Tanja Puklek is a Croatian author, performer and mathematician teacher who researches the interaction of dance, circus art, and mathematical principles. By combining the above, she seeks new methods and outcomes in performance, authorship, and education. She finished Mathematics studies in 2012. at the Faculty of Science in Zagreb and since then acts as a professor, dancer and a juggler who promotes awareness of the connection between mathematics and juggling. Since 2019. she is a member of Croatian Dancers Association (UPUH).
She starts her dance education in early age attending rhythmics classes. Later she continues her dance education of contemporary dance in Massa Dance Company, Zagreb Dance Center and attending numerous workshops including regular morning masterclasses in Zagreb Dance Center led by various croatian and foreign dancers. She promotes dance in circus art in Croatia, therefore she organises dance workshops for acrobats in Zagreb.
She gained her circus skils by being a part of several conventions and numerous workshops, where she learned from Lee DeLong,Tomas Sokolowicz, Cyrille Humen, Bart Vene, company Un Loup pour l'Homme, and many others, as well as exploring independently.
In her artistic expression, she researches the interaction of dance, circus art, and mathematical principles. As author and performer she collaborates with numerous croatian and foreign dancers and new media artists (Mia Zalukar, Bruno Isaković, Filip Borelli, Leo Betinelli, Sifiso Seleme..) As dancer and juggler she performed and teached all over Croatia and abroad (Germany, Austria, Poland, Nigeria, Montenegro).
She teaches regulary prop dance education in form of classes and workshops for children and adults.
Details related to work experience and education can be found further in this text.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Performances :
2018.
"Shake it off" - dance performance by Bruno Isaković and Mia Zalukar, 35. Dance Week Festival (Zagreb) - performer
"Black and White" multimedia dance performance, Subscena (Zagreb)– co-author, performer, costume artist
"Feng Shui" dance performance, Periskop (Zagreb), CuFus (Samobor) – co-author, performer, costume artist
"Surface" multimedia dance performance, Subscena (Zagreb) – co-author, performer, costume artist
2017.
Performance at Calabar Carnival (Nigeria) – circus performance – co-author, performer, makeup artist
"IV"- UV performance, Humanitarian Carnival Ball (Rijeka) Špancirfest (Varaždin)- co-author, performer, makeup artist
"VileonCello" dance-juggling performans, Legend Fest (NP Krka, Roški slap, Veliki Tabor) - co-author, performer, costume artist
"Feng Shui" - dance and music street performans with circus elements, Podgorica Art Festival (Montenegro) Kufer (Križevci), FUS (Nikšić, Montenegro), Kalelargart (Zadar)
Medieval performance about fairies and fire show – Medieval festival at Castle Veliki Tabor – co- author, performer, costume artist
2015.
" Borax"- Circus performance, Old Town Fair (Konjšćina) – performer
2014.
" Magic of creation" UV performance , Lost Theory festival (Deringaj), Night of Performances (Sv. Filip i Jakov), Špancirfest (Varaždin) – co-author, performer, costume and makeup artist
2013.
"Wise monkeys" - UV performance, Lost Theory festival (Deringaj) - co-author, performer, costume artist
Other shows :
2019.
- dance number – research on dinamics of movement - AKC Medika (Zagreb) - choreographer, performer
- "Rythm of the flame" Fire Show - Crikvart (Crikvenica), KUF (Zagreb)
- prop dance number - Cabaret – AKC Medika (Zagreb), Cabaret (Samobor) - choreographer, performer
2018.
- LED poi animation at light festival Blockheide leuchtet - performer, costume and makeup artist
- Video spot for song Alone of music band Sufosia - actress
- Poi dance number - Cabaret – AKC Medika (Zagreb), hotel Valamar (Dubrovnik)- author and performer
2017.
- Night of work in progress, Circus tent (Zagreb) – performer and author of collection of schetches "Little things", with artistic support of Tomas Sokolowicz and Filip Borelli
- Poi dance - circus act (Cabaret – AKC Medika Zagreb, Night of the Dark Circus – Možvara Zagreb, STRiT NIGHT festival - Rijeka) - author and performer
2016.
- Prop dance act at variete shows (2. Croatian juggling convention @KC Travno Zagreb, 3. Croatian Hula Hoop Convention @Lovran) – author and performer
2015.
- "Flip Book" dance instalation by Boris Charmatz, 32. Dance Week Festival, MSU (Zagreb) - performer
- Prop dance act at variete shows (2. Croatian Hoop Convention @Samobor, 1. Croatian Juggling Convention @Zagreb) – act author and performer
- Fire Show (Street art festivals: VUF @Virovitica, CUFUS @Samobor) –performer
Teaching :
2017. till today
- Poi dance classes (AKC Medika, Zagreb)
2019.
– help in learning mathematics for socially exclouded pupils and pupils of vocational secondary schools -Association Suncokret OLJIN
2018.
– Poi and movement weekend workshop - Filodramatica (Rijeka)
2017.
- poi and dance workshop - GIRLS Gender-Inclusion-Empowerment : youth exchange Erasmus+ (Krzyzowa, Poland)
- poi and movement workshop - Open Circus Workshops (Zagreb) –
– poi workshop - STRiT NIGHT (Rijeka)
2016.
– contemporary dance workshop - 3. Croatian Hoop Convention (Lovran)
– poi workshop - Open Class Day at Traffic School (Zagreb)
2015.
– prop dance workshop - 2. Croatian Hoop Convention (Samobor)
2014. – 2017.
- Traffic School (Zagreb) - math teacher
FORMAL EDICATION:
2014./2015. Pedagogical – psichological – didaktical – metodical education
University of Zagreb University Department for Mathematics
2009. – 2012. Graduate University programme Mathematical Statistics
University of Zagreb Faculty of Science Department of Mathematics
2006. – 2009. Undergraduate University programme Mathematics
University of Zagreb Faculty of Science Department of Mathematics
2002. – 2006. II Gymnasium, Zagreb
COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
2011. – today
- Ognjen Vučinić (Masa dance company) - Contemporary dance classes at Zagreb Dance Center
teacher:
2018. – today
- Morning masterclasses at Zagreb Dance Center
2019.
- Tijen Lewton – workshop (contemporary dance), Zagreb Dance Center
- Satoshi Kudo - Motion qualia (contemporary dance), Zagreb Dance Center
- Doris Uhlich - Energetic Icons (contemporary dance), Zagreb Dance Center
- Dario Barreto Damas - "Dancing-ing" (contemporary dance), Zagreb Dance Center
- Claire Huber – From impulse into pulsation (contemporary dance), Zagreb Dance Center
- Špela Vodeb (Un Loup pour l'Homme) - Discovering Fenomenon (partner acrobatics), Zagreb Dance Center
- Caroline Alves i Miro Wallner - Between states (dance for acrobats), KC Travno (Zagreb)
2018.
- Clement Layes - „Eternal return“ (contemporary dance), ZKM (Zagreb)
- Caroline Alves and Miro Walner - Flow Movement 2 (dance for acrobats), KC Travno (Zagreb)
- Ana Vrbaški i Marko Dinjaški - Body as an instrument (body percussion), Alnoch Castle (Samobor)
2017.
- Pierre Chartier - Circus pedagogy workshop, Circus tent (Zagreb)
- Tomas Sokolowicz - Allies of Gravity (object manipulation), Festival Cirkobalkana (Pogon Jedinstvo, Zagreb)
- Caroline Alves i Miro Wallner - Flow Movement (dance for acrobats), KC Travno (Zagreb)
- Lee Delong - Space, Colours, Objects workshop (object manipulation), KC Travno
- Bart Venne - Dutch Acro Adventure (partner acrobatics), Aikido Center (Zagreb)
- Vladimir Ježić - Exploration of movement and scene dinamic, KC Travno (Zagreb)
2016.
- Sky Ruiz Vazquez - Hula hoop workshop, AKC Medika (Zagreb)
- 3. Croatian Hoop Convention in Lovranu
teachers : Tatjana Vuletić (hula hoop), Nives Soldičić (yoga), Dana Auguštin (aerial silk), Sunčana Bartaković i Hrvoje Čupić (acro yoga)
- Leonid Buldakov - Biomehanic Workshop by MHAT method, Zagreb Dance Center
- Amazonas Summercamp capoeira, equilibre and fluid balance workshops, Veli Lošinj
teachers: Tena Kostanjšek, Katjuša Kovačić, Nikola Orešković
2015.
- Aleksandra Mišić i Ognjen Vučinić (Masa dance company) - Masterclass partnering workshops at Zagreb Dance Center
2014.
- 2. Croatian Hoop Convention, Samobor
teachers : Tatjana Vuletić, Marko Kalc
- Jadranka Mijatović - aerial silk, AKC Medika (Zagreb)
2013.
- Cyrille Humen - Body Tracing and Flower Poi Workshop at AKC Medika (Zagreb)
2012.
- intensive in partner acrobatics at AKC Medika (Zagreb)
teacher: Mia Mrđenović i Aleksandar Đikić
OTHER SKILLS:
tailoring, sewing, painting
Foreign Languages:
- English– active in speaking and writing
- French – passive
Computer skills:
- Active usage of MS Office package.
- Exclent usage of Internet in everyday life.
- Very good usage of softwares GeoGebra, Matlab, R i LaTex.
Driving licence B cetegory