The management of the Academy of Theatre and Dance at the Amsterdam University of the Arts has appointed Dario Elia as Artistic Director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy with effect from 1 February 2026. He succeeds Ernst Meisner, who will step down as Artistic Director on 1 February to devote all his attention and energy to prepare for his new position as director of the Dutch National Ballet. Dario Elia has been Deputy Artistic Director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy since 2024 and is also a teacher at the academy since 2020.
About Dario Elia
The Italian ballet teacher Dario Elia started dancing at the school Artedanza in Catanzaro (Italy), followed by his professional ballet training of Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan (Italy) and the Royal Ballet School in London.
After his training he danced with the Zurich Ballet in Switzerland, with the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and joined the Dutch National Ballet in 2012 where he got promoted to coryphée in 2018. He danced a big part of the classical repertoire and has been dancing around the world as part of the Dutch National Ballet, performing group/solos and principal roles. Dario has danced most works of the greatest choreographers of our time. Dario has developed his teacher training over the years practicing and visiting many different schools around the world.
Dario has taught at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and worked as repetitor for the Junior Company of the Dutch National Ballet, setting ballets and teaching company classes. From January 2020, Dario started to teach at the Dutch National Ballet Academy as a fulltime teacher. Since 2024, he has been Deputy Artistic Director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy and artistic coordinator of Dutch National Ballet productions involving students from the Dutch National Ballet Academy. In addition Dario was the artistic coordinator of the Summer School of the Dutch National Ballet Academy since 2023. Dario has been training on Leadership and management following courses from the Harvard Business School, the Clore Foundation and the LPC Institute. He has also been a judge in many ballet competitions and has been a representative member of the Dutch National Ballet Academy around the world.
Oeds Westerhof, Director of the Academy of Theatre and Dance:
‘The artistic director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy must have experience on the major stages, a vision for ballet and be in tune with the pedagogical climate of the academy. In Dario Elia, we have a candidate who meets these requirements with distinction, and I look forward to the collaboration.’
Dario Elia, Artistic Director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy:
'I look forward to succeeding Ernst Meisner as Artistic Director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy. Together with Oeds Westerhof, I am committed to further developing the Academy as a forward-looking and inclusive institution, supporting the artistic and educational growth of the next generation of dancers.'
About the Dutch National Ballet Academy
The Dutch National Ballet Academy is the only dance academy in the Netherlands that is directly affiliated to Dutch National Ballet, one of the leading ballet companies in the world. At the Dutch National Ballet Academy, pupils take an integrated programme of dance and regular education. Besides the preliminary training, the NBA offers an Associate Degree programme in Classical Ballet and Bachelor’s course Teacher of Classical Ballet. The school currently has over 175 pupils and students. They include not only many young, talented Dutch dancers, but also a great number of students and guest students from abroad.
The Dutch National Ballet Academy is part of the Academy of Theatre and Dance, which provides Bachelor’s and Master’s courses for all theatre and dance disciplines.