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TOM ROOS

Clown, actor, storyteller, artistic director, facilitator, care clown.

Born in Strand (South-Africa) in 1954 , grown up in Belgium.

Studies Archeology and Anthropology at the university of Ghent.

Two years of traveling in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Throws himself in theater, street theater and clowning as an autodidact.

Workshops clowning with Bolek Polivka(Czechia), Phillipe Gaulier(London), Said Lassaad( Brussels)

Trained in Qi kung over several years by Shen Hongsun.

1882 founds Wurre Wurre, with Philippe De Maertelaere and the dog Boost.

Wurre Wurre is fully engaged to ennoble uselessness.

Wurre Wurre develops a style where absurd and burlesque mix up with surrealism and poetry

in a clear and simple visual language with a minimum of means and an overdose of humor.

Very soon they have an international reputation; Wurre wurre travels the world and the seven seas.

They perform on the five continents.

In 1998 they are honored with the title "Cultural Ambassador of Flanders".

The same year they perform in Bangkok for the 72th anniversary of king Bhummibol from Thailand,

as representants of the European Community.

Since 2000, Tom Roos, with the support of the Flemish Community, works on regular base in Soweto,

with Ipelegeng Community Centre, in order to create high quality theatre

and street theatre performances with township youngsters.

From 2000 to 2010 these performances; “Play”, "Action", "Mupaku", "The Grass Turns Green",

"Inyoni", "The Champions", have toured successfully allover Europe in renowned festivals.

Apart from that he works internationally as director, comedian, storyteller, clown, and teacher.

In 2014 Tom Roos is one of the cofounders of ”CONTACTCLOWN IN DE ZORG”,

a professional group of care clowns for persons with dementia, and persons with mental disabilitie

Tom Roos is also active member of Clowns Without Borders Belgium

and has done several missions to perform in refugee centers