BioOLIVIA MARIDJAN-KOOP (b. 1966) was born in Brussels, Belgium. After her Training at the Folkwang Hochschule für Musik, Schauspiel und Tanz in Essen, Germany under the direction of Pina Bausch (1984-1988), she joined the Mark Morris Dance Group at the Théâtre de la Monnaie/Muntschouwburg in her hometown. She then followed Mark Morris back to New York in 1991. She interpreted many original works and assisted Mark at the Opéra de Paris and the San Francisco Ballet. Back in Europe, under the direction of Joachim Schlömer, she first joined the Tanztheater Weimar/Germany in 1994 and then the Tanztheater Basel/Switzerland till 2000. As an independent artist, she moved to Venice, Italy and participated in projects, taught movement & dance and choreographed her own work in Italy, Germany and Switzerland. She started predominantly working with non-professionals of all ages and all walks of life. At the same time she trained as a Feldenkrais® practitioner under the direction of Paul Rubin and Julie Casson-Rubin (2000-2004). In 2008 she moved to Freiburg, Germany where she continued her pedagogical and choreographic endeavours. After a baby-break, she came back to the stage in 2016 as a member of the Compagnie LaPerformance, a female collective under the artistic direction of Julie Jaffrennou. The compagnie receives regular funding from the town and the region of Freiburg. (www.cielaperformance.com) She teaches the Feldenkrais® Method intensively these days. www.dasfeldenkraishaus.de / www.feldenkraisaudiothek.com She is married to conductor Attilio Cremonesi and they have 2 daughters.