National Youth Ballet
Germany's first ever National Youth Ballet has been founded at the beginning of the 2011/2012 theatre season. The company consists of eight professional dancers between the ages of 18 to 23, and has begun work at its new home at the Ballettzentrum Hamburg – John Neumeier. With its own repertoire comprising mainly works by young choreographers, the group will predominantly dance in new spaces – not theatres, but schools, museums, nursing homes and even prisons; spaces in which dance does not usually attract much interest. The National Youth Ballet aims to demonstrate that dance has a social relevance creating a spirit of community and a sense of unity, focussing especially on a young audience. The company has both national and international tours scheduled, hoping to bring people of different backgrounds and characters together through movement and creativity.
BJB-General director John Neumeier summarizes the alignment of the company as follows: "With their own repertoire, which creatively reflects the feelings, awareness and ideas of the young generation, the youth company is an ideal mediator between youth culture, high art and the general public. It also has a valuable social aspect with a positive effect on the non-dance world. We want to tie in with the successes of other junior companies and further increase the awareness of dance as an art form within our society".
General Director and Artistic Supervisor
John Neumeier
Artistic and Pedagogical Director
Kevin Haigen
Managing Director
Yohan Stegli
Ballet Master
Raymond Hilbert
Musical Coordinator
Jay Gummert
Contact Press and Public Relations
Friederike Adolph
presse@bundesjugendballett.de
Event Technology
Andris Andersons
Head of VA & Organisation
Igor Sarazhynskyi
Voluntary Social Year in the Field of Culture
Auguste Kopp
Costume Interpreter
Sonja Kraft
Anja Rose
Head of Administration / Project Management
Maria Panova
maria.panova@bundesjugendballett.de
The Dancers
Almudena Izquierdo
Dancer
Almudena Izquierdo
BORN
March 5, 2003 in Mexico City. Mexican
EDUCATION
Escuela Nacional de Danza Clásica y Contemporánea, Mexico City
Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey
School of the Hamburg Ballet
MAIN TEACHERS
Rosavio Muvillo, Gigi Hyatt, Janusz Mazon
ENGAGEMENT
National Youth Ballet since 2022
Almudena, born 2003 in Mexico City, starts her ballet training at the age of 11. In 2013 starts her professional formation in the Escuela Nacional de Danza Clásica y Contemporánea, and then moves to Monterrey to continue in the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey. In 2019 wins the 3rd place at the National Youth Ballet Competition, and gets a pass to the finals of the Youth American Gran Prix. She dances in galas like Gala de Danza, and Monterrey International Ballet Gala. In 2020 she participates in Prix de Lausanne, and in august she moves to Hamburg to study in the Hamburg Ballet School. She join the National Youth Ballet in 2022.
Zofia Jablonska
Dancer
Zofia Jablonska
BORN
February 14, 2005 in Warsaw, Poland. Polish
EDUCATION
School Les Ballets de Pologne
Ballet School of the Hamburg Ballet
MAIN TEACHERS
Gigi Hyatt, Elizabeth Loscavio, Stacey Denham, Janusz Mazon, Natalia Zuk
ENGAGEMENT
National Youth Ballet since 2023
Zofia was born in Warsaw, Poland in February of 2005. At the age of 11, she started dancing in a ballet school in her home country - Les Ballets de Pologne. Three years later, she decided to follow her dream and auditioned for professional ballet schools. In August 2020, she began her training at The School of the Hamburg Ballet. From season 2023/24, Zofia is joining National Youth Ballet.
Ayumi Kato
Dancer
Ayumi Kato
BORN
September 24, 2002 in Uznach, Switzerland. Japanese
EDUCATION
Ballettschule Lambert
Ballettschule für das Opernhaus Zürich
School of the Hamburg Ballet
MAIN TEACHERS
Gigi Hyatt, Janusz Mazon, Anna Urban, Doris Catana Beriozoff, Christina Lambert
ENGAGEMENTS
Hamburg Ballet 2021-2022
National Youth Ballet since 2022/23
Ayumi, who grew up in Rapperswil, Switzerland, began dancing at the age of five at the Lambert Ballet School. In 2015 she continues her dance training at the Ballet School for Zurich Opera House and four years later she continues at the Ballet School of Hamburg Ballet. In 2019 she is selected at the European pre-selection for the Prix de Lausanne 2020. Furthermore, in 2020 she wins at the dance competition of Migros-Kulturprozent. In the season 2021/22 she was an aspirant of the Hamburg Ballet. Ayumi is very excited to join the National Youth Ballet in the 2022/23 season and can't wait for the unique experience of working with this company.
Milla Loock
Dancer
Milla Loock
BORN
June 24, 2003 in Perth, Australia. Australian
EDUCATION
Tanya Pearson Academy
School of the Hamburg Ballet
MAIN TEACHERS
Gigi Hyatt, Janusz Mazon, Elizabeth Loscavio, Stacey Denham, Lucinda Dunn, Gilli Oconell, Adam Blanch
ENGAGEMENT
National Youth Ballet since 2022
Born in 2003 in Perth Australia, Milla begins dancing in 2015 at her local school – "Dynamic Performing Arts". Then at age 15 she decides to pursue her passion for ballet and moves to Sydney to join the Tanya Pearson Academy under the direction of Lucinda Dunn. At the end of 2020 she joins the school of the Hamburg ballet in hopes of achieving her goal of becoming a professional dancer. In her graduating year she is given the opportunity to participate in the Young Creation Award for the Prix de Lausanne making it to the finals and having her choreography chosen to be part of the repertoire for Prix de Lausanne 2023. She is very excited to be joining the National Youth Ballet for the 2022/23 season and is looking forward to creating, collaborating and growing artistically as a dancer.
Kieren Bofinger
Dancer
Kieren Bofinger
BORN
August 16, 2001 in Brisbane, Australia. Australian
EDUCATION
Queensland Ballet Academy
Annette Roselli Dance Academy
MAIN TEACHERS
Wim Broeckx, Paul Boyd, Christian Tatchev, Elena Kozhemyachenko, Matthew Lawrence
ENGAGEMENT
National Youth Ballet since 2022
Kieren was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia and started dancing at the age of three. In 2015 he won bronze at the Alana Haines Australasian Awards. He later trained at the Queensland Ballet Academy and in his final year won the François Klaus and Robyn White Award for most outstanding dancer. During his time in school, he had the chance to work with the Queensland Ballet in Sir Kenneth McMillan's "Romeo and Juliet", "The Nutcracker" and "Cinderella", the "Summertime" pas de deux and "Promenade Sentimentale" by Liam Scarlett, and "Chaplin" by Mario Schröder. After graduating he has worked for the Queensland Ballet under the directorship of Li Cunxin from 2019-2021 and Ballet Ireland in early 2022. His repertory included also "Etudes" (Harold Lander), "Rooster" (Christopher Bruce), "Dracula" (Krzysztof Pastor), "Fallen" (Natalie Weir), "Stepping Over" (Fillipe Portugal), as well as "Giselle" and "The Sleeping Beauty". During the pandemic, he also choreographed and composed the music for "Looking for Love" as part of the "60 Dancers: 60 Stories" project. This went on to be performed in theatres across Queensland. With the 2022/23 season he becomes a dancer with the National Youth Ballet. He is proud to be a part of this creative group of dancers and ready to continue growing as a dancer, artist and human.
Giuseppe Conte
Dancer
Giuseppe Conte
BORN
May 16, 2002 in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy. Italian
EDUCATION
ASD Ballet Centre, Florence, Italy
Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower, Cannes, France
School of the Hamburg Ballet
MAIN TEACHERS
Kevin Haigen, Janusz Mazon, Gigi Hyatt, Tom Van Cauwenbergh, Joëlle Boulogne, Sabrina Margarolo
ENGAGEMENT
National Youth Ballet since 2022
Giuseppe starts to dance in 2012 with hip hop. The next year he decides to try modern dance and one year later he joins his first ballet class. After years of formation and training including competitions, summer courses and auditions, Giuseppe joins the ESDC Rosella Hightower in France in 2018. After two years he joins the School of the Hamburg Ballet where he finally understands what ballet really is and improves his technique and artistry. In his graduation year he gets the chance to participate to the Young Creation Award from the Prix de Lausanne and joins the finals. He repeats the last year of school hoping to join the BJB as due to covid there were no contracts. Finally everything goes as wished and Giuseppe is really happy and honoured to be part of this group.
Moisés Romero
Dancer
Moisés Romero
BORN
January 22, 2003 in Seville, Spain. Spanish
EDUACTION
Conservatorio Profesional Danza de Sevilla
State Ballet School Berlin
MAIN TEACHERS
Luca Panella, José Manuel Moreno, Kevin O'Hardy, Anabel Jiménez, Viara Natcheva, Andrey Yermolenkov, Alessandra Pasquali, Aída Badía
ENGAGEMENT
National Youth Ballet since 2022
Moisés, born in Seville (Spain) in 2003, began his education as a dancer at the age of 11 at the conservatory of his hometown, after having been dedicated to artistic gymnastics since the age of four. In November 2017, he began his dance studies at the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin. During his training in Berlin, he gained various professional experiences through numerous participations in productions of the Staatsballett Berlin and several collaborations with contemporary choreographers. In 2022 he completed his formation as a professional dancer, obtaining his Abitur and a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Dramatic Arts "Ernst Busch". Moisés will become a member of the Bundesjugendballett ensemble from the 2022/23 season and sees the company as the best place to focus his passion for dance professionally and to further develop and explore his artistic personality.
Dmytro Teletskyi
Dancer
Dmytro Teletskyi
BORN
August 26, 2003 in Odesa, Ukraine. Ukrainian
EDUCATION
Kyiv State Choreographic School
Ballett-Akademie Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
MAIN TEACHERS
Kirill Melnikov, Elena Safonova
ENGAGEMENT
National Youth Ballet since 2023
Dima (Dmytro), was born in August 2003 in Odesa, Ukraine and started his ballet training at the age of 14. In 2018, he started his professional training at the Kyiv State Choreographic School. In 2019, he was among the top 10 at the Youth American Grand Prix and took part in the Grand Prix Kyiv that same year. In 2020, he moved to Munich and continued his study at the Ballet Academy of the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. With the beginning of the season 2023/24, he joined the German National Youth Ballet.
Contact
Yohan Stegli
Managing Director
T: +49 (0)40 35 68-923
F: +49 (0)40 35 68-988
info@bundesjugendballett.de
www.bundesjugendballett.de
