Dancing with her leg and arm prostheses

For the media in Bulgaria, psychologist Dr. Daniela Dantcheva is a very popular person to consult when it comes to the needs of people with physical disabilities.

In 1984, following a train accident in which she lost four limbs, Daniela Dantcheva was fitted at Otto Bock in Duderstadt (Germany). Today she wears two below-knee prostheses (with the new Trias carbon foot) and myoelectric below-elbow prostheses with the SensorHand Speed. This hand allows her to do such tasks as completing forms for patients at her desk. She takes care of her 93-year-old father, manages her household completely on her own, and is also a successful rally driver. She was even joined by a special celebrity co-driver: Boiko Borissov, the mayor of Sofia. In 2005, she established an organization which advocates for motorists with disabilities.

But never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would one day appear on the big screen. The film ”Brand Hauser“, features John Cusack as co-producer and leading man as well as a cast of other Hollywood stars. Daniela Dantcheva was hired for a dance scene in the film. And now a big screen debut – “at 53!“ exclaims Dr. Daniela Dantcheva with a broad smile. So why not help out in Hollywood this time? Besides, dancing has always been one of her favourite activities.

”One day the phone rang and I was asked to find six female prosthetic leg wearers aged between 20 and 25 who could also dance. Finding them would be no small task,“ says Dr. Daniela Dantcheva. But after a series of test shootings, the production team knew there was only one woman for the job: Dr. Dantcheva herself.

Her commitment to people with disabilities has become an integral part of her life. In 2006, she reached an important milestone in her career. ”Never before has the subject of prosthetic fitting been discussed at such a high level in Bulgaria,” she says after attending a conference in Sofia. ”With an average monthly income of 180 euros, most people can't afford good prosthetic treatment by themselves,“ explains Dr. Daniela Dantcheva. For this reason, she and her patients have embarked on a mission to find sponsors. Her subsequent visits to the Department of Health and Social Affairs in Sofia are frequent.