Petr Boháč
Petr Boháč is a director, scenographer, expert on Czech literature, occasional painter and a passionate poker player. His home ensemble, the Spitfire Company, that he co-founded with his wife Miřenka Cechova, is based in Prague with an overlap into international context. His work as a director has been seen in more than 20 countries, including Japan, China, South Korea, USA, Israel, South Africa or Norway. Some of his work has received international as well as domestic awards such as The Herald Angel Award, Aerowaves Priority Companies 2014, Theatre newspaper award, Next Waves festival award or Czech dance platform award.
At the moment, he is a dramaturgist at the Palác Akropolis Theater focusing on cross-over projects, genres of new circus and experiment theater. He is also the arts director of the international festival Nultý bod (Zero point) taking place in Prague every July.
His poetics is based on exploring untested dramatic methods, transgressive impulses and topics resonating in society? The main purpose of this exploration is the necessity to overstep boundaries and break the rules that humans constantly place on themselves.
Miřenka Čechová
Miřenka Čechová is a Czech director, choreographer, performer. She is co-founder and house director of two internationally acclaimed theater companies: Spitfire Company and Tantehorse, and also works as an independent director. She began her career as a classical ballet dancer at the Dance Conservatory in Prague. Following, she continued her studies to earn two MA degrees in Theater and Nonverbal theater respectively. She was awarded a Ph.D in Physical Theater Direction from the Music Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Ms. Cechova received a Fulbright scholarship in 2010/2011 to teach and research in the USA. She received a Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2012), The Best of Contemporary Dance (2012) from the Washington Post, as well as The Best of Performance Award by the Prague Fringe, The Best of Fringe in Amsterdam and the Best Overseas Production of the National Arts Festival in South Africa (2013) among many other awards and honors. In the music genre, Ms. Cechova received the prestigious Czech Zdeněk Fibich competition award in Melodrama interpretation in 2005, 2006.
As a director, she has contributed to more than 30 productions. At the moment her main interest is in writing, in 2020 her novel “Baletky” (Ballet dancers) was published and became a bestseller immediately. This book is now being turned into a theatre script by the author herself and will be performed by herself as well.
Jindřiška Křivánková
Jindřiška Křivánková is an actress, dancer, choreographer and author with strong interest in the development of contemporary theater performances. She finished her studies at Dance Conservatory Duncan Center in Prague and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, with M.A. degree. Since 2002 she’s started her professional career as an actress, choreographer and author. In 2008 she became one of the founding member of Spitfire Company physical theater, with whom she performs until now. She´s co-founder of Kolonie theater company focusing on devised and author theater and connecting different theatrical approaches, constantly working in Prague. Since 2014 she’s been constantly working as performer, choreographer and dramaturgist with visual artist Ales Cermak (POLO SHIRT [discipline] in Vienna 2015, #WeCanHelpYouGetAhead in Lepzig 2016, WCHYGA [ED. 3] in Stanica Zilina 2017)
She was awarded as the Talent of the Year (2010) at the Next Wave festival in Czech republic.
Markéta Vacovská
Markéta Vacovská is a dancer and choreographer based in Czechia. She studied nonverbal theatre at HAMU in Prague. She has been part of Spitfire Company and has co-created dozens of performance with this company. She was awarded as the best dancer of the year for One Step Before the Fall by Czech Dance Platform, she received Herald Angel by Edinburgh Fringe Festival, an award for best choreography by Theatre Newspaper, an award by Nová Síť, and a nomination for Thalie. She is an experienced author and interpreter and has collaborated with Studio Hrdinů, Divadlo Kolonie, Cirkus Mlejn or Žogléros ansámbl. In 2009 she was the only chosen Czech dancer for a two-week improvisation workshop Yes to the wind with a choreographer Meg Stuart who is her big idol. In 2020 she presented her project Odloučení which emerged from her need to open a tabu topic of losing a child to support the parents throughout the long journey of mourning.
Cécile Da Costa
Graduated from the university Saint Denis, Paris XIII in Sciences of Education. Since 2005 she has been working as an actress. She was a member of the Farm in the Cave International Theater Studio (Prague, Czech Republic) for 5 years.
Cécile is now working as an actress/singer with Spitfire Company based in Prague. She is running workshops of physical theater in Prague, France, Poland and Greece. In her work she is searching for voices which can move the body and bodies which can move the voice.
Her latest work is a solo called Narrator/Vypravěč, a piece inspired by the book from Atiq Rahimi, The Patience Stone.
Ingrid Zotova-Mikshina
Inga Zotova-Mikshina comes from Siberia, Russia. She studied dancing in St Petersburg and at Prague Duncan Center. She is interested in physical improvisation, theatre, visual arts and philosophy. She has worked with Spitfire Company, Tantehorse, divadlo Archa and many others. In 2015 she was awarded by Jarmila Jeřábková first prize within Nová Evropa festival. She co-founded Ferst Dadler company and PocketArt company. At the moment she teaches at Duncan Center in Prague, does yoga and studies aesthetics at FFUK in Prague.
Roman Zotov-Mikshin
Roman Zotov-Mikshin was born in Tula (Russia) and since he was 17 he has lived in Prague. During his studies at Prague Duncan Centre he learned contemporary dance, modern techniques such as Graham, Limon or Cunningham, martial arts, street dance and he took part in many choregraphies as author and dancer. Since 2015 he has entered various kinds of stages. He has worked with Nadar Rosano, Sue Schroeder, Maxim Diděnko, Lenka Flory, Michal Záhora, Mirka Eliášová, Jana Bitterová and many other
artists. He cofouded Ferst Dadler company. Since 2018 he has taught improvisation, composition and other dance related subjects at Prague Duncan Centre. He was awarded with Jarmila Jeřábková award in 2015.
Martin Tvrdý
Matin Tvrdý is known from his solo projects as a rapper Bonus, but also as a producer of minimalistic electronics. He received several awards for his work, including the Apollo or Anděl. In recent years, he has worked on scenic music and sound design for film, theater or even virtual reality. Besides the Spitfire company, he also cooperates with the National Theater, Český rozhlas (Czech public radio), the Vosto5 theater and many others.
Together with Mary C, he started an educational platform called Kreaton, he has organized many music workshops and is the author of the Play table concept which makes creating music more accessible to children and the public. Currently, he is cooperating on the _ZVUK_ which supports education and creative dialogue and realization of electronic music projects and sound art. In his second life, he is also a graphic designer in the Carton collective.
Micheala Hradecká
Michaela studied Puppetry at VOŠh in Prague and nonverbal theatre at HAMU. She is mainly focused on street theatre involving new circus elements. She collaborates with Divadlo Kvelb, V.O.S. theatre, Sacra circus, Divadlo Buřt. She was also a member of Amanitas fire theatre for seven years. She cofounded Mime fatale company, Fire Duck and Blackout paradox. Within these companies she is an author, director, choreographer, performer and makeup artist.
Eva Stará
Eva is a dancer, performer, acrobat, and choreographer. She studied dancing at Duncan center and then nonverbal theatre at HAMU. She is the co-founder of Holektiv company that has been successful in Czechia as well as abroad. Apart from Spitfire Company, she cooperates with Tantehorse, Burki&com, she also creates performances for children with studio TS Light a FysioART and with Roberto Magro, Daniel Gulko, Matěj Forman, Štěpán Pácl, etc. She teaches dancing in Taneční studio Light and ZUŠ Choceň. She also organized workshops on contemporary dance, partner acrobatics, and improvisation. Artistically she is interested in connecting new circus, dance, and theatre.
Martin Špetlík
Martin Špetlík worked as an electrician while still attending a secondary school. He studied architecture but owing to his love of theatre became a professional lighting designer. Following engagements at the Dejvice and Švanda theatres in Prague, in 2007 he became a freelancer. He co-founded the renowned ensembles Tantehorse and Spitfire Company. He has created about 100 lighting designs for performances of various genres, ranging from dance and physical mime theatre, drama productions, site-specific projects, musicals to operas. To name but a few: Mad Cup of Tea (Krepsko, 2007), Obsession (Compagnie Décalages, 2008), One Step before the Fall (Spitfire Co., 2011 – prize for the best lighting design of the year), Marguerite (Alain Boublil, National Moravian-Silesian Theatre in Ostrava, 2011), Uter Que (Tantehorse, 2013) and Krakatit (Švanda Theatre in Prague, 2013). Moreover, he teaches at the Institute of Lighting Design in Prague and pursues other pedagogic activities, serves as technical manager of the Zero Point festival and co-owns a café in Prague.
Paulina Skavová
Paulina Skavova is a Czech sculptress, scenographer, and a conceptual artist. She studied at Karel Nepraš’s studio at Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. In 2001 Skavova was awarded the Studio Award for the best student, and in 2002 she was awarded Jana Rybářová Award from an Italian foundation Fondazione Europea Margherita. She studied in Helsinky, Switzerland, Mexiko. Since 2010 Skavova has been working in the Community Centre UFFO in Trutnov. She lives and works in Novosedly close to Písek, and since 1998 she has been cooperating with the art iron foundry in Horní Kalná. Jiří Slozanský introduced Skavova to boxing, which inspired her to create boxing gloves or a portrait of the boxer Mike Tyson. She spends her free time horse riding and sometimes also sport shooting. Her husband Petr Zvolánek is a professional sports shooter.
Jan Šikl
Jan Šikl studied composing at Prague Conservatory. He composes mainly for physical theatre (Laterna Magika, 420People, Squadra Sua, ..) but also for classical theatre (Jedl, Divadlo v Celetné, Klicperovo divadlo, ..) broadcasts and audiobooks. As a multi-instrumentalist, he collaborates on projects Zabelov Group and Korjen. For Spitfire Company he co-created (with David Kollar) and performed live for the Narrator.
Karolína Křížková
Karolína Křížková studied nonverbal theatre at HAMU in Prague. Her main field of interest is nonverbal theatre, new circus and dance, she focuses on fusion of all these disciplines. She cofounded Holektiv company, which performs in La Fabrika and also non-Prague venues. She also performs in National Theatre. Besides that she also performs for children. She teaches circus techniques in Ciqueon and Archalab and she leads theatre dance courses. She cooperates with Spitfire Company, DAMUZA, VerTe dance and directors such as Matěj Forman, Daniel Gulk, Robert Magr, Venorika Poldauf Reidelbauchová, Hana Strejčková or Daniel Špinar.
Honza Tomšů
Within his artistic practice Honza emphasizes experiment, flexibility, sustainability and activizing the recipient of the artistic work as well as the process. Apart from his collaboration with Spitfire Company he has worked with National Theatre, Divadlo na zábradlí, NOD or Městské divadlo ve Zlíně. He organizes Přehlídka současného umění a filmové animace PAF, literalní festival LITR. He is a cofounder of a cultural platform called Zvěřinec based in Zlín.