On Tuesday 4 July, the new building for the Dutch National Ballet Academy (NBA) at Nicolaas Tetterodestraat 13 in Amsterdam was completed and made available for use. We are now planning to start the new school year at our new location. A great milestone, as what had long been a dot on the horizon is now becoming a reality.

The new building is important both for the development of our pupils and students and for the development of the academy itself. Unlike the current situation, in the new school building the Dutch National Ballet Academy has all pupils and students under one roof. Young pupils can learn from the older students, they will be motivated by interacting with their older peers, and can literally see and feel their future ahead of them by sharing one building together.

The building also allows us to be more outward-looking, literally opening the doors. For instance, we will organise the annual Amsterdam International Summer School in-house, with over two hundred international students finding their way to Amsterdam to participate in an intensive programme.

In addition, we will initiate a new programme for non-professional dancers: Studio NBA, a ballet community that lays a broad base layer under our school: this initiative gives us a social function in the neighbourhood and in Amsterdam, it offers additional opportunities for scouting and entry in the school, it provides nourishment for (future) ballet audiences, it strengthens the (unique) ballet profile of our school and the new building can grow into a centre of dance for ballet at every level.

And above all, as a centre of dance, the Dutch National Ballet Academy wants to be at the forefront of substantive conversations about the future of ballet, developments in education and the challenges that are visible (inter)nationally. It is important to develop and propagate this shared vision nationally (and regionally) from a building that radiates unity and a clear profile as an (inter)national dance centre.

The official opening of the building will take place in Spring 2024.