ENHANCE Mentorship Programme

The Staatsballett Berlin launches a ten-month Mentorship Programme for alumni of the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin at the beginning of next season, providing 16 dancers with future prospects during the pandemic.

From September 2021, the Staatsballett Berlin offers 16 alumni of the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin a ten-month training programme, combining experience with theory and individual coaching. Based on their completed training, the programme is a bridge between school life and professional life, supported by three pillars: practical routines include all Fellows participating in the Staatsballett's daily morning class; they will take part in masterclasses held by the company's principal dancers; and they will take the stage together with the ensemble. The programme's theoretical part focuses on historic performance practices, feedback culture and cognitive skills. Health aspects such as nutritional counselling, mental coaching and dance medical supervision will also ensure further development of everyone's individual potential. In addition, every Fellow will be mentored by members of the company, ensuring direct exchange of experience and inspirational encounters beyond everyday life in the ballet studio. Having been introduced to the programme already, both dancers of the Staatsballett and alumni of the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin are equally excited.

Dr. Christiane Theobald, provisional artistic director of the Staatsballett Berlin:
“As the Staatsballett Berlin doesn't have its own stage, we weren't able to support Berlin's independent scene substantially during the corona pandemic. Therefore, the idea of a Mentorship Programme arose as an alternative way to practice social commitment, trying to compensate for the sacrifices and setbacks the alumni of the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin have to endure due to the pandemic.”

Fellows 2021/22

Lorenzzo Fernandes
Masaaki Goto
Chisato Inoko
Jun Ishii
Hugo Martinez Garcia
Vienna Pokorny
Linus Schmidt
Guilia Scognamillo
Vantell-Boateng Smith
Shino Tsurutani
Maria Valter

Fellows 2022/23

Julia Banholzer
Leena Coulie
Ana Gonçalves
Paulina Kalvelage
Claudie Lacquemanne
Anna Catharina Loycke
Rimi Mizuoka
Diana Montes Mota
Filippo Pagani
Mira Speyer
Maria Valter

Das Mentorship Programme wird gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien im Programm NEUSTART KULTUR, Absolvent*innen-Förderung DIS-TANZ-START des Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.