Experience matters when every correction has a purpose.
Artists selected for Madrid’s programme.
For ART of Madrid, teachers, coaches and specialists are selected specifically to support the programme’s focus on classical precision, choreographic intelligence, repertoire, the Forsythe perspective and professional development.
ANNA URBAN
Former Principal Dancer & Ballet Teacher at the School of the Hamburg Ballet
She was born in 1970 in Tomsk, Russia. From 1981 to 1989, she studied at the Leningrad Academic Choreographic School (Vaganova), directed by Konstantin Sergeyev, in the class of Ninel Kurgapkina.
In 1989, she joined the Mariinsky Ballet as a soloist under the artistic direction of Oleg Vinogradov.
In 1992, she joined the Hamburg Ballet as a soloist and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1994, a position she held until 2014.
John Neumeier created numerous roles and solos for her, including Penelope in Odyssey, Ophelia in Hamlet, Romola Nijinsky in Nijinsky, and Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina in The Seagull.
She also performed works by Swedish choreographer Mats Ek, including Opinion Loosely Grazing and the role of the Golden Fairy in Sleeping Beauty.
Throughout her career, she danced an extensive and wide-ranging repertoire.
ANA CATALINA ROMAN
Coach for William Forsythe’s Ballets
Her dance training began in Madrid at the Royal Conservatory Superior and continued at the John Cranko Tanz Akademie in Stuttgart.
She began her professional career as a dancer at the Musiktheater im Revier in Gelsenkirchen, working with Bernd Schindowski, and later continued in Frankfurt am Main with Egon Madsen.
When William Forsythe became director of Ballett Frankfurt in 1984, she joined the company as a soloist and performed in numerous works that he created for her. She also danced works by guest choreographers including Jan Farbe, Daniel Larrieu, Amanda Miller, and Tony Rizzi.
From 1992 onwards, she also worked as William Forsythe’s assistant, staging a number of his works for international companies including Australian Dance Theatre, Nederlands Dans Theatre, the National Dance Company, the Gothenburg Ballet, and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. She also specializes in Forsythe’s Improvisation Technologies.
In 2000, she began her career as a choreographer with Equipoise at Ballett Frankfurt, followed by Unobserved Phases, The Secret Bob, Anna Tanzt, Parent(h)esis o dicho sea de paso, Hecho a mano, and Cuán simple deseo.
For 18 academic years, Ana Catalina Román was Professor of Improvisation and Choreographic Composition at the CSDMA in Madrid.
In addition to her work in dance and choreography, her passion for art and cinema led her to complete a diploma in animation in 2002 and a Master’s degree in Performing Arts at the URJ in 2011.
She is currently Assistant to the Artistic Director of the Compañía Nacional de Danza (CND) in Spain.
Photo by Tim Mertez
AKI SAITO
Former Principal Dancer of Royal Ballet Flanders & Jury Member of the Prix de Lausanne
Aki Saito is an internationally acclaimed former principal dancer and distinguished ballet pedagogue, known for her refined technique, musicality, and dramatic artistry.
Over a celebrated 24-year career with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, she performed leading roles in major classical and neoclassical ballets, as well as in contemporary masterpieces by some of the world’s most renowned choreographers. Her stage career included performances throughout Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
In 2016, she was appointed Chevalier in the Order of Leopold, one of Belgium’s highest national honours, in recognition of her outstanding artistic achievements.
Following her retirement from the stage, Aki Saito dedicated herself to teaching and mentoring the next generation of dancers. From 2018 to 2025, she was a faculty member at the Royal Ballet School Antwerp, where she worked closely with final-year students in classical technique and repertoire.
Today, she continues to work internationally as a highly sought-after guest teacher, coach, and jury member, recognised for her integrity, precision, and deep artistic insight.
Teaching & Coaching – Selection
Company classes and workshops: Malandain Ballet Biarritz (France), Northern Ballet (UK), Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (Belgium)
Summer courses and intensives: Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Japan
Private coaching and masterclasses: across Europe and Japan
Jury member: Prix de Lausanne (5 editions), Prix Carpeaux (France), Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, NBA Competition (Japan), and other international competitions
Performance Career Highlights
Principal Dancer, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (1994–2018)
Leading roles including Tatiana in Onegin, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, Giselle, and Kitri in Don Quixote
Performed works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Maurice Béjart, Hans van Manen, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Marcia Haydée, John Cranko, David Dawson, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and many others
Guest appearances at prestigious galas and festivals in Paris, Tokyo, New York, Houston, Santiago, Prague, Zurich, Nagano, Havana, Hong Kong, and beyond
Awards & Distinctions
Chevalier in the Order of Leopold, Belgium (2016)
Dancer of the Year, DANCE EUROPE Magazine (2018)
Outstanding Performance, DANCE EUROPE Magazine (2006, 2007, 2015)
Critics Award, BALLET2000 (2007)
Prix de Lausanne Scholarship Winner (1991)
Multiple national and international competition prizes
Education
Royal Ballet School Antwerp – Full Scholarship through the Prix de Lausanne (1991–1994)
Pedagogical Training in Dance, Royal Conservatory Antwerp
Current Focus
Now working internationally as a guest teacher and coach, Aki Saito continues to inspire dancers worldwide through a unique combination of precision, discipline, musicality, and expressive artistry, drawing on a lifetime of stage experience and artistic depth.
WIM VANLESSEN
Artistic Director of Time To Dance & Former Principal Dancer of the Royal Ballet of Flanders
Wim Vanlessen is a renowned ballet educator and former Principal Dancer of the Royal Ballet of Flanders.
Throughout his distinguished stage career, he performed leading roles in major classical and contemporary works, including John Cranko’s Onegin, Maurice Béjart’s Boléro, Yuri Grigorovich’s Spartacus, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, and Akram Khan’s Giselle. He also worked closely with internationally acclaimed choreographers including William Forsythe, Jean-Christophe Maillot, and David Dawson.
In 2025, Wim was selected as a jury member for the Prix de Lausanne, one of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions, where he himself was a prize winner in 1993. He is regularly invited internationally to teach masterclasses and coach professional dancers and students.
Wim is the founder and Artistic Director of Time To Dance, an international ballet gala dedicated to supporting young talent by providing scholarships funded through its proceeds.
Named “Dancer of the Year” several times by Dance Europe Magazine, Wim was appointed Chevalier in the Order of Leopold in 2016 in recognition of his contribution to the arts.
He is also the author of the autobiography Dancer and the children’s book Een heel bijzondere jongen. Beyond the ballet stage, his experience includes working as a movement director and choreographer for major fashion houses and for Miley Cyrus, as well as serving as a judge on Dancing With The Stars Belgium.
Photo by Karine Grace
ELENA VOSTROTINA
Former Principal Dancer of Zurich Ballet
Elena Vostrotina was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. She received her formal ballet training at the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy, where her talent and dedication were recognised from an early stage. In 2002, she received the “Hope of Russia” Award at the Vaganova Prix Ballet Competition, marking the beginning of a distinguished career in classical ballet.
From 2003 to 2006, Vostrotina was a member of the Kirov Ballet, now known as the Mariinsky Ballet, in St. Petersburg. During this period, she performed a wide range of classical roles and continued her artistic development under the guidance of renowned teachers, including Elena Evteeva.
In 2006, she joined the Semperoper Ballett in Dresden, Germany. Initially appointed as Second Soloist, she quickly progressed through the ranks, becoming First Soloist in 2007 and Principal Dancer in 2011.
During her time with the Semperoper Ballett, she gained international recognition for her interpretations of both classical and contemporary repertoire. Her performance in David Dawson’s The World According to Us earned her the “Outstanding Performance by a Female Artist” distinction from Dance Europe Magazine in 2009. In the same year, she received the “Paradise Award” for Best Dramatic Actress for her performance in La Bayadère, staged by Igor Zelensky in Novosibirsk, Russia.
Her artistic achievements were further recognised in 2014, when she received the Mary Wigman Award from the Stiftung zur Förderung der Semperoper.
In 2017, Vostrotina joined Ballett Zürich in Switzerland as a Principal Dancer. Her repertoire with the company included Odette/Odile in Alexei Ratmansky’s reconstruction of Swan Lake, Myrtha in Patrice Bart’s Giselle, and leading roles in productions by Christian Spuck, including Winterreise, Romeo and Juliet, and Nocturne.
Throughout her career, she has performed major roles from the classical repertoire, including Princess Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Nikiya in La Bayadère, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Myrtha in Giselle.
She has also distinguished herself in neoclassical and contemporary works by internationally acclaimed choreographers including George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, David Dawson, Stijn Celis, John Neumeier, Paul Lightfoot, and Crystal Pite.
Photo by Admill Kuyler
JON VALLEJO
Principal Dancer at Semperoper Ballett Dresden
Jon Vallejo is a distinguished principal dancer hailing from San Sebastian, Spain, with a prolific career in both classical and contemporary ballet. He trained at Scaena Carmen Roche in Madrid and Thalia Mentxu Medel in San Sebastian, laying a strong foundation for his artistic journey.
Throughout his career, Jon has received numerous accolades, including a nomination for the prestigious Benois de la Danse in 2020 and the Artistic Career Prize from the Foundation Semperoper in 2019. He was named Best Male Dancer of the Year by Dance Europe Magazine for his performances in David Dawson's *The Four Seasons* (2018) and has been recognized with several other awards, including the Positano Prize for Best Male Dancer in 2017.
Since 2006, Jon has been a principal dancer with Semperoper Ballett, showcasing his talents in a variety of roles, from Prinz Florimund in *Sleeping Beauty* to Albrecht in *Giselle*. He has also performed as a guest principal dancer with the Compañía Nacional de Danza and participated in numerous ballet festivals and galas across major cities worldwide, including Moscow, Tokyo, and New York.
Jon's repertoire spans classical masterpieces and contemporary works, featuring choreographies by notable figures such as William Forsythe , George Balanchine, Mats ek and Jiří Kylián. He has created numerous works with acclaimed choreographers.
In addition to his stage performances, Jon has been involved in film productions, appearing in notable works such as *The Nutcracker* and *Giselle* and *Swan Lake*. His artistic contributions continue to resonate in the ballet community, making him a prominent figure in the world of dance.
AMANCIO GONZALEZ
International Guest Ballet Master & Coach for William Forsythe’s Ballets
Born in Spain, he studied dance with Ion Beitia in Las Arenas, Spain, and at the Centre de Danse International Rosella Hightower in Cannes.
As a professional dancer, he worked with the Jeune Ballet International de Cannes under the direction of Edward Cook; Scottish Ballet under Galina Samsova; NAPAC Dance Company with Garry Trinder; De Rotterdamse Dansgroep under Käthy Gosschalk; REFLEX Dance Company with Patrizia Van Roesel; and Scapino Ballet Rotterdam under Ed Wubbe.
He later joined Ballett Frankfurt and The Forsythe Company under the artistic direction of William Forsythe. He has also worked with the Dance On Ensemble in Berlin under the direction of Christopher Roman.
A qualified Ballet Master and Répétiteur, he has developed an extensive international career as a guest ballet teacher and coach.
His teaching engagements include Ballett Frankfurt, The Forsythe Company, Ballet National de Marseille, Ballet Preljocaj, Ballet Basel, Cullberg Ballet, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, Skånes Dansteater, Danish Dance Theatre, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Norrdans, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey, and many other international companies.
Drawing on his extensive experience with William Forsythe, he is also highly experienced in coaching and staging Forsythe’s repertoire.
Dr. LUIS GADEA MATEOS
Head Physiotherapist of the National Dance Company of Spain
Luis Gadea has been Head Physiotherapist of the National Dance Company of Spain since 2001.
Since 2013, he has also worked as a professor and researcher in dance science at the Conservatory of Dance in Madrid, combining clinical practice with teaching and research focused on the physical demands of professional dance.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with numerous internationally renowned dance companies and artists, including The Royal Ballet in London, Scapino Ballet, Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, Hofesh Shechter Company, Jan Fabre, and Ballet National de Marseille.
Photo by Adam Markowski
JULIETTE RAHON
Artistic Director of Juliette Rahon & Co and Stager of Kinsun Chan’s Ballets
Choreographer, dancer, and pedagogue Juliette Rahon is the Artistic Director of Juliette Rahon & Co, a dance company based in Geneva.
Since 2020, she has worked closely with choreographer Kinsun Chan as a choreographic assistant and stager. In this capacity, she has staged numerous ballets and opera productions internationally, including Nabucco at Teatro Real Madrid and Opernhaus Zürich; JIT at the Ballet Academy of the Vienna State Opera; Shimmer Simmer at the John Cranko School and the Royal Swedish Ballet School; and Storm and Unleashed for the Arles Youth Ballet Company.
She has also staged JIT for the Ballet Academy of the University of Music and Theatre Munich, Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden, and the Accademia Nazionale di Danza.
In 2024, Juliette assisted Kinsun Chan in the creation of SCHRäääG for the Partner School Choreographic Project at the Prix de Lausanne. In May 2025, she was invited by the Philadelphia Ballet School to stage the work. That same year, she coached Kinsun Chan’s variations Echo and Rain for the Prix de Lausanne 2025.
Since the 2023/24 season, she has worked with the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, under the direction of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, as a guest rehearsal director.
Born in France, Juliette Rahon trained at Lyon’s National Conservatory, the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Mariemma in Madrid, and the Iwanson International School of Contemporary Dance in Munich.
Since 2014, she has worked as a professional dancer with internationally renowned choreographers including Kinsun Chan, Maguy Marin, Rosamund Gilmore, Caroline Finn, Heidi Weiss, Sebastian Zuber, Claire Lefèvre, Heike Hennig, and Katja Wachter. She has also appeared regularly as a guest dancer at Opernhaus Zürich and Oper Leipzig.
As a choreographer, Juliette has created more than 20 works, including Nomade for Oper Leipzig, 1001 Leben, Rhythm’N Cello, Liberté, La Dernière Sarabande, Magicae, and Variations on Variations.
Her choreographic work has received international recognition. She was awarded Second Prize at the DanzaFirenze Choreography Competition in Florence, Italy, for her work Between Reality and Insanity, while 1001 Leben was nominated for both the Saxonian Dance Award and the Ursula-Cain Award.
With Juliette Rahon & Co, she has toured throughout Europe and performed at festivals including the Abundance International Dance Festival in Karlstad, Sweden; the Colombes Festival in Paris; the Zukunftsforum Cello Festival in Augsburg, Germany; and the Lystaleypurin Festival in the Faroe Islands.
CLAUDIO CANGIALOSI
Choreographer and Guest Artist
Claudio Cangialosi is an acclaimed Italian choreographer whose artistic career spans nearly two decades and includes collaborations with some of Europe’s most prestigious ballet institutions. Recognised for his expressive versatility and distinctive choreographic voice, his work has been presented across Europe and Asia, combining emotional depth, conceptual clarity, and interdisciplinary exploration.
After graduating from the Scuola di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala in 2006, Cangialosi pursued an international performing career as a First Soloist with both the Dresden Semperoper Ballett and Ballet of Flanders. Over the course of 18 years, until 2024, he performed on stages around the world. He now works independently as a freelance choreographer.
Throughout his career as a dancer, he collaborated with many of the most influential choreographers of his generation, including William Forsythe, Akram Khan, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Mats Ek.
In 2009, he began developing his own choreographic practice, grounded in musicality, theatricality, and physical research.
Cangialosi has received several prestigious distinctions, including “Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer” in the Dance Critics’ Choice in 2009, the Apuliarte Prize for Outstanding Artist, and the SIAE Prize for Best Choreography in 2012 for his creation With(in).
As a choreographer, he has created works for leading theatres and companies and has presented numerous solos and duets at international galas worldwide. Among his notable creations is Manner of Speaking, presented as part of the Semperoper’s Choreografen Triple Bill in 2014.
In 2018, he premiered his first full-length work, ManKind, at Festspielhaus Hellerau in Dresden. The production was later presented at Linotip – Center for Contemporary Choreography in Bucharest.
Alongside his choreographic work, Claudio Cangialosi regularly leads workshops and masterclasses internationally, sharing his creative process and approach to movement research.
He has developed his signature Flow Class, an improvisation-based practice exploring a broad range of movement qualities and encouraging participants to discover new textures, dynamics, and expressive possibilities within the body.
