Performing art school for children
- An event marking the start of the school year at the Performing art school for children
- Free admission with prior registration
aprox. 2 ore
Info
What happens when parents and children come together in a space where there are no longer fixed roles, performance rules, or distinctions between “adult” and “child”—only the body, play, movement, and curiosity?
On September 4, we invite you to an event for children ages 7 to 15 and their parents (one parent per child), where dance becomes a way to come together, listen to one another, and communicate beyond words.
The event features two complementary parts: a contemporary dance workshop for children and parents, followed by a discussion for parents on the role of movement, play, and non-formal experiences in a child’s development.
SCHEDULE for September 4
Contemporary Dance Workshop
With Alexandra Bălășoiu and Eva Danciu
Regardless of age, movement experience, or artistic inclination, parents are invited to dance alongside their children on a playful and relaxed journey through practices of mirroring, listening, expressiveness, physicality, imagination, and rest.
Starting from the body and the power of play, the workshop creates a shared space where communication can go beyond verbal language and the cognitive realm. Children and adults meet as equals, and the child’s creativity becomes a source of inspiration and a rediscovery of curiosity, enthusiasm, and the freedom to experiment.
For adults, focusing on the body and creative associations can open the door to a deeper connection with one’s inner world and with the sources of energy and support we need. For children, the session provides a space where their values and intuitions are heard and validated, and creativity becomes a legitimate tool for learning and self-expression.
A format proposed by mother and choreographer Alexandra Bălășoiu, inspired by the collective creative processes carried out through Indie Box and by her relationship with her daughter, Indie (age 10).
Movement Which Educates
A Discussion for Parents with Prof. Georgeta Pânișoară, Ph.D.
After the workshop and a short break, the children wrap up their activities in the hall and continue playing in the CNDB courtyard, while parents are invited to a discussion on how movement, dance, play, and non-formal experiences can support a child’s development.
A healthy childhood is built not only through what a child learns, but also through the way they move.
Dance and structured movement support a child’s development on multiple levels: the body becomes stronger and more coordinated, the mind trains attention, memory, and self-control, and emotions find a natural channel for expression and regulation.
At the same time, group movement can foster a sense of belonging, cooperation, and trust, and moving together with a parent can become a direct form of emotional connection.
Dance is, in essence, a form of non-formal education: the child chooses to participate, mistakes are viewed differently than at school, and successes can be seen quickly and tangibly. In this setting, the child can develop autonomy, self-confidence, and the sense that they can successfully complete something they have freely chosen.
However, there is also a need for balance. Organized movement should not replace free, unstructured play, which remains just as important for a child’s development. A healthy schedule combines activities chosen with joy, protected free time, sufficient sleep, and quality time spent with family, without turning everything into a performance.
Alexandra Bălășoiu and Eva Danciu will also participate in the discussion, allowing the conversation to continue from the perspective of artistic and pedagogical practice. Questions may be asked about dance, working with children, and, in particular, the experience offered at the Performing art school for children.
About the Performing art school for children
The Performing art school for children was launched by the National Dance Center in Bucharest in March 2018 and is the first local program for training and arts education in contemporary dance and the performing arts.
Auditions for children who wish to enroll in the School of Performance will take place on September 14 and 17.
The event on September 4 is, therefore, also an invitation to discover this form of arts education and to experience firsthand how dance can become a tool for learning, communication, creativity, and personal development.
Registration
Free admission for one parent and one child.
Register HERE.
Biographies
A mother, performer, choreographer, and coordinator of Indie Box, Alexandra Bălășoiu creates projects that emphasize the creative process and the relationship with the environment from which they emerge. Over time, her relationship with her daughter and the practical realities of parenthood have given rise to various formats for intergenerational encounters, always seeking a balanced approach between the individual exploration of children and adults and artistic connection within the family.
Her daughter, Indie, has accompanied her over the past 10 years as a witness, co-facilitator, and/or co-creator of various performative, educational, and creative projects: the artistic exploration of a “work-play continuum” (inspired by Jean Liedloff), workshops for parents and children, initiated in collaboration with Virginia Negru, Oana Băluță, Smaranda Găbudeanu, and Talida Păcurar; artistic residencies dedicated to mothers; and the production of a performative installation about motherhood, moving [m]others, choreography by Valentina de Piante.
Over the past two years, alongside Cătălin Diaconu, Alexandra and Indie have immersed themselves in research on dance in water. Developed under the name Gravity Break, this practice gave rise to the film-poem Water Tastes Like the Sun (directed by Gabriel Durlan, 2025), as well as a set of educational cards that invite exploration of fluidity and human connection through creative movement, co-created with a group of children under the guidance of Alexandra Gîrbea in Timișoara.
In 2026, the Gravity Break project became the foundation for a mentoring program for young students, choreographers, and performers, continuing one of the main focuses of Alexandra’s work over the past five years: the development of artistic practices in direct contact with diverse communities and social contexts.
Together with Loredana Larionescu, Indie Box organized cultural activities in psychiatric hospitals across Romania: dance workshops with live music, performances tailored to patients and medical staff, film screenings, and artist residencies. Among the resulting productions are the performative installation mind-moving, co-created with Cristina Lilienfeld; the public-space performance The Spring Tides of a Well-Behaved Girl; and the dance film [ship of fools], directed by Gabriel Durlan and co-created with Virginia Negru, Cătălin Diaconu, and Denis Bolborea.
Eva Danciu has a background in classical dance, holds a bachelor’s degree in acting, and has a master’s degree in choreography. She graduated from the Academy of Dance and Performance at the CNDB and the Daanasana School of Yoga at Move On.
Over the years, she has performed in ballet, musical theater, opera, contemporary dance, and performance art productions, collaborating with various institutions and independent venues. She is currently active as an emerging performer and choreographer in Bucharest, teaches at the CNDB’s Performing art school for children, and leads yoga workshops.
Georgeta Pânișoară is a professor in the Department of Psychotherapy and Applied Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology, University of Bucharest, and supervises doctoral students in the field of Educational Sciences.
She teaches courses on the psychology of learning and education, motivation, communication, and subjects related to personal development.
She coordinates the “Child Psychology & Parenting” series published by Polirom and is the author of numerous reference books in the field (15 volumes), including Champion Mindset (2026), Parenting from A to Z (2022), and Resilience: The Path to Success and Balance (2024).
She is also the creator of educational games such as Personality Game (2018) and First Aid Agreement (2021). She is a neurofeedback specialist and coach.
