BALLET SCHOOL OF THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION
FOR DANCE
the academy
With 8 years professional education program under accreditation of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia, Ballet School of the National Foundation for Dance is the first private ballet school in Serbia
Students of the Ballet School of the National Foundation for Dance are medal winners at important international competitions, such as in Athens in April 2018, in Cologne in January 2019, in Vilnius in June 2019, in Paestum in July 2019, in Fasano in December 2022, as well as in Bologna in November 2023.
The Ballet School of the National Foundation for Dance strives for the constant improvement of its students, which it achieves through the intensive courses of guest pedagogues from Italy (Carla Fracci, Emiliano Piccoli, Marco Ferrini, Paolo Mangiola, Aldo Nolli, Valerio Longo, Maria Grazia Santucci, Mara Fusco, Antonio Colandrea…), France (Alexis Saramite, Jocelyn Bosser…), the USA (Robert Carter, Christine Cox…), Greece (Aleksandar Neškov), Israel (Noa Wertheim, Roy Assaf, Lior Tavori…), Argentina (Julio Bocca), Croatia (Marjana Krajač, Staša Zurovac, Maša Kolar), Austria (Zsolt Elek Tibor) and many others.
THE TEAM
AJA JUNG
Artistic Director
Aja Jung, born in Belgrade in 1972, began her ballet training at a young age and graduated from the State Ballet School “Lujo Davičo” in Belgrade. She later received a scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York which led to a diverse and successful career.
Returning to Europe, she danced in “Starlight Express” in Germany before launching a freelance career as a dancer and choreographer. Her productions traveled globally, earning acclaim and awards in Italy, the UK, Ukraine, and Serbia.
As UNESCO’s Ambassador for Dance, she organized over 100 educational ballet gatherings. Since 2010, she’s been Vice President of the World Dance Alliance – WDA Europe in Rome and contributed to major dance events.
In 2003, she founded the Belgrade Dance Festival, a globally recognized platform.
Aja directs the National Dance Foundation, establishing Serbia’s first international Ballet School and impacting towns through dance projects.
Her cultural contributions include the reopening of Belgrade’s Museum of Contemporary Arts.
Recognized internationally, she received prestigious awards such as the Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature in 2016 by the French Minister of Culture, Audrey Azule, and the Order of the Italian Star in 2018 by the President of Italy, Sergio Matarella ,and she is invited worldwide as jury member and special guest of honour.
IVETTE GONZALES RODRUIGUEZ
Ballet and repertory teacher
Ivette Gonzales Rodriguez graduated from Havana’s National School of Arts in 1978 and began her professional journey with the Camagüey Ballet, led by Fernando Alonso, for four years as a soloist.
Joining the National Ballet of Cuba in 1982 under Alicia Alonso’s guidance, she trained extensively under renowned ballet masters.
Her career with the National Ballet of Cuba spanned globally, performing in a diverse repertoire across the United States, Australia, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Notable venues include the Bolshoi Theater, Rome Opera House, Sadler’s Wells, and the Coliseum Theater in London, among others.
From 2005, alongside her dance career, she took on teaching and rehearsal supervision, assisting Alicia Alonso. Her dedication led to her promotion to Maître de Ballet in 2013 with the National Ballet of Cuba.
She also served as a guest Maître de Ballet for the National Ballet of Peru in 2015.
Since 2016, she has been a guest teacher at various esteemed institutions like the Toronto National Ballet, Ontario School, Brampton University, and the Trijillo Ballet Festival in Peru.
Since 2019, Ivette Gonzales Rodriguez has been a ballet and repertory teacher at the Ballet School of the National Dance Foundation in Belgrade.
MARIJA JANKOVIĆ
Ballet and repertory teacher
Marija Janković, a graduate of Belgrade’s State Ballet School Lujo Davičo in 1965, began her career as a soloist at the Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad.
Moving to the National Theater in Belgrade, she became a first soloist, performing extensively from 1968 to 1990 in classical, neoclassical, and contemporary roles.
Her international tours spanned Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Spain, Iran, Egypt, and various theaters in Serbia and former Yugoslavia. Notably, she received the Belgrade National Theater’s award for standout performances in “Peer Gynt” and “Katerina Ismailova.”
After retiring, she pursued ballet pedagogy studies at the Academy of Russian Ballet A.J. Vaganova in St. Petersburg. As an esteemed ballet pedagogue, she taught at Belgrade’s State Ballet School Lujo Davičo and the Terazije Theater.
She also assisted several renowned local and international choreographers.
Since 2016, Marija Janković has served as a permanent teacher at the Ballet School of the National Dance Foundation in Belgrade.
THE SCHEDULE
Classes take place six times a week, which, in addition to daily ballet classes, and depending on the age and level, include:
– BALLET
– REPERTOIRE
– PAS DE DEUX
– CHARACTER DANCE
– HISTORICAL DANCE
– REPERTOIRE
– IMPROVISATION
The schedule is adapted to students who change shifts in their regular schools, so classes take place both in the morning and in the afternoon.
There is also the possibility of working during the weekends whenever an international guest is invited to Belgrade.
THE VENUE
The school, which was completed in 2018, boasts a range of facilities designed to cater to different classes.
Specifically, it offers four classrooms dedicated to ballet and contemporary dance, each with distinct areas: 83 m², 90 m², 130 m², and 236 m² respectively.
Nestled in the vibrant heart of the city, our academy is conveniently accessible via the metro or a short walk, making it easily reachable for those staying in our recommended accommodations.
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