Welcome to Balettakademien
A leader in dance education in Scandinavia
Since its foundation Balettakademien in Stockholm has developed into one of Scandinavia’s largest dance schools. We offer a broad variety of dance classes for adults, young people and children in a diverse range of dance disciplines.
Our teachers are experienced in their art and generous both with their knowledge and encouragement in class. Balettakademien is the perfect choice for everyone - from professionals to beginners - who wishes to enjoy a satisfying dance experience in a creative atmosphere.
Balettakademien was founded in Stockholm in 1957. Dance education and training in Sweden was until then strictly limited to classical ballet at the Royal Opera. Our ambition was to offer broader options in professional dance education and training including Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Jazz Dance and other dance forms. At this time there was an increasing demand for trained dancers to perform with modern choreographers and in shows and musicals. Balettakademien is credited with the introduction of Jazz Dance in Sweden.
During the last fifty years we have grown and developed, focusing on variety in dance. Today we are able to offer courses for all dancers; from the youngest to the oldest, from vocational students to professional dancers. Our aim is that dancers of all categories will be able to meet and to inspire each other. Balettakademien has played an important role throughout the years in developing dance in Sweden; The school's teachers, musicians, choreographers and former students make continuous and fundamental contributions to the promotion of Swedish dance.
Excellent Facilities
Balettakademien is situated at Birger Jarlsgatan in central Stockholm In 1996 we acquired new premises - a building entirely designed for dance. Ten studios of various sizes, a physiotherapy studio, a restaurant and rest and recreation facilities for students and visitors cover some 3000 square meters – all surrounded by a beautiful park. The building has received much attention and has won awards for its architecture.
Great efforts have been made on the interior to create a pleasant and stimulating atmosphere with the best possible conditions for dance. From the colours and furnishings to the specially built dance floors, from the lighting and sound equipment to the air-conditioning and the spacious changing rooms – all is designed to benefit the dancer.
Alfons Coffee Shop on the ground floor has become a popular meeting place.
Our fully equipped Studio Theatre “Scen Studio 4” has seats for 100 spectators. It is used both for school performances and by guest artists.
The Professional Dancers Programme
Our three year Professional Dancers Programme has trained many of Sweden’s most successful dancers, musical artists and choreographers. All the teachers at the school have substantial qualifications and long experience of their subjects. Over the years we have welcomed many foreign guest teachers and choreographers. This has enriched both the school and the students.
The Professional Dancers Programme offers studies in traditional dance techniques with an equal emphasis on the main subjects;
Jazz Dance, Modern/Contemporary Dance and Ballet.
The goal is to give the students the best possible education so that they are well equipped to meet the increasing demands of a labour-market, where they are expected to master various styles of dance. The school's curriculum was totally revised in 2006 and has been in operation since August of that year. It now highlights the physical and mental well-being of the student dancer, as well as implementing many of the findings of current dance medicine research. A priority of the school is to strengthen the dancer's sense of identity, thus enabling a development of each individual's unique qualities, both as a dancer and as a human being.
The students have the possibility of specialising towards a career as a dancer in modern/contemporary dance or musical theatre/show business.
One of the main aims of the school is to inspire students to use their own initiative and creativity. In the Studio Theatre, "Scen Studio 4", performances are arranged where students are encouraged to present their own works. Every year during May public performances are given in one of the leading theatres in Stockholm.
The school is subject to state supervision and student grants can be applied for. Prerequisites: High school graduation; background in Ballet, Modern and Jazz Dance; an active interest in the Arts. Age limit 21. Admission after audition.
The Pre-Professional Dance Programme
This is an one year programme in dance with the aim to provide a thorough and all-round basis for further studies. The school year culminates in end of term performances involving all the programmes. Admission is after audition.
The Street Dance Programme
An one year programme that started in 2008 and offers an new and unique oppertunity. Here we offer a platform, a fusion, where Old School and New Style are given equal attention. The goal is to develop and express the individual style of the dancer through stronger technique and wider knowledge. Admission is after audition.
The International Summer Courses
The annual International Summer Courses offer an extensive programme with guest teachers from around the world. During ten weeks every summer, courses and workshops are held in various techniques, catering for all interests and levels of intensity; from amateur beginners to advanced professionals. The professional classes, which are daily, are also open to professional students.
A wide range of amateur courses
Amateur classes for children, teenagers and adults are an important part of the activities at Balettakademien. There are courses from the age of two upwards. Courses are offered in a variety of dance techniques and on several levels, from beginners to advanced. The reasons for choosing dance as a hobby vary. Some students choose dance for the sake of exercise, others for the music or for the pure joy of dance. For some of the students the hobby leads to a more profound interest in dance, further studies and maybe even a future career. No matter what your ambition may be, we offer courses both in techniques and on levels which are suitable for everybody. Amateur dancers can choose courses in, amongst others, Jazz Dance, Ballet, Modern/Contemporary Dance, Hiphop, Breaking, Commercial Jazz, Pilates, Floortechnique©™, Yamuna Body Rolling™.
A Resource for the Professional
Since the early seventies, classes for professional dancers and dance teachers have been arranged at Balettakademien with financial support from The Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs (Statens kulturråd). These classes in Ballet and Jazz Dance offer the possibility for dancers who work on a freelance basis to stay in shape and to develop. The professional classes have become an acknowledged meeting place for professional dancers and have developed into a unique institution within Swedish dance.