Alexandru David(I)

Alexandru David was born in Beserabia, which belonged to the former UDSSR at that time (now Moldovia). During World War II his family had to grab all their belongings and flee to Romania where he grew up. With 12 years of age he joined a Rumanian Folk Dance group and joined several other ones. He traveled and performed all over Europe. One day the officials didn't let him leave the country for a performance outside Romania, because they suspected that he would defect from Romania. But his brother's company was in Italy. That caused trouble with the officials for Alexandru. He got forced to resign the folk dance company & danced in nightclubs as a solo jazz dancer. Every person who was wearing western clothing and played Rock'n Roll Music was considered a negative element and had to be re-educated in a work camp. Alexandru had a very hard time there and was only released after two years. He continued to dance as solo dancer in a nightclub in Brazow, where he met some stunt men from a filming company. He also decided to become a stuntmen and got sent into a heavy training in Bucharest. He joined several foreign movies, filmed in Transsylvania. He worked as stuntman in "Struggle for Rome" (1968). In the leather-stocking tales he had in "The last Mohican" the head role as an actor and in "The Praerie" he was one of the seven brothers. Later his younger brother Gigi also worked with him as a stuntman. In 1972 he decided to defect from Romania through the Iron curtain to the West. Chased by soldiers, dogs and bullets, they managed to cross the border to Yugoslavia, Italy and then Monaco, where they asked for asylum. They were brought to France, where they later joined some Film productions as uncredited stunt men. La nuit americaine (1972) and in Paris for "The Three Musketeers" (1973). Finally Alexandru had an accident and broke his wrists. That was his last stunt. In 1973 they got a visa for the USA and went to Los Angeles, where his brother Mihail David lived. In a Dance cafe his brother taught Russian Folk dances and Alexandru Rumaenian Folk Dances. He then traveled all over the world to Europe, Japan, Taiwan Pacific and taught all kinds of modern & folk dances. In the rest of the time he made his living in L.A. by working as construction manager and Dance Teacher for Actors in Argentinian Tango and Latin Dances.