The dance profession has very specific requirements for the physical and intellectual capacities of the dancer. As a professional academy, we are aware of these requirements. We therefore cannot accept all children who wish to become a ballet dancer. When it is not sufficiently clear that a child will be able to meet the strict requirements of the field, he or she will not be admitted to the program. This may sometimes seem harsh but it would not be fair to the child, the parents or the teachers, to start at the academy on the wrong terms.
To find out whether a child is sufficiently suitable to be admitted to the Dutch National Ballet Academy, he or she will have to pass an audition.
We offer two different auditions; those for children currently in group six or seven of primary school (the Dutch system) and those for older children who have started their professional education elsewhere and who wish to continue their education at the National Ballet Academy. For the second group, please continue reading under the heading; "Pupils aged 12 - 16". Children who are currently in group 4 or 5 of primary school are eligible for the Pre-NBA course.

Children in years 6 or 7 of primary school can audition for the preparatory course. The first year of the preparatory course at the Dutch National Ballet Academy runs parallel to year 7 of primary school.
This audition consists of a first audition round, an audition course and then the final audition. Participation in the one-month audition course costs 120 euros.

Auditions 2026-2027
Dutch National Ballet Academy
for group 7 or 8 in 2026-2027

Amsterdam

Sa 29 November 2025 
Sa 31 January 2026 
Sa 7 March 2026 
Fri 17 April 2026 Slotauditie
Location: Dutch National Ballet Academy, Nicolaas Tetterodestraat 13, Amsterdam

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PRE-NBA 1 en 2
for children in group  5 and 6 in 2026-2027

Groningen
Fri 5 June 2026

Amsterdam
Sa 6 June 2026 

Pupils who have started their professional education elsewhere and who wish to enroll in our preliminary course can apply through the online application form. 
Ope the auditon form 12-16 years

This year we will hold two audition rounds. Upon invitation you can participate in a first round in February 2026. When you will have passed this audition successfully we will invite you to the call back round in April 2026.*

For this group, auditions are by invitation only.

Audition dates:

First round
Wednesday 4  February 2026
Deadline for completing the registration form is 11 January 2026

Second round
Friday 10 April 2026  + Medical screening Saturday 11 April for candidates that pass the final round.

Live/online
To international participants we want to continue to offer the opportunity to participate in the first audition round online*. Of course, international participants are also very welcome at the live audition if they prefer.

For the second round, we expect all pupils to come and audition live if circumstances allow it.

*If you choose the online audition, please make sure to stream your audition in reasonable circumstances. Preferably from a studio, but if that's not possible, a room where you can do all the exercises you normally do in a ballet class. With room to lift your legs and the ability to jump.

Academic education
In the Netherlands pupils have to physically attend a Dutch High School up to the school year that they turn 16. School years in the Netherlands go roughly from August until July. This means that if you for example, turn 16 in September, you will need to physically attend a Dutch High School until the month of July after your 16th birthday. If you turn 16 in May, you will be allowed to study online in the following school year that starts in August. For this reason it is important for us to know what kind of academic education you are currently following. 

If you will pass your audition successfully with the Dutch National Ballet Academy, and you're at an age that you need to enroll in our Dutch high school, we will ask you to take a WISC test at your own expense, to determine in which year group of the Dutch school system you belong. We will then start the procedure of helping you learn Dutch and to integrate into our school system.

Location
All live auditions take place at the address below. Participants can also do the 1st audition round online:
Nationale Balletacademie
Nicolaas Tetterodestraat 13
1096 BM Amsterdam

For questions regarding auditions and registration please contact the secretariat of the NBA: 020 527 7843 or nba-auditions@ahk.nl.

This year Dutch National Ballet Academy will scout at the following competitions:

• YGP Paris   November   |  30 Oktober t/m 2 November 2025
• YGP Barcelona  December  |3 t/m 7 December  2025
• D&D Masterclasses Japan & Korea January |  2-11 January 2026
• Prix de Lausanne February  | 5 t/m 8 February 2026
• YGP Houston Finals  mei | 10-18 May 2026