Praetorian Non-Profit Art and Health Consulting

István Simon

Project Leader /  Cultural Manager / Researcher / Principal Ballet Dancer

“I am interested in inclusivity, inclusive theatre, and dance, because I believe that empathy and care are among the most important values of humanity. Enabling access and creating opportunities for neurodiverse people could become a driving force for arts and society, as well as it may potentially have positive effects on the economy.”

István Simon is a lecturer and doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Business and Economics of TU Dresden, a project developer and manager of Chemnitz2025 GmbH European Capital of Culture, CEO of Praetorian Non-Profit Art and Health Consulting, the project leader of Taming Our Trauma, BrainFood, Takiwatanga, cultural manager, pedagogue, dance Artist, researcher and producer of The Journey Productions. He has initiated, and manages Help-Dance / Tanz+Blau+Gelb, a Germany-wide Ukrainian help program for refugee dance artists.
As an international dance artist, Mr. Simon is regularly invited to the most prestigious festivals and gala performances of the world, he has worked in 21 different countries and collaborated with 43 different theaters. He has performed in some of the most important venues in the world, such as Paris Opera, New York City Center, Tokyo Saitama, Kremlin Moscow, Semperoper, Dortmund Opera, Teatro di San Carlo. Previously Mr. Simon was a principal dancer of the Semperoper Ballett.
As a pedagogue, he has thought at 3 universities and many private schools globally.
As a cultural manager, he has produced and organized performances in cooperation with the Goethe Institute. He has worked as an assistant to Sabrina Sadowska, Ballet Director of Die Theater Chemnitz, worked for Stiftung Tanz – Transition Center Germany, and arranged performances for the greatest star ballerinas of our time. Website: www.istvansimon.com
Instagram: @istvansimoninst 
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Boglárka Simon-Hatala

Scientific Leader, Neuroscientist, Health expert, Coach

“I am interested in inclusivity because I strongly believe that the world needs all kinds of brains and bodies to build a better future. In my opinion, theatres are supposed to be the catalysts of positive social changes and I would love to see performing arts communities pioneer the promotion of mental health awareness and neurodiversity representation.”

Boglárka Simon-Hatala has dedicated her professional career to the support of professional dancers. Her first academic degree is in physiotherapy, and she has specialized in the field of injury prevention, rehabilitation and alignment correction of elite professional dancers. She has spent the first decade of her career in Hungary, where she worked with the Hungarian National Ballet, the Hungarian Dance University and with the whole spectrum of the elite professional Hungarian dance life. She has realized very soon that the locomotion system cannot be efficiently targeted by therapies without contextualizing it in the overall human health therefore she acquired an MSc in health science pedagogy. In 2008, she was invited to join the team of the Semperoper Ballet of Dresden as body awareness coach. She spent 10 years with the company and during this period she started her international career as associated physiotherapist and body awareness coach – among others – of The Forsythe Company, the Kremlin Ballet Festival, Sylvie Guillem’s farewell tour and Jacopo Godani’s DFDC. Her focus turned to inclusivity and ethics to promote a psychologically safe working environment as an aspect of health protection measures. Her interest in mental health and neurodiversity motivated her to obtain a neuroscience MSc at the King’s College London. She is in a PhD research program of the Semmelweis University Budapest, her field of research is trauma informed care.
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Katy M. McBain

Project Assistant,
Learning Support Coordinator

“Inclusivity is the only way forward if we want to remove barriers that prevent the neurotypical community and the neurodiverse community from valuable learning opportunities. One way we can create a more inclusive society is by creating autism-friendly or sensory-friendly theater and dance performances. The performing arts is perhaps one of the most universal forms of expression, found in every society. When we remove barriers that prevent the autistic community from participating and enjoying these arts, we begin to accept and normalize neurodiversity.”

“The way forward is not to seek a way of changing autistic people to make them ‘fit in’ but to change society to make all of us more tolerant of diversity.” – Mitchell et al., 2021

Katy McBain is a  secondary learning support specialist at an IB international school in Germany. She has a Masters in Education with an emphasis in Autism Intervention. She is passionate about inclusion, raising awareness about neurodiversity and neurodiversity acceptance, as well as advocating for the diverse learners in today’s classrooms.

Sara Larrington

Neurodiversity consultant,
Learning support coordinator

“I am interested in inclusivity, inclusive theatre and dance, as my passion (and job) is inclusion and supporting diversity. As a person who has autism, I found it hard to enjoy the arts at times, especially in public venues. Many people cannot enjoy dance, theatre or music due to neurodiversity and may not have pursued careers in these fields. Inclusive performances will bring the arts to these people and perhaps open up new avenues of interest.”

Facebook account 
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Zoltán J. Hatala

Autism spectrum condition consultant

“In my eyes, Theatre and Dance is one of the most extensive and colorful forms of expression in the world. I believe that the thrill and an experience that comes with experiencing this wonderful artform should be allowed to permeate to as many people of different backgrounds as possible. I want to make it my mission to tear down existing walls and barriers and open the amazing world of Theatre and Dance to as wide of an audience as possible. Including and involving people in this delightful artform can not only aid in improving audience engagement, but can also greatly assist in the introduction of different points of view to the creative aspects of Theatre and Dance, allowing for an even more diverse and colorful atmosphere. In conclusion I believe that trough inclusivity, a fresh path can be forged for this beautiful artform and can aid greatly in renewing its survival and endurance, which is why I am so excited to provide council in this project.”

Zoltán is a first-year mechanical engineering student at the Technische Universität Dresden as well as an Astrophotographer. Previously he was a student at the Dresden International School. Due to the profession of his parents, Zoltán had the opportunity to visit many theaters throughout Europe and was able to be present both backstage or in the auditorium during performances. Zoltán himself has overcome many of the challenges of the Autism Spectrum Condition. He has consciously, systematically, and successfully developed his own social skills, therefore he is able to offer highly valuable insight, knowledge, experience, and solutions as a consultant.

Valentina Turcu

Dramaturg
Choreographer

“Inclusive theater can bring us together on a new level, new quality, new way of feeling life. It can open up our mutual outer and inner worlds, our mutual experiences. Life as inexhaustible source of inspiration for artists, can bring us through this new portal into creating – new sense of theater. New finesses. I believe that only through our honest selflessness, clean choices and true devotion, we can find profound meaning. Unique. Essential.  If there is no creation, there is no life, no evolution. Dance art is a medium of Divine beauty and will reach audience at the highest level in a unique way. Artists have to be defenders against dehumanization, especially in these toxic times, when man is becoming unrecognizable to man, theater can be more creative, more sincere, more authentic. What is a work of art if no one is watching it from the other side of the stage?”

2015 Kyoto Prize nominee Valentina Turcu is an outstanding dance artist – resident director and choreographer at Slovene National Theater Maribor. Her creative oeuvre is comprised of over 140 ballet, theatre and opera productions and her ballets are guesting around the World. The Croatian-born artist is trained in classical ballet, and has studied and danced with the great master Maurice Béjart. She has choreographed various productions – from the classical narrative full-length ballets, to the avant-garde, from large-scale productions to individual choreographed dance pieces and directed few theatrical classic plays. Carmen, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Peer Gynt, Master and Margarita, Anna Karenina, Dangerous Liaisons, La Bohéme, The Tempest,

Death in Venice, Bodas de Sangre, A Streetcar Named Desire, Eugen Onegin, Don Juan, La Dame aux Camellias, Madame Bovary are just some of the stand out productions from her extensive body of work.
DEATH IN VENICE – Croatian National Ballet 
DANCE FILM – Slovene National Day of Art & Culture
Website

Andreas Heise

Choreographer
Opera Director

I am interested in inclusivity, inclusive theater, and dance because: I believe in dance as a tool to unite people. Everyone should have the opportunity to be part of the art forms of dance, music and theatre. Only as an inclusive art form can dance remain contemporary and relevant today. Art For All is my motto.

Born in Germany, Andreas Heise started choreographing regularly for the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet in 2005. In 2015 he made his UK debut as Associate Director/Choreographer in Benjamin Britten’s Death in Venice at the Garsington Opera. In June 2017 Andreas had his choreographic debut at the Salzburg Festival in a production of Handel’s Ariodante. Further commissions include works for the Stuttgarter Ballett, the Staatsballett Berlin, the Ballet Company at Oper Graz, and Teatro Real Madrid. His debut as Director/Choreographer in a new production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in a collaboration between the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet took place in March 2019. His choreographed and staged version of Franz Schubert ́s Winterreise has been presented in Portugal, Spain, Germany and Pakistan.

www.andreas-heise.com

Kian Jazdi

Composer
Musicologist

“I always believed in the claim: „Concerthalls for everyone!“. In my opinion it’s obligate for every cultural institution to provide events and opportunities which make it possible for everyone to be included – on stage or in the audience. Dance as an art-form can be very abstract and artificial but on the other hand it is easily accessible and on a way lower threshold level than for example classical music. This makes dance so suitable for inclusive projects.”

Kian Jazdi, is a musician and project designer based both in Hamburg and Berlin.
Kian’s projects are curious, blending many influences, often searching for transcultural interfaces, always bringing people together. With different art backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, ages and sexes.
Both his classical music background with the immerse in electronic music productions by working with analogue synths, and the Persian musical heritage of his Iranian father, shape and drive his style of music as well as the choice of projects he dedicates his passion and time to.
Kian is working and has worked with Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt Berlin, Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg, Staatstheater Hannover, Karlsruhe & Stuttgart, Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites, junge norddeutsche philharmonie and others.
www.kianjazdi.de
Instagram: @kianjazdi 
Linkedin: Kian Jazdi

Johannes Schadl

Light designer

“I am interested in inclusivity, inclusive theatre and dance because I think that everyone should have access to these art forms. Since I am making lighting design for theater or ballet, no production in which I have been part of had the topic of inclusion as its main goal. I think there should be more attention paid on an artistic and technical basis on neurodiversity. When theater or ballet companies implement more sensitized productions, art can certainly also benefit from it as specific things have to be rethought. This can also encourage viewers to deal better with the topic of inclusion, learn from it and create even more awareness.

Johannes Schadl, born in Graz, began his work as a freelance lighting designer in 2010. Since then, he has created numerous lighting and video installations for events, gala evenings and concert production. During this time, he successfully completed his training as a specialist in media informatics and media design and the master school for event technology.
Since 2018 he has been working at the Graz Opera under the direction of Sebastian Alphons. He made his debut as a light designer at the Graz Opera with Andreas Heise’s ballet “Sandmann”. Further lighting designs followed for opera, ballet and dance performances.

Kimia Tafreshian

Psychiatrist
Neurologist

“In our society, the exclusion of people who have needs beyond the ‘norm’ has become so commonplace that we don’t notice it until affected ourselves. I think it is essential to actively design public spaces and cultural events in a way, that everybody can participate and benefit from them. A more considerate design of public spaces and designing performances, taking into account all diverse demands, can point out unfairness and thus also stimulate political discourse. But it might also provide new inspiration and ideas for the development of such events, especially by including previously excluded people in the change.”

Kimia Tafreshian is a medical doctor in Berlin, Germany. She got her medical degree at Charité University in 2020, also she had the opportunity to encounter research experience during a yearlong stay at the Rockefeller University in New York. After completing her medical degree, she worked for 1,5 years as a psychiatric resident, she is starting her residency training in neurology in February 2023 in Berlin.