du Printemps" with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, in which 250 kids participated, gained popular attention through the movie „Rhythm is it!“ which received the German Lola Movie Award for best documentary film in 2005 and reached large audiences world-wide.
What fascinates Royston Maldoom is to work with people regardless of age, background or region of the world. He likes working with "unperfect bodies", giving every single participant in his projects the opportunity to discover himself, his passions and his abilities. He considers each of them as a potential artist. Besides, he is convinced that art can change lives and societies and help foster and improve mutual understanding through dance.


Josef Eder
The Munich choreographer and actor, Josef Eder, founder of Dance Theater Zwiefach in 1994, worked in the education of dancers, actors, musicians, teachers, and amateurs for 18 years. He developed a concept which he named "body as voice".
After meeting Royston Maldoom in 2005, he began working as his assistant and co-choreographer in Community dance projects.
He is fascinated by the possiblities which dance and movement can offer. His main objective is to open people from all ages and conditions to dance and let them express their emotions in a creative and unique movement.

Martha Hincapié

[Photo]Martha Hincapié
Choreographin, Tänzerin, Dozentin. Studierte Tanz in ihrer Heimat Kolumbien, in Argentinien und Kuba. Tanzstudium, Aufbaustudium Solotanz und Multimedia an der Folkwanghochschule Essen unter der Leitung von Pina Bausch. Tanzte am Wuppertaler Tanztheater, Stadttheater Münster, Bochumer Schauspielhaus, am Theater Aachen, sowie für diverse freie Produktionen.
Sie wurde mit ihren eigenen Stücken auf Festivals nach Berlin, Paris, Zagreb, Rom, Arnheim, Medellín, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Aachen, Essen und Wuppertal eingeladen. Gewinnerin verschiedener Preise und Stipendien.
Ihre letzte Arbeit als Coreographin „Autorretrato con Máscara“ entstand mit Unterstützung von der spanischen Stiftung Iberescena in Kolumbien, wurde mit dem Publikumspreis beim Festival 100° Berlin 2009 ausgezeichnet.
Nach verschiedenen pädagogischen Erfahrungen in Kolumbien begann sie 2008 als choreographische Assistentin für Community-Dance-Projekte in Deutschland zu arbeiten und ist im Programm „TanzZeit“ engagiert.
Martha Hincapié lebt und arbeitet zwischen Berlin und Bogotá.


Irina Roncea
Irina is one of the two Romanian pedagogues who will be assisting in the Firebird project. She is an enthusiastic, talented dance teacher acting in several Bucarest schools and institutions.
Last Autumn she attended a "Community dance" workshop in Vienna with Royston Maldoom and his team to get acquainted with the philosophy behind it. She is interested in developing the community concept by creating further projects throughout Romania in the coming years.

Oana Rotariu
Oana is a very young, successful dancer from Timisoara who has just graduated from high school. She took partin in - and won - numerous competitions in sportive dancing all along her school time.
Like Irina Roncea, she combines all the qualities which the project hopes to develop in its participants: discipline, punctuality, team spirit, sense of responsibility, ambition, communication.

We are convinced that the enthusiasm and the freshness of these two Romanian pedagogues will enable them to transmit their passion and their qualities to the kids. they will constitute an important link between the youngsters and the choreographers from abroad and will doubtless make a significant contribution to the whole project.



Pete Ayres
Pete Ayres has designed for Royston Maldoom for more than ten years, including for dance pieces with The London Symphony Orchestra at The Royal Albert Hall, The Luxembourg Symphony Orchestra for Luxembourg Capital City of Culture, with The Berlin Philhamonic Orchestra, and at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Pete has worked extensively in the field of Contemporary Dance, and in a variety of venues from African amphitheatres, Berlin bus depots, Croatian castles and metropolitan motorways to nationally important playhouses. He has been involved in several Community Dance projects often including hundreds of participants, ranging from street children of Peru and groups of mixed ability performers, to Senior Citizens in Germany and young women of immigrant families.


Alexandra Arnautu
Alexandra is the Firebird-project´s coordinator in Romania.
During her six years working for the Royal Family of Romania she coordinated various initiatives, from complex, high profile events such as The Diamond Wedding of Their Majesties King Michael and Queen Anne of Romania, to cultural and publishing projects, within the country and abroad.
People who have ever met Alexandra know that she can make magic happen. "If magic", the company she set up with two associates in 2008, is dedicated to supporting organizations and individuals in the achievement of their dreams. Alexandra´s enthusiasm and conviction for the „Firebird“ community dance project are boundless.
"If magic" will support the Association „Jungen Rumanen eine Chance!“ for the implementation of all three „Firebird“ performances: in Bucharest (Sept 5.), Brasov (Sept. 7.) and Sibiu (Sept. 9.).


Ada Lungu
Ada joined the Firebird project some time ago. It´s hard to say who, from Alexandra and her, is more enthusiastic about the project and its objective.

"I have always invited diversity into my life, from all points of view. I lived, studied and worked so far in six cities, three countries, two continents. My domains of expertise are corporate communication, journalism and project management. I worked for various organisations (World Trade Centre, The Romanian Broadcasting Society, The European Institute of Romania, The British Council) and I was a teaching assistant at the the University of Bucharest, before becoming the PR Coordinator of the Royal House of Romania. Serving the Royal Family has been a unique professional challenge and an inspiring experience.
It is so exciting for me to join the Firebird project team and embark on a journey that changes people’s lives. I strongly believe this initiative is most welcome for the Romanian society and I intend to use all my knowledge and dedication to ensure its success."