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Alexandru David
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Alexandru David was born in Kishinev, the capital of Russian Moldova, and raised from age five in București (Bucharest), Romania. His parents were both Romanian, but not dancers. He bagan international folkdancing at the age of ten. He began studying Russian dance as a child at the Pioneer Palace in Bucharest. At the age of 12, he joined the Romanian State Ensemble Ciocârlia, which had a school to train professional dancers. The school was based on the Russian method; first ballet classes, then classes in Russian and Romanian character dance.
At the age of 14, after spending three years in the State Ensemble program, he joined a different ensemble, Perinița. The training there was the same: one ballet class a week and two classes in Russian character dance. The performances the ensemble did included Russian dance. One of the teachers was the director of the Romanian Army ensemble. He also worked with the director of the big state ensemble, Joc, in Kishinev, and The Music Hall Ensemble, with which he became a lead dancer. Alexandru encouraged his brother, Mihai David, to resign from Ciocârlia and join him in The Music Hall Ensemble, which left for Paris two weeks later, but without Alexandru, who was denied because authorities thought he might defect to his long-time associations in the West.
In 1972, Alexandru left Romania and lived in Paris doing stunt work in movies – something he had done also in Romania.
In 1973, Alexandru finally escaped the doom of Communism several years after Mihai's defection in 1996 but at dangerous risk. Mihai had preceded Alexandru's move to the United States where he principally taught Romanian dance to American folk dancers. Although at first, Alexandru was known as "Mihai's brother," it wasn't long before Alexandru established himself as a fine instructor of both Russian and Romanian dance, having logged tens of thousands of miles teaching in many countries throughout the world.
Alexandru has choreographed many suites for dance groups around the world, including Les Sortilege in Montréal and Vonnie Brown's group in Louisiana.
In 2000, Alexandru and brother Mihai were invited to teach in Brazil.
Dances Alexandru has taught include Ardelean, Alunelul ca la Cirna, Alunelul de Brâu, Alunelul de la Goicea, Arcanul Moldovenesc, Ardelean, Ațica, Bătucele, Beilolitza Krugolitza, Boereasca, Bătrîn din Banat, Bătută Muntenească, Bătută Purceilor, Bătută Țaraneasca, Brâu Batrin, Brâul, Brâul (Cîntec), Brâul ca la Frumoasa, Brâul Drept, Brâul Drept Bătrinesc, Brâul lui Ioșca, Brâul Oltenesc, Brâul pe Opt<, Brâul pe Șase, Brâul Petroșenilor, Brâulețul, Ca la Breaza, Ca la Mahala, Ca la Ses, Ca din Bucium, Cadineasca, Cencanița, Chastushky, Chindia, Chilabaua de la Urluieni, Cimpoi, Cîntec, Ciobanașul, Ciuleandra, Cotița, Craițele, Craițele de la Plenița, Crihalma, Dama, Damul, Dana I Da, Dans Ciobanesc, Hora din Banat, Dans din Caiuți, Dans din Oaș, Dans Banățeăn, Dansul Cojocului, De-a Lungul și Hațegana, De Doi din Banat, Doiul din Banat, Dura, Dușmanii Țiganilor, Fedeleșul, Fedeleșul Fetelor, Fetele din Crihalma, Fierbinte Brînză (Hot Cheese), Floricică, Floricică de la Nuci, Floricică Oltenească, Găselnița (Căselnița), Hațegana, Hora Dreapta, Hora de la Botoroaga, Hora de la Gorj, Hora de la Rudari, Hora de la Titu, Hora de la Voitenul, Hora de Mîna, Hora Bătrîneasca, Hora din Banat, Hora din Bucovina, Hora din Caval, Hora din Goicesti, Hora din Moldava, Hora din Rudari, Hora Fetelor, Hora din Goicesti, Hora din Neruja, Hora Drăgășenilor, Hora Dreaptă, Hora Fetelor<, Hora î Două Parți, Hora la Dreapta, Hora la Patru, Hora lui Chisar, Hora Mare (Moldova), Hora Mare a Cîmpulungului, >Hora Oltenească<, Hora pe Bataie, Hora Ploii, Hora Spoitorilor, Hora Țiganilor, Hot Cheese (Fierbinte Brînză), Învârtita, Învârtita de la Făgăraș, Ițele, Jianca, Jianul, Joc de la Măcies, Joc din Almas, Joc din Bihor, Joc din Mișa, Joc Țiganesc de Doi, Jocul de-a Lungul, Jocuri de Doi, Kak pod Yablonkoy, Kalinka, Korobushka, Lod Yabponyey, Lămîița, Lăutăreasca, Lebedushka, Mîndrele, Mireasa Cunana Ta, Mîndrulița Ardeleană, Mocanească, Moldovenească din Pascani, Mureșanca, Murgulețul, Păhărelul, Poloxia, Prialitza, Quadrille, Roman, Russkaya Kadrip, Russkaya Kadril, Russkaya Polka, Roata din Bihor, Ruseasca, Rustemul, Rustemul de Brîu, Rustemul de la Îtoarsa, Salajan, Scrisul, Shioapa, Sârba Bănățeană, Sârba Calușarilor, Sârba de Doina, Sârba de Doua, Sârba de la Belcesti, Sârba de la Calafat, Sârba de la Falticeni, Sârba Dracilor, Sârba Fetelor, Sârba din Cimpoi, Sârba din Slatina, Sârba la Trei, Sârba Muntească, Sârba Olenească, Sârba Pe Loc, Siberia Fată, Soroc (Sorocul), Tărănească din Horodnic, Țarina de la Abrud, Țarina de pe Gaina, Țarina din Maramureș, Tințaroiul de la Laslovăt, Trei Păzește, Trei Păzește Voinicește, Trilișești de la Mânăstirea, and Zamfirica.