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Hamburg Ballet

The School of the Hamburg Ballett

The School of the Hamburg Ballet, founded by John Neumeier in 1978, is one of the leading schools for a professional dance education in Europe. The school is committed to developing young, creative artists. The syllabus aims to prepare international students for the versatile requirements of the current dance world. Directly connected to the Hamburg Ballet, regular involvement in the company's performances creates a course full of practical experience and a shared learning atmosphere at the Hamburg Ballet Center – John Neumeier.

The curriculum is essentially based on the classical ballet technique. This includes Pointe or Pirouette/Batterie classes, pas de deux, classical and contemporary variations, and the study of repertoire reflecting the work of the Hamburg Ballet, especially the vast repertoire of John Neumeier. Modern dance and choreographic composition also occupy a central part of the course. The training is supplemented by character dance, Pilates and strengthening classes, as well as theory lessons in anatomy, music theory and dance history.

Interim Director Gigi Hyatt emphasizes: "Possessing a strong technique enables a dancer the freedom in choice of expression through movement. An environment of respect and trust nurtures the development of a young artist who then will be valuable and inspiring within the dance world of today."

Absolvent:innen − +

The members of the company were/are:

José Abílio Neri, Joseph Aitken, Maude Andrey, Anton Alexandrov, Braulio Alvarez, Lucilia Alves, Selina Appenzeler, Azul Ardizzone, Mayo Arii, Stefanie Arndt, Silvia Azzoni, Silvano Ballone, Maria Baranova, Gabriel Barbosa, Patrick Becker, Franziska Beckmann, Borja Bermudez, Amélie Berthet, Olivia Betteridge, Viktoria Bodahl, Radoslaw Boguski, Leeroy Boone, Stephan Bourgond, Jemina Bowring, Jacek Bres, Karin Brennan, Gabriel Brito, Aurelian de Brocas, Alison Brooker, Eleanor Broughton, Alexander Busch, Lasse Caballero, Marie-Soizic Cabié, Laura Cazzaniga, Christelle Cennerelli, Florencia Chinellato, Ghanima Choffat, Zachary Clark, Filip Clefos, Hannah Coates, Yaiza Coll, Antonin Comestaz, Philippa Cook, Francesco Cortese, Orkan Dann, Zeynep Demirel, Peter Dingle, Ralf Dörnen, Catherine Dumont, Christopher Evans, Anita Ferreira, Christina Fritschi, Alessandro Frola, Agnès Galatoire, Massimo Garon, Lennard Giesenberg, Giorgia Giani, Nicolas Gläsmann, Andrzej Glosniak, Célicia Haas, Nicole Ham, Skye Harrison, Ulrike Hartmann, Abbey Haller, Anne-Catherine Haller, Francesca Harvey, Louis Haslach, Yukichi Hattori, Vladimir Hayryan, Julia Hellmund, Anna Herrmann, Sonja Herrmann, Georgina Hills, Nako Hiraki, Roger Höde, Natalia Horecna, Siteng Hu, Marià Huguet, Matias Iaconniani, Takeshi Ikeda, Carolin Inhoffen, Paula Iniesta, Futaba Ishizaki, Almudena Izquierdo, Milan Jarosch, Marissa Jiménez, Emilija Jovanovic, Marc Jubete, Carsten Jung, Stella Kanatouri, Alison Kappes, Yungu Kang, Ayumi Kato, Susanne Klement, Vladimir Kocic, Melissa Koivuaho, Megumi Kondo, Viktor Koukal, Charlotte Kragh, Yosuke Kusano, Paco Laguna, Anna Laudere, Hocine Layada, Aljoscha Lenz, Marcelino Libao, Xue Lin, Yun Lin, Aurore Lissitzky, Carolina Lohfert, Diogo Maia, Carolina Mancuso, Klara Matyas, Kim David McCarthy, Hannah McCloughan, Aleix Martinez, Javier Martinez, Bettina Marup, Emilie Mazon, Alice Mazzasette, Alfie McPherson, Arsen Megrabian, Cornelia Meierhans, Amelia Menzies, Isadora Meza, Frederike Midderhoff, Stephanie Minler, Ekaterina Mamrenko, Javier Monreal, Kallum Morris, Taisia Muratore, Louis Musin, Mathias Nolte, Matias Oberlin, Yuka Oishi, Shintaro O-ue, Tomi Paasonen, Hayley Page, Yun-Su Park, Kristina Paulin, Pietro Pelleri, Manuel Pelmus, Zhaoqian Peng, Roberto Pérez, Percevale Perks, Nathalie Perriraz, Tibor Perthel, Mia Petrovic, Lidia Pettinicchio, Alban Pinet, Florian Pohl, Pablo Polo, Artem Prokopchuk, Anna Rabsztyn, Lennart Radtke, Filipe Rettore, Edvin Revazov, Dale Rhodes ,Alexandre Riabko, Roberto Rigamonti, Sasha Riva, Lucia Rios, Chiara Ruaro, Estelle Sallé, Caspar Sasse, Valentina Scaglia, Sofia Schabus, Parvaneh Scharafali, Dominik Schoetschel, Alexandra Schmidt-Rieche, Megan Scott, Torben Seguin, Mirabelle Seymour, Sakura Shimizu, Ben Shitrit, Lea Sjövall, Madeleine Skippen, Joel Small, Emily Smith, Lucia Solari, Ines Sprenger, Jane Standish, Yohan Stegli, Karen Stephenson, Martin Stiefermann, Thomas Stuhrmann, Jiwei Sui, Hermine Sutra Fourcade, Airi Suzuki, Maciej Sziszkowski, Ana Torrequebrada, Alexandr Trusch, Konstantin Tselikov, Priscilla Tselikova, Jacek Tyski, Ivan Urban, Ricardo Urbina, Isadora Meza, Sophie Vergères, Constant Vigier, Miljana Vracaric, Lizhong Wang, Miguel Wansing Lorrio, Hana Watanabe, Kiran West, Dirk Weyershausen, Anna-Lena Wieg, Kohana Williams, Chelsea Winter, Joanne White, Natalia Wojciechowska, Eliot Worrell, Mengting You, Dao Yuan Chen, Illia Zakrevskyi, Mariana Zanotto, Dina Zaripova, Lin Zhang, Aleksa Zikic, Jakub Zouplna

Prix de Lausanne x Hamburg Ballett − +

Regularly talented young dancers selected for prizes by the jury of the "Prix de Lausanne" chose the School of The Hamburg Ballet to spend their scholarship year. Others choose to dance as an aspirant with the company of The Hamburg Ballet.

Past winners of this international competition who have chosen our school or company for their scholarship prize include Stefanie Arndt (1983), Jirí and Otto Bubenícek (1992), Yohan Stegli (1998), Aleix Martínez (2008), Zhaoqian Peng (2009), Emanuel Amuchástegui (Hamburg Ballet 2010), Christopher Evans (2010), Madoka Sugai (2012), João Vitor Santana (Bundesjugendballett 2020), Lin Zhang (2020), Miguel Oliveira (2022) and Taichi Toshida (2024).

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People

Directors of the School of the Hamburg Ballet

Lead of Boarding School

  • Head of the Boarding School
    UlrikeOergel
  • Deputy Head of the Boarding School
    KerstinIngwersen

Team Ballet School and Boarding School

  • Head of Artistic Administration
    PhilipLangen
  • Assistant to the Ballet School Administration
    ElenaKohnen

Faculty

Academic Faculty

Pianists

  • Percussion
    BerndDietz
    as Guest

educators

  • AnoumaBoutsarath
  • IsoldeJung
  • ChristineKieper
  • SabineLudwig
  • DanielaKnop
  • GundaPfeiffer
  • KatharinaPintatis
  • GaranceSchlüter
  • KatreinHatje
  • FinjaKlüwer
  • AnnabellSchunke

Federal Volunteer Service

  • LisbethSpringer
    Volunteer Ballet School
  • KayleeEndes
    Volunteer Boarding School

Performances

Structure

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Silvano Ballone

Preparatory Classes

The three preparatory classes are for children from 7 to 10 years of age who are admitted to the school after passing examinations for physical suitability and musical aptitude.

Students are educated in aspects of music and rhythm, posture is corrected, co-ordination and dance improvisation are developed. Before progressing to the junior level, the anatomically correct placing of the child in the basic positions of classical ballet is emphasized.

The lessons of class A and B are twice weekly and class C three times per week.

Junior and Intermediate Classes – Classes I-VI

Educating a professional dancer takes eight years. After progressing from class I to VI, the training is concluded with two years in the Theatre Classes VII and VIII.

The pupil receives intensive training with the main emphasis on classical ballet technique. During this period other subjects are added including character dance, modern dance, classical and contemporary variations, pas de deux and dance composition.

The lessons take place six days per week. Small classes permit careful attention to the individual pupil. Progress made during the year is examined regularly by the staff. Towards the end of each school year, an examination determines if the pupil will progress to the following class.

Pupils from the age of 10 years are accepted into class I. It is possible for talented or more experienced pupils from outside the school to be placed in a class of their level by means of audition.

Parallel to ballet instruction, emphasis is also placed on a good academic education and, for this reason, the school maintains close relationships with local schools, e.g. "Stadtteilschule Hamburg-Mitte" or "Gymnasium Hamm", which offers courses as part of a "Ballettprofil" to obtain the German Abitur.

Theater Classes (advanced) – Classes VII and VIII

The Theatre Class programme, with its full-time training syllabus, has the status of a "State Professional School of Ballet". Within two years, the ballet student should achieve the qualifications necessary to become a professional dancer. Studies end with a final examination and diploma. The aim of this daily training programme is to develop a versatile dancer prepared for the technical and artistic demands required by ballet companies of today. 

Students of the Theatre Classes frequently take part in the rehearsals and dance in performances of the Hamburg Ballet. Traditional repertoire (corps de ballet, solo-variations and pas de deux from classical ballets) as well as the contemporary repertoire of the Hamburg Ballet are taught.

The academic programme includes anatomy, music theory and dance history. Foreign students receive German language tuition. Young people with adequate preparatory training are accepted from the ages of 16 to 18 years.

Lessons in dance composition (choreography) are part of the Theatre Class programme in which pupils are encouraged to use their own creativity. Using their classical and modern technique as a basis, the students explore the rhythmic, dynamic and spacial challenges involved in choreography, as well as the possibilities of expression and movement invention. At first, particular themes and musical works are suggested. It is the aim of this instruction to give pupils a structural basis on which they can develop their own choreographic ideas and thus become a creative partner for any choreographer they may work with during their professional career.

Academic School

Louise Weiss Gymnasium


This academic school offers a "Ballet Profile" for the German "Abitur".
The higher level of education at the Louise Weiss Gymnasium has been specially developed for students of the School of the Hamburg Ballet. Students from Germany and abroad are given the possibility to combine their academic studies towards qualifying for the German "Abitur" and following their  ballet training. This profile has been offered to students by Louise Weiss Gymnasium since 2011/12. The aim is to facilitate the combination of training to be a professional dancer and achieving the highest possible academic school qualifications. This enables students  entrance into universities if desired. The ballet school staff co-ordinate with the Gymnasium who take the ballet curriculum into account when giving the final examination results.

The German "Fach Abitur"


Since 2014 the School of the Hamburg Ballet offers an alternative to "Abitur", the "Fach Abitur". The "Fach Abitur" is a specialised high school certificate of education which enables students to pursue their studies in certain subjects at universities in Germany. To qualify for the Fachabitur students must have successfully completed the 11th year at a German Gymnasium and the 8th and final year in the Theatre Class. These two certificates can be submitted to obtain this higher level of education.

Boarding School

The boarding school is open to children 11 years of age or older. The head and her team of trained chaperons are responsible for the care and well-being of the children. They are available to the boarders around the clock.

The second floor of the Ballet Center, where the boarding school is situated, guarantees undisturbed privacy for the boarders. A common room and the boarding school office is located on the same floor.

Fees

Support

Three associations support and sponsor the students of the School of the Hamburg Ballet:

Freunde des Ballettzentrums e.V.

Since 1982 the foundation Freunde des Ballettzentrums e.V. provides scholarships and supports the school financially. Many former scholarship holders are now dancers of The Hamburg Ballet. The society also aids students participating in international competitions such as the Prix de Lausanne, facilitate the invitation of guest teachers, and support the exchange program with the National Ballet School of Canada or other educational facilities.

Further Information can be obtained from the following address:

Freunde des Ballettzentrums e.V.
c/o Ballettzentrum Hamburg – John Neumeier
Caspar-Voght-Str. 54
D-20535 Hamburg

Membership application form – Download

www.freunde-des-ballettzentrums.de

 

Ballettfreunde Hamburg e.V.

The second organization offering financial aid to the school is the foundation Ballettfreunde Hamburg e.V. which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2006. It supports and sponsors students with scholarships and donations for other school activities.

Further Information can be obtained from the following address:

Ballettfreunde Hamburg e.V.
Geschäftsstelle
Gurlittstr. 16
D-20099 Hamburg

www.ballettfreundehamburg.de

 

Charlotte Uhse-Stiftung

www.charlotte-uhse-stiftung.de

Spendenkonto
Credit Suisse AG
IBAN: CH63 0486 6336 7604 1200 0
BIC: CRESCHZHXXX

The societies and the School of The Hamburg Ballet are grateful for any donations.

Audition

Audition for the School Year 2026/27

All students aged 11 – 18 years

We will begin to accept applications from December 2025 for entry to our school in August 2026.

All dancers 18 years and under are welcome to apply. Your 18th birthday must be on or after March 1, 2026.

Please download our application form from our website, which we will require returned with the three requested photos, as stated on the form. We would like the form and the three photos sent as email attachments please (not per we transfer or other internet platforms).
We will also require a short film of students in classical ballet class. The film should show a short barre, adagio, pirouettes, petit and grand allegro and pointe work (for girls over the age of 13 years). If you are 14 years old or older, please include a classical variation, filmed in leotard and tights (no skirts or tutus for girls). Please send films as a youtube link (not per we transfer or other internet platforms).

Once all the details of an applicant have been evaluated, a decision will be made as to who will be invited to the audition in person in Hamburg. Our audition is by invitation only and a fee of €25 will then be required. Details of how the payments can be transferred will be given at that time.

*We support the International Audition Pre-selection Guidelines.

>> Application Form

Introduction to Ballet

At the School of the Hamburg Ballet

Do you like movement, rhythm, and music?
Are you between 7 and 11 years old?
Would you love to dance?
Then we are the perfect place for you!

The School of the Hamburg Ballet is opening its doors for our first "Introduction to Ballet". It is free and fun! Girls and boys between the ages of 7 and 11 are invited.

The dates for the 2025/2026 season will be published here in due course.

Contact

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Holger Badekow

The Ballet School of the Hamburg Ballet
Ballettzentrum Hamburg – John Neumeier

Philip Langen
Elena Kohnen
Caspar-Voght-Strasse 54
D-20535 HAMBURG 

near the subway station "Hasselbrook"

T: +49 (0)40 35 68-931/-930
schule [​at​] hamburgballett.de

For school groups or organizations interested in visiting the Ballet Center, please send your inquiry directly to: vermittlung [​at​] hamburgballett.de