Curso de Verano de Ballet

ANNA URBAN

Former Principal Dancer & Ballet Teacher at School of Hamburg Ballet

was born in1970 Tomsk, Russia. 1981‐1989 Graduate from Leningrad Academic Choreographic School Vaganova directed by Konstantin Sergeyev (Class‐Ninel’ Kurgapkina).1989 ‐ Admitted to the Mariinsky Ballet Theatre as a soloist, directed by Oleg Vinogradov.

In 1992 she joined the HAMBURG BALLET as a soloist and was promoted to principal in 1994 ‐ 2014. John Neumeier created numerous roles and soli for her including: Penelope in „Odyssee“, Ophelia in „Hamlet“, Romola Nijinsky in „Nijinsky“ and Irina Nikolajewna Arkadina in „The Seagull”. Swedish choreograph Mats Ek created: „Opinion loosely grazing“, „Sleeping beauty“ Golden fairy. She also danced a wide‐ranging repertory.

ANA CATALINA ROMAN

Coach for William Forsthe ballets

Her dance training begins in Madrid, Royal Conservatory Superior, and continues at John Cranko Tanz Akademie in Stuttgart. 

She began as a dancer at the Musiktheater im Revier, Gelsenkirchen with Bernd Schindowski, which continued in Frankfurt/Main with Egon Madsen. 

Since Forsythe directed Ballett Frankfurt in 1984, she has worked under its direction as a soloist dancing many works that were created for her. She also dances works by guest choreographers such as Jan Farbe, Daniel Larrieu, Amanda Miller and Tony Rizzi. 

From 1992 onwards she also began working as Forsythe's assistant, staging a series of his works for other companies, mentioning: Australian Dance Theatre, Nederlands Dans Theatre, the National Dance Company, the Gothenburg Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. she also specializes in Forsythe Improvisations Technologies. 

In 2000 she began her career as a choreographer with Equipoise at Ballett Frankfurt, followed by Unobserved Phases, The secret bob, Anna Tanzt, Parent(h)esis o dicho sea de paso, Hecho a mano and Cuán simple deseo. 

She is currently a professor of Choreographic Composition at the CSDMA, Madrid. In addition to the mentioned activities, her passion for art and cinema led her to complete a diploma in animation in 2002 and to take the Master of Performing Arts at the URJ in 2011.

AKI SAITO

Former Principal Dancer of Royal Ballet Flanders & Jury Member of Prix de Lausanne

Aki Saito is an internationally acclaimed former prima ballerina and distinguished ballet
pedagogue, known for her refined technique, musicality, and dramatic artistry. Over a
celebrated 24-year career with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, she performed leading roles in
major classical and neoclassical ballets, as well as in contemporary masterpieces by
some of the world’s most respected choreographers. Her stage career spanned
performances across Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
In 2016, she was knighted as a Chevalier in the Order of Leopold, one of Belgium’s
highest national honors, in recognition of her artistic achievements.
Following her retirement from the stage, Aki transitioned to teaching and mentoring the
next generation of dancers. She was a faculty member at the Royal Ballet School
Antwerp from 2018 until 2025, where she worked closely with final-year students in
classical technique and repertoire. Today, she continues her work internationally as a
sought-after guest teacher, coach, and jury member, known for her integrity, precision,
and deep artistic insight.
Teaching & Coaching (Selection)
- Company Classes & Workshops: Ballet Malandain Biarritz (France), Northern Ballet
(UK), Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (Belgium)
- Summer Courses & Intensives: Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal,
Spain, Japan
- Private Coaching & Masterclasses: Across Europe and Japan
- Jury Member: Prix de Lausanne (5 editions), Prix Carpeaux (France), Budapest Ballet
Grand Prix, NBA Competition (Japan), and other international competitions
Performance Career Highlights
- Principal Dancer, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (1994–2018)
- Starred in iconic roles such as Tatiana (Onegin), Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Odette/
Odile (Swan Lake), Juliet (Romeo & Juliet), Giselle, and Kitri (Don Quixote)
- Performed works by Balanchine, Forsythe, Kylián, Béjart, Van Manen, Cherkaoui,
Haydée, Cranko, Dawson, Lopez Ochoa and many others
- Guest appearances at prestigious galas and festivals in Paris, Tokyo, New York,
Houston, Santiago, Prague, Zurich, Nagano, Havana, Hong Kong, and beyond
Awards & Distinctions
- Chevalier in the Order of Leopold, Belgium (2016)
- Dancer of the Year, DANCE EUROPE Magazine (2018)
- Outstanding Performance, DANCE EUROPE Magazine (2006, 2007, 2015)
- Critics Award, BALLET2000 (2007)
- Prix de Lausanne Scholarship Winner (1991)
- Multiple national and international competition prizes
Education
- Royal Ballet School Antwerp – Full Scholarship via Prix de Lausanne (1991–1994)
- Pedagogical Training in Dance, Royal Conservatory Antwerp
Current Focus
Now working exclusively as an international guest teacher and coach, Aki continues to
inspire dancers worldwide with her unique blend of Eastern discipline and Western
expressiveness, drawing on a lifetime of stage experience and artistic depth.

WIM VANLESSEN

Artistic Director of Time To Dance & Former Principal Dancer of Royal Ballet of Flanders

Wim Vanlessen is a renowned ballet educator and former principal dancer of The Royal Ballet Flanders. As a principal dancer , he performed lead roles in major classical and contemporary works, including Onegin by Cranko, Béjart’s Bolero, Grigorovich’s Spartacus, Theme and Variations by Balanchine, and Khan’s Giselle. He worked closely with leading choreographers such as Forsythe, Maillot, and Dawson.

In 2025, Wim was selected as a jury member for the Prix de Lausanne, one of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions, of which he was a prize winner himself in 1993. He is regularly invited to teach masterclasses and coach professional dancers and students internationally.

Wim is the founder and director of Time To Dance, an international ballet gala that supports young talent by providing scholarships from its profits.

Named “Dancer of the Year” multiple times by Dance Europe Magazine, Wim was knighted Chevalier in the Order of Leopold in 2016 for his contributions to the arts. He is also the author of the autobiography Dancer and the children’s book Een heel bijzondere jongen. His experience includes work as a movement director and choreographer for major fashion houses and Miley Cyrus, and serving as a judge on Dancing With The Stars Belgium.

ELENA VOSTROTINA

Principal Dancer of Zurich Ballet

Elena Vostrotina was born in St. Petersburg. She received her formal ballet training at the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy, where her talent and dedication were evident early on. In 2002, she earned the “Hope of Russia” Award at the Vaganova Prix Ballet Competition, signaling the beginning of a promising career in classical ballet.

From 2003 to 2006, Vostrotina was a member of the Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky Ballet) in St. Petersburg, where she performed various classical roles and continued developing under the guidance of renowned teachers, including Elena Evteeva.

In 2006, she joined the Semperoper Ballett in Dresden, Germany. Initially appointed as a second soloist, she quickly rose through the ranks—becoming a first soloist in 2007 and a principal dancer in 2011. During her tenure at Semperoper Ballett, she gained acclaim for her interpretations of both classical and contemporary repertoire. Critics particularly praised her performance in The World According to Us by David Dawson, for which she received the “Outstanding Performance by a Female Artist” honor from Dance Europe Magazine in 2009. That same year, she was awarded the “Paradise Award” for Best Dramatic Actress in La Bayadère (staged by Igor Zelensky) in Novosibirsk, Russia.

Her excellence was further recognized in 2014 when she received the Mary Wigman Award from the Stiftung zur Förderung der Semperoper.

In 2017, Vostrotina joined Ballett Zürich in Switzerland as a principal dancer. Her work with the company has included standout performances such as Odette/Odile in Alexei Ratmansky’s reconstruction of Swan Lake, Myrtha in Giselle (Patrice Bart), and leading roles in productions by Christian Spuck, including Winterreise, Romeo and Juliet, and Nocturne.

Throughout her career, she has danced major roles in the classical canon, including Princess Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Nikiya in La Bayadère, the Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Myrtha in Giselle. She has also excelled in neoclassical and contemporary works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, David Dawson, Stijn Celis, and John Neumeier, Paul Lightfoot and Crystal Pite.

JON VALLEJO

Bailarín principal en el Semperoper Ballett de Dresde

Jon Vallejo es un distinguido bailarín principal originario de San Sebastián, España, con una prolífica carrera en el ballet clásico y contemporáneo. Se formó en Scaena Carmen Roche en Madrid y en Thalia Mentxu Medel en San Sebastián, estableciendo una sólida base para su trayectoria artística.

A lo largo de su carrera, Jon ha recibido numerosos reconocimientos, entre ellos una nominación al prestigioso premio Benois de la Danse en 2020 y el Premio a la Trayectoria Artística otorgado por la Fundación Semperoper en 2019. Fue nombrado Mejor Bailarín del Año por la revista Dance Europe por sus interpretaciones en The Four Seasons de David Dawson (2018), y ha sido galardonado con varios otros premios, incluido el Premio Positano al Mejor Bailarín en 2017.

Desde 2006, Jon es bailarín principal del Semperoper Ballett, donde ha demostrado su talento en una amplia variedad de roles, desde el Príncipe Florimund en La Bella Durmiente hasta Albrecht en Giselle. También ha actuado como artista invitado principal con la Compañía Nacional de Danza y ha participado en numerosos festivales y galas de ballet en importantes ciudades del mundo, como Moscú, Tokio y Nueva York.

El repertorio de Jon abarca desde obras maestras del ballet clásico hasta creaciones contemporáneas, con coreografías de figuras destacadas como William Forsythe, George Balanchine, Mats Ek y Jiří Kylián. Ha creado numerosas piezas junto a reconocidos coreógrafos.

Además de sus actuaciones en el escenario, Jon ha participado en producciones cinematográficas, apareciendo en obras destacadas como El Cascanueces, Giselle y El lago de los cisnes. Sus aportaciones artísticas continúan dejando huella en la comunidad del ballet, consolidándolo como una figura prominente en el mundo de la danza.

AMANCIO GONZALEZ

International Guest Ballet Master & Coach for William Forsythe ballets 

born in Spain, studied dance with Ion Beitia in Las Arenas, Spain and in the Centre de danse International Rossella Hightower in Cannes.As a dancer, worked with Jeune Ballet International de Cannes, directed by Edward Cook. Scottish Ballet, under the direction of Galina Samsova. NAPAC dance Company, with Garry Trinder. De Rotterdamse Dansgroep, directed by Käthy Gosschalk. REFLEX Dance Company, with Patrizia Van Roesel. Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, under the direction of Ed Wubbe, with Frankfurt Ballett and The Forsythe Company, under the direction of William Forsythe and at present with Dance On ensemble in Berlin under the direction of Christopher Roman.

Diplomed Ballet Master and Repettiteur, works as guest ballet teacher in Ballett Frankfurt, The Forsythe Company, Ballet National de Marseille, Ballet Preljocaj, Basler Ballet, Cullberg Ballet, Gottebörg Danscompani, Skanes Dansteater, Danish Dance Theater, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Norrdans, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey...

Dr. LUIS GADEA MATEOS

PhD in Dance Science

Head Physical therapist of the National Dance Company of Spain since 2001.

Professor and researcher of dance science at Conservatory of Dance in Madrid since 2013.

He has also collaborated with differents company’s like Royal Ballet London, Scapino Ballet, Dresden Frankfurt ballet, Kibbutz dance Company, Hoffesh Shechter, Jan Fabre, Ballet national de Marseille.

JULIETTE RAHON

Artistic Director of Juliette Rahon & Co and Stager for Kinsun Chan ballets

Choreographer, dancer, and pedagogue, Juliette Rahon is the artistic director of Juliette Rahon & Co, a company based in Geneva.

Since 2020, she has worked closely with choreographer Kinsun Chan as choreographic assistant and stager. In this role, she has staged numerous ballets and operas internationally, including Nabucco at Teatro Real Madrid and Opernhaus Zürich, JIT at the Ballet Academy of the Vienna State Opera, Shimmer Simmer at the John Cranko School and the Royal Swedish Ballet School, as well as Storm and Unleashed for the Arles Youth Ballet Company. She has also staged JIT for the Ballet Academy of the University of Music and Theatre Munich, Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden, and the Accademia Nazionale di Danza.

In 2024, Juliette assisted Kinsun Chan in the creation of SCHRäääG for the Partner School Choreographic Project at the Prix de Lausanne. In May 2025, she was invited by the Philadelphia Ballet School to stage this work. In the same year, she coached Kinsun Chan’s variations Echo and Rain for the Prix de Lausanne 2025.

Since the 2023/24 season, she has joined the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, under the direction of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, as a guest rehearsal director.

Born in France, Juliette Rahon trained at Lyon’s National Conservatory, the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Mariemma in Madrid, and the Iwanson International School of Contemporary Dance in Munich.

Since 2014, she has worked as a professional dancer with internationally renowned choreographers including Kinsun Chan, Maguy Marin, Rosamund Gilmore, Caroline Finn, Heidi Weiss, Sebastian Zuber, Claire Lefèvre, Heike Hennig, and Katja Wachter. She has also been a recurring guest dancer at Opernhaus Zürich and Oper Leipzig.

As a choreographer, Juliette has created more than 20 works, including Nomade for Oper Leipzig, 1001 Leben, Rhythm’N Cello, Liberté, La Dernière Sarabande, Magicae, and Variations on Variations.

Her choreographic work has received international recognition. She was awarded Second Prize at the DanzaFirenze Choreography Competition in Florence, Italy, for her piece Between Reality and Insanity, and her work 1001 Leben was nominated for both the Saxonian Dance Award and the Ursula-Cain Award.

With Juliette Rahon & Co, she has toured across Europe, performing at festivals including the Abundance International Dance Festival in Karlstad, Sweden, the Colombes Festival in Paris, the Zukunftsforum Cello Festivalin Augsburg, Germany, and the Lystaleypurin Festival in the Faroe Islands.

CLAUDIO CANGIALOSI

Choreographer and Guest Artist

is an acclaimed Italian choreographer whose artistic journey spans nearly two decades and includes collaborations with some of Europe’s most prestigious ballet institutions. Recognized for his expressive versatility and distinctive choreographic voice, his work has been presented across Europe and Asia, combining emotional depth, conceptual clarity, and interdisciplinary innovation.

After graduating from the Scuola di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala in 2006, Cangialosi pursued an outstanding performance career as a First Soloist with both Dresden Semperoper Ballett and Ballet of Flanders, performing internationally for 18 years until 2024. He now works independently as a freelance choreographer.

Throughout his career as a dancer, he has collaborated with many of the most influential choreographers of his generation, including William Forsythe, Akram Khan, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Mats Ek. In 2009, he began developing his own choreographic path, establishing a practice grounded in musicality, theatricality, and physical research.

Cangialosi has received several prestigious awards, including Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer (Dance Critics’ Choice) in 2009, the Apuliarte Prize for Outstanding Artist, and the SIAE Prize for Best Choreography in 2012 for his creation With(in).

As a choreographer, he has created works for leading theatres and companies, and has also presented numerous solos and duets at international galas worldwide. Among his notable creations is Manner of Speaking, presented as part of the Semperoper’s Choreografen Triple Bill in 2014. In 2018, he premiered his first full-length work, ManKind, at Festspielhaus Hellerau in Dresden; the piece later toured to Linotip – Center for Contemporary Choreography in Bucharest.

Alongside his choreographic work, Claudio Cangialosi regularly leads workshops and masterclasses internationally, sharing his creative process and movement research. He has developed his signature Flow Class, a practice rooted in improvisation that explores a wide range of movement qualities and encourages participants to discover new textures, dynamics, and expressive possibilities within the body.