Contemporary choreographers Daniel Ezralow, David Parsons and Moses Pendleton, in collaboration with Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, creators of the percussion/theater sensation “Stomp,” have joined forces with athletes from the Romanian Gymnastics Federation for an unusual evening of entertainment.
The genesis of Aeros came in 1997 when a multi-national company, looking for a novel event, contacted Antonio Gnecchi of AGR Associati in Milan, Italy. In 1999, Gnecchi and John Luckacovic of Columbia Artists Management in New York, one of the producers of “Stomp,” went to Bucharest, Romania, to meet with Adrian Stoica, general secretary of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation. Their goal was to create Aeros, the world’s first performing arts project for a national gymnastics team.
Creative work began on Sept. 11, 2000, at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In November the creative talents of Broadway designers were added for lights, sets and costumes. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation comprises four competitive disciplines: men’s artistic, women’s artistic, rhythmic and the relatively new sports aerobics. The first three are Olympic events, and sports aerobics will be in the 2004 Olympic Games.
The athletes in Aeros range in age from 19 to 26. Five are world champions in artistic, rhythmic and sports aerobics, while the others are European champions. The gymnasts also remain active in world competitions in addition to their schedules of rehearsals, performances and training.
Lucian Alexa (Performer) 23, has been practicing gymnastics since the age of 5. Mariana Apostu (Performer), age 28, is a national champion in rhythmic gymnastics and was a member of the Romanian team from 1987 to 1992. Raluca Babaligea (Performer) competed at the World Championships in Lithuania in July 2002 where the Romanian team won first place. Cozmin Bogdan (Performer) 27, began studying gymnastics at the age of 7 and is a national champion in artistic gymnastics. Mădălina Cioveie (Performer), age 19, joined the Romanian national team in July 2001 and competed with the team at the 2002 world championship. Aurelia-Mariana Ciurea (Performer), age 21, won the 2nd place European World Championship. Alina Drăgan (Performer) was forth in Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Mădălina Gogitu (Performer) is double Champion in World Championships in 2002. Gabriela Hreban (Performer), age 22, is a member of the National team of rhythmic gymnastics and participated at the European and World Championships. Isabela Lăcătuş (Peformer), age 26, is a winner of the World Cup Individual and Mixed pairs in Rimini and the world games in Akita. Daniela Mărănduca (Performer) became in 2002 a double World champion in aerobics gymastics and she was married in August. Cristina Marin (Performer) became a double world champion with the team and with the group this year. Cristian Moldovan (Performer) has won many titles including: a gold medal in trio, 1996 & 1997; a gold medal in trio and a bronze medal in individual, 2000. Lăcrămiora Moldovan (Performer) is a world-renowned figure in both artistic gymnastics and aerobics, having won numerous awards and medals. Vasile Filip Muntean (Performer), age 24, has been practicing gymnastics since the age of 5. Remus Nicolai (Performer) won a gold medal with the team at the 2002 World Championships and a bronze medal in mixed pairs with Izabela. Mihaela Pohoată (Miki) (Performer), age 21, became European Champ in ‘99. Bogdan Popa (Performer) participated in winning a gold medal with team at the 2002 World Championships. Mirela Rusu (Performer), age 24, was a double world champion with the group and with the team in 2002. Claudiu Varlam (Performer) has achieved in the field of aerobics: a gold medal in trio, 1996 & 1997.
The Romanian Gymnastics Federation, founded in 1906 and affiliated to the International Gymnastics Federation in 1907, is one of the oldest and most prestigious sports federations in the world. In 1985, the RGF became affiliated to the European Union of Gymnastics, an organization created in 1982. Of the four internationally recognized disciplines comprising the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, three are Olympic sports: Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics. The relatively recent fourth discipline is Sports Aerobics Gymnastics. An attractive new discipline, it was integrated in the International Gymnastics Federation in 1994, with a perspective of development in the future. AEROS is comprised of members from each discipline. In 1994, 1995 and 1996, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation was awarded the National Prize for “the best sports federation from Romania” by the Youth and Sports Ministry. Most recently in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Andreea Raducan captured the Olympic Women’s Gymnastics all-around gold medal, Simona Amanar and Maria Olaru took the silver and the bronze medals, and the Romanian team won the gold medal in Women’s Team Gymnastics. It was the first time a country had swept the all-around since the former Soviet Union did it in 1960. Controversy existed, however: Raducan was relieved of her medal, and Simona Amanar and Maria Olaru eventually propelled to gold and silver, respectively.
