Maja, Lizé, James, Seohyun, Sora, Letizia and Ella will come 2025, close the door on their training years with JBA and hopefully dance their way into professional companies and onto new stages.
It was refreshing to find out how intelligently they approached this all-important step and how level-headed these young are – no ‘stars in their eyes’ but a realization that the dance world isn’t just waiting with open arms – it’s up to each of them to make it happen. 

In this they are helped tirelessly by Alain and Altea; the choosing of dance variations (both classical and contemporary) in order to show them at their best is only a start. These will have to be captured on film and included, together with individual photos in each portfolio.
Before this however, came hours of fine-tuning, rehearsing with Altea, and later with Monique Loudières and Christiane Marchant giving their own expert advice during workshops in the studio. As each dancer has an individual style, a great deal of thought goes into making the best choices as companies can be demanding, asking to see many varied aspects of dance.

Maja: “I wanted to work on a solo which would highlight a different side to my dancing to that of pure classwork”.  James took the same approach – he wished to show the artistic variety in both classical and contemporary styles. Sora and Letizia both really enjoyed the filming – the ability to express the emotions they feel when dancing. 

It entails hours of painstaking work; Alain behind the camera and Altea with her eye for detail vetting each movement or pose. When it came to the still shots they turned to Nicha Rodboon, soloist dancer with Opera Ballet Flanders and professional photographer. The group agreed that Nicha with her dancer’s background was able to help them enormously.
As for the next step; they now send their completed resumés off, hoping that these don’t land in any company’s spam mail.

Maja remarked how helpful it would be – saving the dancers’ both time and money – if the audition advertisements, or even the company websites, contained more detailed information as to what artistic directors were really looking for. Aspirants now have to log up many hours of traveling (which entails costs) in order to present themselves in person. 
Letizia: “Once there, we just have to dance as best as we know how, to be true to ourselves and to understand that if you aren’t accepted it’s not because you’re a bad dancer. Directors, like choreographers are all looking for different qualities and you might just be the one to fit the bill”.

We wish them all the best of luck wherever their own personal ‘journey’ leads. We’re proud of them, not only as dancers but as the mature responsible people they have become in their time with JBA. 

See our second year dancers perform alongside the new recruits during the National tour of JAMES, our dynamically charged FURORE or our fairytale production of CINDERELLA.

---

FUNDRAISING GALA DINNER EVENT 2024 @ ART NOUVEAU ZAAL HORTA

Experience the magic of Junior Ballet Antwerp at an exclusive Fundraising gala dinner event. Indulge all your senses with a scrumptious dinner with beautiful interludes by our 20 young talented JBA dancers. In the Art Nouveau room Horta – an architectural masterpiece – we will festively kick off the end of the year and raffle off some fine Christmas gifts. 

Date
9 December 2024 from 7 p.m. 
Location
Art Nouveau room Horta – Hopland 2, 2000 Antwerpen 
Dress code
Festive
Price
295,-€ per person

Support our operation while enjoying a delicious dinner and a magical performance. Contact inge@juniorballetantwerp.be for all information and bookings.