Dancers - Junior Ballet Antwerp

Elena Stefanetti

Switzerland - Italy

“I discovered that JBA is dedicated to helping young dancers achieve their goals and that the leaders have enormous commitment in doing this. The high level of supportive training in a smaller environment can be very beneficial to a dancer’s development. I hope and feel that my time at JBA will make me the best dancer I can be - to become stronger technically and more versatile in many styles of dance. With their help, I am motivated to embrace every opportunity to improve.”

Mila Thys

Belgium

“What enticed me was the extensive and varied repertoire of JBA and I saw that many choreographers actually create for the company. I am certain that this training will help me to become a stronger and more versatile dancer. Also as I am still young, i don’t feel ready to enter the professional field and the JBA training, personal coaching and audition guidance will benefit me greatly.”

ISABELLE WASHBROOKE

England

“I auditioned for the JBA Program because I was attracted by the variety of repertoire and the technical standard and artistry shown by current artists in the JBA published videos.My audition experience was exceptionally positive. I have never felt so comfortable in a dance environment."

SORA IKEDA

Japan

“even before the audition, I was interested in the JBA program because of the all-round training and my desire to join grew significantly during the audition itself. The atmosphere created by the teachers and their commitment to helping candidates was very encouraging: that together with the repertoire we experienced led me to believe that this is a place where I could grow as a dancer and also as an artist.”

BEATRICE CARMANS

Belgium

“I chose Junior Ballet Antwerp because I feel that it is a place where I can continue to grow, both technically and artistically. The variety of the training program and the excellence of the teachers and coaches are very appealing to me. I am especially attracted to the personal environment at JBA, where detailed feedback is received and where the focus lies on guidance."

HARUKA KAWAMURA

Japan / Hongkong

“I was drawn to JBA’s rich and diverse repertoire - which includes classical, modern and contemporary ballet and is similar to that of a professional ballet company. I saw how many JBA graduates have gone on to join wonderful companies around the world and this made me confident it would provide the ideal environment from which to launch my own career."

REBECCA JOHNSON

England

“Having followed JBA on social media for several years, I was attracted to the high calibre of the company’s teachers and choreographers as well as the amount of performing opportunities on offer. I saw the incredible companies their alumni were joining and how highly these dancers spoke of Alain and Altea. "

AGNES GIOIA LEUTGEB

Austria/Hungary

“I feel that Junior Ballet Antwerp offers an open approach to different directions and styles within dance. It feels like a space where I can continue to develop as an artist while having the freedom to explore, discover and grow in my own way. My goal is to become a more versatile and mature dancer through diverse stage experiences and a variety of productions.”

JULIETTE BAUD

France

It was JBA’s very varied repertoire which first attracted me as well as how they highlight and support their dancers. During the audition I felt the energy of every dancer around, and I understood that JBA was offering a very stimulating yet demanding environment. The encouraging approach and guidance was exactly what I was looking for."

Ana Romero Jiménez

Spain

“I wanted to join JBA because I was drawn to the program by its wide variety of styles and choreography. It allows me to discover which direction I want to pursue during my career as a dancer. At JBA, mistakes are not seen as failures but as opportunities to grow, since the challenges I encounter each day help me learn more about myself while adapting quickly to new roles and situations.”

Jiyhe Shin

South Korea

“I think the JBA program will lift me out of my comfort zone and I am sure that I will mature technically. Even though I have just joined, I already find the work environment very healthy and I know I will learn a great deal here.”

Jin Vanholder

Belgium

"I discovered JBA a few years back and was intrigued about the performing opportunities which the program offered and how it explores a wide variety of choreographic styles. I saw how it enables young dancers to experience and come across aspects of c At JBA, I hope to grow as a dancer and as a person. I expect to be challenged and to learn a great deal by developing new skill sets in a new environment, exploring dance together with colleagues.”

Mattia Serra

Italy

“I learnt about JBA while participating in a dance competition in Ferrara, Italy last year. The variety of the training program and the excellence of the teachers and coaches seemed the perfect way for me to continue my studies. I hope to improve my neo-classical technique at JBA and to become more expressive as a dancer with the freedom to experiment in many different styles.”

NATALIA LÓPEZ FONSECA

Mexico

I hope that the program will give me a better insight as to what direction to take as a dancer. I want to make new and interesting connections with people, both inside and out of the studio workplace. Above all, I am truly grateful to the Gulbenkian Foundation (Portugal) for the financial support they are providing to help me during this transition.

Noortje Willemse

The Netherlands

Even at the (JBA) audition I felt immediately at home. The artistic team, the repertoire and the individual care taken with each dancer made me realize this was where I wanted to be. It’s so important to me to be working with such open and artistically charged people - I feel that here at JBA i will not only develop my technique but I will have the chance to explore and be creative. I also hope to further develop choreography which I have since learnt, is encouraged.

Samuele D'andrea

Italy

Why Junior Ballet Antwerp? Samuele heard about the JBA program through a friend of his; both were students of Francesco Annarumma who, last season, choreographed the energetic, evening-closing work FURORE for JBA. After some research Samuele was taken by the reports of JBA’s varied repertoire and excellent coaching.

AISLYNN LOPTSON

Canada/Germany

“During the JBA audition, I felt an immediate connection to both the repertoire and the energy of the staff. I felt genuinely welcomed and sensed that they truly cared about my development while also wanting to challenge me as an artist. I came to see the program as transformative, fulfilling, and supportive which is why I am so excited to begin this new chapter of my journey."

AITOR MARQUEZ MIJAN

Spain

“An important part for me was to find out how JBA helped their dancers in their search for professional work. I understood that I needed much more experience in different styles of dance and how necessary this is for my future. It is clear that these essential opportunities are what JBA has to offer.”

BRIANNA SKEHAN

Australia

“As my next training step, I am very excited to be joining the JBA program. Here I will work with and learn from esteemed professionals, alongside of other talented dancers.I hope to grow as a dancer both technically and artistically in the studio while gaining stage experience and so come to understand just what this career will demand of me.”

LILY TYRANOWICZ

France

“I was looking for a junior company which would help me diversify in different styles of dance. This I found at JBA; what impressed me in particular was how, during the audition, very personal and thoughtful guidance was given to each candidate. I felt that this guidance would help me develop as a dancer. Here, I hope to move beyond mere technique and to build my artistic identity as well as to gain more confidence and freedom in my dancing.”

RAFAEL MATEO LLORET

Spain

“Before even meeting Altea at a summer intensive in Valencia this year, all that I had heard about JBA really appealed to me. The more I found out about it, the more I believed it to be the perfect program for dancers who have just finished studying and preparing themselves for a professional career. "

ABBIE BERESFORD-WONG

Australia/England

“I chose JBA firstly because of the way they work with their dancers, which made me feel very at home. During the audition I was drawn to the repertoire and styles we experienced which I felt aligned with my own, yet still offered challenges. I am excited to use my time at JBA to really explore and find out what I am capable of.”