collapse module

Simona JOVIC

offline 56 friends
joined on 05/30/07
last updated 10/19/09
collapse module

My Friends

view all 56
collapse module

My Bio

Gender
Female
about me


Simona Jović
"Ambassador of the Roma " (cf. press-Serbia and Romania)
"World number One of the gypsy dance" (cf. press France)

Czech-Serbian origin, Simona Jović spends her childhood between the Adriatic cost in Montenegro, the Bosnian-Serbian border and the surroundings of Prague. The diversity of the cultures, traditions and languages she grows up with, are of great influence.

Her passion for the Balkan and Roma culture was passed on to her from her father, so that she started singing traditional songs at the age of five. Her mother introduced her to dancing and she ‘practiced’ daily at Serbian and Gypsy festivities, which she considered being her most important dancing school.

Ever since her early age Simona has been regularly in contact with the Roma from her countries of origin and could thus establish a special connection with their communities. She has the chance to be accepted and be able to share with them their way of living, their traditions, music and dancing.

After the studies of French at the University of Belgrade, she moves to Paris and continues her studies at the University of Nouvelle Sorbonne. Paris, being one of the cosmopolitan centres of the world, awakens the urge in her to ‘go on the road’ again. This time she decides to meet other Roma and nomadic communities in other countries and continents.

This long trip of several years takes her all around the world. From North Africa to Central Asia, Russia, India and the Indian Ocean Simona discovers, explores and compares various traditions. She also travels through Western Europe, down to the south of France, Andalusia and crosses the ocean to South America. During these trips she performs as a singer and dancer, publishes several articles about the Roma culture and teaches in dance workshops and seminars.

In september 2007, after to her performance at the International Roma Art Festival in Romania, Simona was praised as the “Ambassador of the Roma”. The same year, “Them”, the official Serbian Roma magazine gives her the same title of “Ambassador” of their culture. In January 2008 Simona was chosen to represent the Roma culture at the International Indian Diaspora Festival in New Delhi. At this occasion, the Indian National Centre for the Arts organized a recording cession with Simona for their official archives, in order to keep the memory of the authentic Roma dances alive. She is collaborating worldwide with the different organizations and fights for the recognition and the maintenance of the authenticy of the rroma dances.

Today Simona is an accomplished artist. Beginning of 2008 she again settled in Europe and
surrounded herself with talented musicians. Her performances and concerts are a mirror to her cosmopolitan experience. Simona integrates and mixes different aspects : the dances of the Rroma, the dances of the Silk Road and the Balkan music taking into account important influences of Central Asia, Turkey and Central Europe on it. She performs with the the Demiran Cerimovic orchestra.

She is president of the Humanitarian and Cultural Organization "Rroma of the world".

Simona Jovic is the first dancer in the history of the Council of Europe allowed to dance inside.

Simona Jovic performs with the Demiran Cerimovic orchestra from Vranje in South of Serbia, great triple winners of the big Guca festival (best orchestra in 2002, 2006 and 2007).

Each year she organizes several music, language and dance tours in the villages all around the world in order to let people meet the authentic roma culture and learn these traditions directly from the source.

Today, she lives mostly in Serbia, but she spends a lot of time in France and continue travelling all around the world...


Official Simona Jovic's website : www.simonajovic.com



PRESS REVIEWS

* Astonishing Simona Jovic! World number one of the gypsy dance, Simona Jovic amazed the spectators...A performance of a rare purity."
(La liberté, FRANCE)

* Simona Jovic has a mission to bring cultures closer to one another, that's why she deserves the "Rroma ambassador" title..."
(Iraf, ROMANIA)

* Beyond all the techniques and dance steps, she highlights a culture and a state of mind, passionately mingling sadness and joy..."
(Le Quotidien de la Réunion, REUNION ISLAND)

* The dance of life is what the lovely Simona Jovic presents. A perfect mix of emotion and enthousiasm..."
(The Indian Express, INDIA)

* "Simona Jovic is the Rromani ambassador..."
(Rromani magazine Them, SERBIA)

* "A very serious and authentic work presented in a historical context..."
(Besançon, FRANCE)



You are not connected to Simona JOVIC
want to grow your network?
view more
collapse module

My Recent Activity

Re: Roma dances performance / workshop in the States (in !Turkish Style!) Dear friends dancers,

Thank you for all your answers. This time, I will finally only stay in New York and Montreal. My program in Montreal is booked, but I still have a few openings in New York for 4th, 5th and 6th of January 2010. If you are i... read more
discussion post on Wed, November 18, 2009 - 4:36 AM
ROMANIAN GYPSY DANCES WORKSHOP for men and women ( events » arts ) With the gypsy group Romaroma (ex. Romafest) from Cluj (Transylvania, Romania)

Workshop with live musicians with the roma artists who will come all the way from Transylvania for the occasion !

FOR ALL LEVEL, COMPLETE BEGGINERS INCLUDED !
FO... read more
event starts Saturday, November 7, 2009 - 4:00 PM
Kalbeliya Dance workshop with DHOAD GYPSIES OF RAJASTHAN ( events » arts ) Kalbeliya dance workshop with the dancer and the musicians of the band !

Kalbeliya dance workshop with the dancer and the musicians of the band ! Captivating, the kalbeliya seduces first by its incredible energy and a huge joy expressing itself... read more
event starts Sunday, October 11, 2009 - 2:00 PM
ROMANO BERSH : The Year of the Romani Culture ( events » arts ) ROMANO BERSH
THE YEAR OF THE ROMANI CULTURE
From September 2009 to June 2010 in Paris

www.romanobersh.com

The « Rroma of the World » cultural association and its partners invite you, during a whole year, to discover

authentic roman... read more
event starts Saturday, September 19, 2009 - 1:00 PM
Kalbeliya Dance workshop with QUEEN HARISH ( events » arts ) Kalbeliya dance workshop with this great dancer coming from Rajasthan for the occasion !

The kalbeliya dance of Rajasthan, you may have discovered it in Gypsy Caravan (danced by Queen Harish).

Captivating, it seduces first by its incredible ... read more
event starts Saturday, September 19, 2009 - 3:00 PM
view all 9
collapse module

My Blog

MACEDONIA MUSIC AND DANCE TOUR MAY 2008
History, language, music and dance of the Macedonian Rroma
May 1st to 8th, 2008

This may I am taking you to the biggest rromani community in Europe : Suto Orizari. Almost 60 000 people live in this small city near Skopje, all Rroma from different parts of the Balkans, especially Macedonia, Kosovo and Turkey. The goal of this trip is to make you discover the life of this people, where they come from, what is the language they speak, how they decorat... read more
Mon, January 28, 2008 - 1:37 AM permalink - 0 comments
 
Simona Jovic
Dances and music of the Rroma
Humanitary and Cultural Organization "Rroma of the world"
www.simonajovic.com


Dear all,

This is the last call for all those who would like to join my january's trip to India where we will be learning the kalbeliya dance directly from Kalbeliya musicians and dancers in their nomadic village. The trip will take place between January 14th and 21st. To know more about the kalbeliya (or sapera) dance, you can watch this video :

www.yo... read more
Wed, December 12, 2007 - 4:45 AM permalink - 0 comments
 
Simona Jovic
Dances of the Rroma
www.simonajovic.com


Dear friends,

I am leaving in a few days to Serbia, to see my family, to see my Rroma friends
and of course, prepare everything for the Serbian rromany music and dance tour
that I organise in august. A lot of people contacted me for this trip and I am
very happy to see that people are finally opened to visit these countries ad to
meet Rroma as they are! They will be very happy to welcome everyone who is truly
intereste... read more
Wed, May 30, 2007 - 2:51 AM permalink - 0 comments
 
view all 3