Junior Ballett

Junior Ballett 2025/26

Seit seiner Gründung im Jahre 2001 hat sich das Junior Ballett neben dem Internationalen Opernstudio und der Orchester-Akademie als dritte am Opernhaus Zürich existierende Form der künstlerischen Nachwuchsförderung etabliert. Junge Tänzerinnen und Tänzer aus aller Welt erhalten hier die Möglichkeit des betreuten Übergangs vom Ende ihrer Ballettausbildung bis zum Eintritt ins volle Berufsleben. Im Rahmen eines nicht länger als zwei Jahre währenden Engagements trainieren sie gemeinsam mit den Mitgliedern des Balletts Zürich, tanzen mit ihnen in ausgewählten Vorstellungen des Repertoires und sammeln so die für eine Tänzerlaufbahn notwendige Bühnenerfahrung.

In Zusammenarbeit mit Klimawissenschaftlern der ETH Zürich entstand 2025 der gefeierte Abend «The Butterfly Effect» mit Choreografien von Cathy Marston, Ihsan Rustem und Lucas Valente, der auch in dieser Saison auf dem Spielplan steht.

Unterstützt von Gönner:innen und den Freund:innen des Balletts Zürich.

Harry Ashton-Ireland

Harry Ashton-Ireland holds both New Zealand and British citizenship. He received his dance training at the Philippa Campbell School of Ballet and at the Dutch National Ballet Academy of Dance. From 2023 to 2025, he danced with Bavarian Junior Ballet Munich. There, he appeared in choreographies by Marco Goecke, Pina Bausch, Christopher Wheeldon, Jiří Kylián, John Cranko, Patrice Bart and John Neumeier. Since the 2025/26 season, he has been a member of Junior Ballet. Among other works, he has appeared in Andonis Foniadakis' "Orbit" and Cathy Marston's "Romeo and Juliet". In 2026, he received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Jada Bryant

Jada Bryant is American. She received her ballet training at Houston Ballet Academy, Vitacca Ballet School and American Ballet Theatre School. Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of Junior Ballet. She has danced in choreographies by Cathy Marston, Kenneth MacMillan, Ihsan Rustem and Lucas Valente. For the "Next Generation" series, she choreographed "Nexus".

Le'Ronnie Bussey

Le’Ronnie Bussey is from the United States. He received his training at the Chattanooga Center for Creative Arts, Ballet Tennessee, the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and the Juilliard School in New York. He was a prize winner at the «Young Arts Competition».
Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the Junior Ballet.

Wesley Cloud

Wesley Cloud is from the United States. He received his training at the American Ballet Theatre School and the Juilliard School in New York.
Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the Junior Ballet. He has performed in choreographies by Cathy Marston, Bryan Arias, Crystal Pite, Kenneth MacMillan, and Patrice Bart.

Nicholas Isabelli

Nicholas Isabelli is from the USA. He studied at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart and performed with the Stuttgart Ballet (Tadzio in "Death in Venice"). He was a prizewinner at the "Youth America Grand Prix". Since the 2025/26 season, he has been a member of the Junior Ballet. He has appeared in choreographies by Cathy Marston, Marcos Morau and Lucas Valente, as well as in the ballet evening "The Butterfly Effect".

Yelyzaveta Lazovska

Yelyzaveta Lazovska is from Ukraine. She received her dance training at the Kyiv State Ballet College and the Zurich Dance Academy. After her successful participation in the «Prix de Lausanne», she joined the Junior Ballet at the beginning of the 2024/25 season.
She has performed in ballets by Cathy Marston («Clara», «The Cellist», «Mrs. Robinson», «Atonement»), in «Giselle» by Patrice Bart, and in choreographies by Kenneth MacMillan and Crystal Pite.

Nina Longid

Nina Longid is Filipino American. She received her dance training at the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago and at Juilliard School in New York. Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of Junior Ballet. She has appeared in Cathy Marston's "Clara" and "Romeo and Juliet", as well as in choreographies by Kenneth MacMillan, Lucas Valente and Marcos Morau.

André Marra

André Marra is Brazilian. He received his dance training at the Escola do Futuro em Artes Basileu França in Brazil and at the ballet school of Hamburg Ballet. Since the 2025/26 season, he has been a member of Junior Ballet.

Carla Reynes

Carla Reynes is from Spain. She received her training at Escola de danza Spin, Escola de danza Marisa Yudes and Dutch National Ballet Academy of Dance. In the 2024/25 season, she was an Apprentice with Semperoper Ballett in Dresden. Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of Junior Ballet. She has danced in choreographies by Cathy Marston, Kenneth MacMillan, Ihsan Rustem and Lucas Valente. For the "Next Generation" series, she choreographed "Entre-temps".

Maia Roberts

Maia Roberts is from the United Kingdom. She trained at Jove Ballet, Conservatorio Annarella, and the Royal Ballet School in London. While still studying, she performed with the Royal Ballet and Ballett Zürich.
Since the 2024/25 season, she has been a member of the Junior Ballet. She has danced in ballets by Cathy Marston («Clara», «The Cellist», «Mrs. Robinson», «Atonement»), in «Giselle» by Patrice Bart, and in choreographies by Crystal Pite and Kenneth MacMillan.

Edoardo Savini

Edoardo Savini is Italian. He studied at the Royal Ballet School in London. While still studying, he performed with Ballett Zürich in the ballet evening «Timekeepers».
Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the Junior Ballet.

Adam Takahashi

Adam Takahashi is from the United States. He received his dance training at Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet & Westside Dance Project as well as at the European School of Ballet.
Since the 2025/26 season, he has been a member of the Junior Ballet.

Jana Teruel

Jana Teruel is Filipino American. She received her training at the Los Angeles Ballet Academy, at the Joffrey Ballet Academy in Chicago and at the Royal Ballet Upper School. After two seasons with the Junior Ballet, she is appearing as a guest with the Zurich Ballet in the 2026/27 season. To date, she has appeared in choreographies by Cathy Marston, Crystal Pite, Mats Ek, Marcos Morau and Patrice Bart.

Krista Vaitkeviciute

Krista Vaitkeviciute holds both Lithuanian and American citizenship. She received her training at the Lithuanian Ballet Academy and at the Royal Ballet School in London. While still studying, she appeared with the Royal Ballet and Zurich Ballet. Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of Junior Ballet.