Monday, April 20, 2026, Ileana Berlogea Hall, 1st floor, 2 – 4 PM
THE Theme: The Pedagogical and Social Dimensions of Dance: Facilitating Youth Development and Societal Integration
Subthemes:
- The Role of Dance Education in Developing Life Skills
- Dance as a Bridge Between Creativity and Responsibility
- Dance as a Medium for Social Cohesion and Intercultural Dialogue
- The Role of Dance Education and Mentors in Shaping Future Generations
- Dance as a Means of Preserving and Transmitting Cultural Heritage
GUEST SPEAKER – Dr. SIMONA NOJA-NEBYLA, Gheorghe Dima National Academy of Music, Cluj-Napoca, associate professor
Simona Noja-Nebyla, daughter of writer Ion Noja, is a Romanian-born ballet artist, educator, and researcher living in Austria and Romania. Former principal dancer with the Romanian State Opera Cluj, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Vienna State Opera. Guest artist with major ensembles including Bolshoi Theatre, La Scala, Finnish National Ballet, Semperoper Dresden, Stuttgart Ballet, and Zagreb National Ballet. From 2010–2020, she led the Vienna State Opera Ballet Academy, transforming it into today’s Balletakademie and founding its Jugendkompanie. Founder of the Cultural Foundation “Simona Noja” and co-founder of Dancearts Vienna; initiator of the European Ballet Grand Prix (2017). Holds a PhD in Performing Arts (“Ballet Academic Educational Model”, 2023). Honored with Romania’s Order of the Star (Officer) and Austria’s Honor Cross for Science and Art First Class.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Assoc. Prof. Simona Șomăcescu Ph.D. of the UNATC “I. L. Caragiale”
Assoc. Prof. Simona Șomăcescu, PhD – teacher, choreographer, and dance historian. Founder and coordinator of the master’s program in Choreography and Performance in Dance at UNATC “I.L. Caragiale” Bucharest. Initiator and organizer of numerous scientific events, including project manager and curator of the ICCD. Author of specialized courses (2019, 2020) and the book Classical and Contemporary Dance: Intersections and Deviations (2022). Published articles in Concept, Journal of Drama Teaching, Doctoral Horizons, and more. Invited lecturer at international conferences in Craiova, Iași, Chișinău, Maribor, and Athens. Artistic Director of the Bucharest National Opera Ballet (2009–2011). Awarded the National Order of Cultural Merit, Knight rank, by the President of Romania. Recognized for her rich international career as principal ballerina of the Bucharest National Opera. A leading voice in contemporary dance education, performance, and research.
Education Panel – Structure
Speakers:
Keynote speaker: 15-minute lecture
Speaker 1: Univ. Lect. Geta-Violeta Răvdan, PhD, Ovidius University of Constanța (RO)
The Role of Dance Education and Mentors in Shaping Future Generations
- 10-minute lecture
- 5-minute Q&A
Speaker 2: Univ. Lect. Snejana Apostol, PhD, Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts of Chișinău (MO)
Dance as an Archive of Cultural Heritage: Modernism, Postmodernism, and the Changing Aesthetics of the Body
- 10-minute lecture
- 5-minute Q&A
Speaker 3: Aidai Salmorbekova, PhD candidate, Education and Society Doctoral School of Education, University of Pécs (HU)
Social – Aesthetic Perception in Non-Professional Adult Dance Learners
- 10-minute lecture
- 5-minute Q&A
Speaker 4: Doc. Mgr. MgA. Lucie Hayashi, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (CZ)
Creative Dance Education for Sustainable Artistic Careers
- 10-minute lecture
- 5-minute Q&A
Guest speaker:
- 35-minute lecture
- 10-minute Q&A