We promote health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA), a concept found in the name of our Association. HEPA is a concept that describes any type of movement that contributes to the improvement of physical and mental health for individuals and communities.

We are part of the HEPA Europe network, which contributes towards a better health and wellbeing in the WHO European Region through increasing the levels of physical activity for all people. Its mission is to provide a forum for the advancement of health-enhancing physical activity research, policy and practice across the WHO European region.

Created from the passion to promote physical activity for all ages, HEPA Romania contributes to the adoption of a healthier lifestyle by the Romanian communities. The association was founded in 2017, when the founding members organized for the third consecutive year free dance courses for the elderly in Cluj-Napoca and the second edition of a dance festival dedicated to seniors.

The purpose of the HEPA Romania Association is to contribute to increasing the levels of practicing health-enhacing physical activities among the Romanian population.

Our projects and activities are designed to improve the levels of physical activities for individuals. We also aim at contributing policy and research-wise, with data to reflect the current situation in the field. Through our objectives, we aim to:

The founder of HEPA Romania, Petru is a doctoral student of the “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, specialist doctor of Public Health and Management in the Regional Center of Public Health Cluj and associate researcher, Department of Public Health, Babeș-Bolyai University. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, "Babeș-Bolyai" University, and of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu".

Passionate about sports and physical activity, Petru actively contributes to the development of sports policies at national and international level, through the research projects in which he is involved.

Catalina Brinza is among the members who initiated the ADAGIO program. She was an active volunteer since 14 at various NGOs that focused on public health initiatives, promoting volunteering, personal development for youth, active citizenship. She believes that social initiatives can have a significant impact on the development of a society.

For more than 3 years, she was a project manager at Cluj School of Public Health. Her main area of expertize is in the field of marketing and communication, event planning, and community management. She is currently working as a marketing specialist at an international company in Cluj-Napoca.

ADAGIO is a program that offers dance courses for the elderly to help improve their physical and mental health. The project started in 2015, initially as a research project carried out in collaboration with the University of Iowa, the United States of America.

Currently, ADAGIO offers 2 maiin types of activites for the elderly:

1) Dance courses held by professional instructors,adapted for the older adult's needs and preferences.

2) An annual dance festival, thought as a dancing party for the older adults participating in the dance courses, but also for the entire audience.