Daniel Sandu was born in Bucharest in 1967 and began dancing with Romanasul ensemble at age six. As a child, he accompanied the Romanian delegation to a world dance ensemble in Cuba (1978), and at age 18 became a professional dancer with Rapsodia Romana (1985) in Bucharest.

Since 1992 he has danced with Het Internationaal Danstheater in Amsterdam. He obtained a bachelor of dance education degree in 2003 from the Rotterdamse.

A fulltime resident of the Netherlands, he is currently on staff at the folk dance house, Terpsichoré, in Amsterdam, where his course “Rhythm, Romania, Roma” (3R) ranks among their most popular offerings. According to the syllabus, his goal is to get each dancer to find his or her own rhythm. In his own words:

“If you see 3R, it means pleasure, learning both very traditional dances and self-made choreographies with traditional steps and to traditional music, and freedom in dancing! Rhythm is recognizable, in music and dancing. Folkdance, and also Romanian folkdance, changes under the influence of time: young people dance differently than their grandparents. And freedom? Dance of Roma is freedom. Freedom in improvisation of every individual. I try to loosen up the participants, get them away from simply learning new steps, encourage them to show their own input, to follow their own rhythm!”

Daniel’s journey into the world of dance began in 1971, when his parents took him to a dance evening in Bucharest. As soon as he heard the music, he felt an undeniable urge to move. The rhythm captured him completely, and he couldn’t sit still. Seeing his enthusiasm, his parents enrolled him in a children’s dance group. At age six, he auditioned and was accepted into the children’s dance group Românașul, an accomplishment that filled him with pride. This group was based in the grand former royal palace in Bucharest, now the presidential palace.

Daniel’s talent for picking up complex dances quickly led to a remarkable opportunity in 1978: he was chosen to join the adult delegation representing Romania at a world festival in Cuba, the only child in any of the delegations.

By age fourteen, he dreamed of becoming a professional dancer and later a dance teacher. In 1985, after a demanding audition, he was accepted as a trainee in Romania’s most prestigious dance company, Rapsodia Română in Bucharest. At the time, his parents were unaware of his plans, expecting him to pursue technical studies. To satisfy them, he took the entrance exam for the technical university—hoping to fail, which he almost didn’t accomplish!

After seven challenging yet rewarding years in Romania, Daniel sought a more favorable social environment. In May 1992, he auditioned for Het Internationaal Danstheater in Amsterdam. The company’s response was an invitation to a trial period in the Netherlands—a dream come true and the start of a new chapter in his life.

From 1992 to 2000, Daniel performed with Het Internationaal Danstheater for nine memorable years. Here, he had the chance to learn and master a wide range of dance styles, from Indian Kathak and Armenian dances to tap, drum dancing, and Argentinian baleadores to Balkan gypsy dances. He credits his versatility and skill to his foundation in Romanian folk dance, which he describes as varied, technically challenging, and rhythmic. To Daniel, Romanian folk dance serves as a perfect base; mastering it, especially the gypsy style, prepares one to be a truly complete dancer.

In 2003, Daniel graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Dance Education from the Rotterdam Dance Academy, with a specialization in tap dance. This accomplishment marked the realization of the final part of his lifelong dream.