ANIMA FABRIK
Photo Patrizia Korn
“We are passionate about stage dance—its classical traditions, the revolutionary freedom of modern dance, and the organized chaos of contemporary movement. By blending traditional techniques with new, contemporary influences, we aim to create something fresh and exciting.”
IRENA MARIIA TAVPASH
ANIMA Founder & Creative Director, Teacher, Choreographer
Classical Ballet, Contemporary and Modern Techniques
A Ukrainian ballerina, contemporary dancer, and choreographer who fell in love with Vienna a decade ago and made it her home. While studying Theater, Film, and Media Science here, she discovered that her true passion lies in the beautiful tension between opposites.
Her journey started with classical ballet, but she couldn't resist exploring the wild world of modern techniques. What fascinates her most is finding that sweet spot between control and liberation, structure and spontaneity, age-old traditions and contemporary innovations.
What she loves most is to share this love to dance every day with an incredible community of passionate dancers.
ANDREA RACHELE DONADI
Assistant to Creative Director, Teacher, Choreographer
Ballet, Modern, Contemporary
Andrea started dancing at a young age in her mother's dance studio in Italy, where she learned ballet, hip-hop, modern, and contemporary dance. It was there that she developed a deep love for art in all its forms - a passion that continues to this day and shines through in her work as a dancer and a teacher.
What makes Andrea special is how she combines technical precision and discipline with creative expression and pure joy in movement. This balance creates the perfect foundation for beginner classes, where students can learn proper technique while falling in love with dance.
ZOÉ-AFAN STRASSER
Dance Teacher
Ballet, Contemporary, Experimental
is a dancer and choreographer working at the intersection of classical ballet, contemporary dance, and interdisciplinary performance.
She trained at the Ballet Academy of the Vienna State Opera and later at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna. She then completed the Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program in San Francisco, where she further developed her contemporary practice and artistic voice.
Her work has been presented at festivals such as the International Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival Stuttgart. She has collaborated with artists and choreographers including Elisabeth Bakambamba Tambwe, Antony Rizzi, Akemi Takeya, Maurya Kerr, Esther Balfe, and Kianí de Valle.
What Zoé loves most is sharing the joy of movement and its deep connection to music, creating a space where each dancer can unfold individually.
VITO VIDOVIČ BINTCHENDE
Dance Teacher
Contemporay, Morden Ballet
Vito is a Slovenian dancer, choreographer and teacher. He started dancing as a teenager, initially exploring a wide range of styles, from hip hop and African traditional dances to jazz and ballet. He later studied contemporary dance and ballet in Vienna, Frankfurt and at the London Contemporary Dance School.
He was a member of National Dance Company Wales, where he performed works by choreographers including Marcos Morau and Caroline Finn. Since then, he has worked internationally across Europe as a freelance dancer, choreographer and teacher.
In his classes, he focuses on creating a safe and open atmosphere in which students can move beyond their comfort zones and feel encouraged to explore and chalenge themselves. He is fascinated by technique, from classical ballet to contemporary dance practices, and enjoys combining different technical approaches with his own perspective on movement, physicality and aesthetics.
ALAIN MICHIGAN
Dance Teacher
Modern Horton
We feel incredibly lucky to have Alain on our team—his classes are a modern dance training based on Horton principles, not a “pure Horton” syllabus, which gives space to explore and experiment.
He trained at SERMAC (Martinique), The International Dance Academy (Paris), The Joffrey Ballet School, and Dance Theater of Harlem; studied with Milton Myers and Rodni Williams (Alvin Ailey); danced across Europe and Martinique; and choreographed for the Manhattan Dance Company. He also taught Modern at the Vienna State Opera Ballet School (levels 5–8).
Alain’s passion is contagious—he takes everyone seriously and teaches like you’re performing tomorrow.
MILOŠ RISTIĆ
Physiotherapist, Personal Trainer
As a physical therapist, he is fascinated by the diversity of human movement. For him, the body is far more than a functional system: it is a means of expression, where body and mind come together in a unique way. Dance, in particular, has always had a profound influence on him. He brings this passion to his work with dancers, helping them strengthen their physical foundation.
SOFIIA MATSEVKO
Dance Teacher
Urban Contemporary Choreography
Sofia Matsevko is a Ukrainian dancer now calling Vienna home. Trained at Kyiv’s renowned Myway Dance Centre, she brings a suitcase full of sharp technique and a choreography style that’s unmistakably her own—rich in musicality, isolations, and total body control.
But Sofia’s super-power goes beyond movement: she makes every dancer believe they can do it. Her legendary patience and relentlessly positive energy turn each class into a confidence factory—you leave feeling ready to conquer the world.
What makes her truly special? She believes in you first, and that belief is contagious.
Class Descriptions
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This group class focuses on core strength, because the core is the foundation on which everything else depends. Strong and stable core muscles underlie nearly every dance movement. They not only improve our postural control but also provide the stability that is essential for a strong, confident presence.
The approach is holistic: prevention, performance optimization and rehabilitation go hand in hand.
Strength, coordination, balance and endurance are trained specifically, while one-sided strain is reduced. This, in turn, leads to improved mobility and raises body awareness. Each session includes a warm-up and cool-down aligned with international recommendations for dance physical therapy (ensuring a safe start and a mindful conclusion).
Tuesday 18:15 w/ Miloš - 60 min ✩
Private Sessions on demand.
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We begin with a focused ballet barre to build alignment, strength, and clean lines, without chasing perfection.
We’re not a traditional academy: in this class we aim for excellence, musicality, and freedom in the body. In the second half, we learn a contemporary ballet blending technique with fluidity, dynamics, and performance quality.
Tuesday 19:45 w/ Zoé ✩✩
Thursday 18:15 w/ Irena ✩✩✩
Pointe Work
Thursday 20:00 w/ Irena ✩✩✩
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Our Flexibility class is designed for dancers who want to become more flexible - and you don't need your splits already! We're here to help you evolve and maintain those splits, develop mobility in ALL your joints, and most importantly, stretch your smile brighter when you feel the progress.
This class is essential for a healthy dancing body and injury prevention. We warm up, then dive into targeted stretching, mobility work, and strength training designed specifically for dancers. Your body will thank you, and your dancing will transform!
Monday 18:00 w/ Andrea Rachele ✩
Wednesday 18:00 w/ Andrea Rachele ✩
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The muscle pain from floor barre is the best! It's like doing ballet but not really doing ballet, and you'll get those gorgeous ballerina-fit legs as a result.
We do exercises on the floor that ballet dancers use to boost their physical performance, focusing mainly on strengthening the core and legs. You train in a way that's gentle on your joints while boosting your energy and improving your posture. It's targeted, it's effective, and you'll feel amazing!
Thursday 17:00 w/ Irena ✩
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We absolutely LOVE this technique, and we preach Martha Graham, the Mother of Modern Dance! We joke that we go to class weekly like going to church, and the class itself is pure joyful suffering.
This full-body workout will build muscles you never knew existed and make you feel strong like a robocop. If you ever loved ballet, this will be your new crush! The aesthetics are just addictive - so be careful if you try it once, there might be no way back!
We explore Martha Graham’s technique through mastering contraction, release, and spirals - dynamic movements fuel power from your core and transform your entire body. Plus, girls - you might forget about period cramps ;)
Wednesday 18:30 w/ Irena ✩✩✩
Friday 10:00 w/ Irena ✩✩✩
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This class brings together the sharp, rhythmic qualities of Matt Mattox technique with the dynamic and playful energy of Jazz Mix, inspired by Raza Hammadi.
We start with a technical warm-up that builds coordination, musicality, strength, and body awareness, exploring isolations, dynamics, and rhythm. From there, we gradually shift into a more contemporary movement quality and finish with choreography that brings all these elements together.
Expect to work, sweat, play with musicality, and discover how technique can open the door to your own movement expression.
Tuesday 18:15 w/ Andrea Rachele ✩✩
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This modern contemporary dance class is rooted in Cunningham technique, drawing from its emphasis on torso articulation and its distinctive coordination. We begin with technical exercises on the spot, focusing on torso articulation and leg extensions. We then move into travelling exercises across the floor, finishing with dynamic jumps. The class ends with sufficient time for stretching and releasing the body.
The main aim of the class is to explore new movement possibilities, combining elements of Cunningham technique with a softer, more organic approach of contemporary dance.
Monday 17:30 w/ Vito ✩✩
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This isn't your typical dance class - Lester Horton's method is all about understanding your body from the inside out through anatomical precision.
We focus on flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness in ways that will prepare you for literally any dance style.
After mastering the technique, we put it all together with Horton-inspired choreography. It's challenging, it's precise, and it's incredibly satisfying!
Thursday 18:15 Modern Horton w/ Alain ✩✩
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In this class, we usually warm up with a series of drills focusing on one technique. These drills are designed to build dancers' muscles and coordination, plus we throw in some real brain teasers to keep your mind sharp too!
The second part of class is where we dive into learning and practicing a choreography. We focus on musicality and self-expression - finding your own voice through movement. It's challenging, it's fun, and it's deeply rewarding!
Tuesday 19:45 Contemporary w/ Andrea Rachele ✩✩✩
Saturday 11:00 Contemporary Modern w/ Irena ✩✩✩
Saturday 11:00 Contemporary w/ Zoé ✩✩
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This class focuses on combining the fluidity and expressiveness of contemporary dance with the dynamic and rhythmic qualities of urban styles.
After a power-core warm up you'll learn innovative choreographies that challenge your technique and creativity, encouraging you to explore new ways of movement and self-expression.Monday 19:15 w/ Sofiia ✩✩
Wednesday 19:15 w/ Andrea Rachele ✩✩
Previous Workshops
