Naira Agvanean

Emigrating to Germany 

Meanwhile, Naira’s father had already been involved for years in an emigration procedure. “My mother has a Jewish bloodline, which entitled her to move to Germany with her family. And as my parents wanted a better future for their children, my father spent years trying to arrange it all.” When Naira was fifteen, the family eventually moved to Straubing, about two hours by train from Munich, where Naira was accepted for the Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung (now called Ballett-Akademie der Hochschule für Musik und Theater). “All of a sudden, I found myself at boarding school not being able to speak a word of German or English, yet I loved it right away. I was living my dream: dancing all day long and living with all my new friends under one roof in the centre of Munich.” 

Self-discovery 

When Naira started auditioning in 2007, it wasn’t plain sailing at first. “I did thirty auditions that year. I’m not a dancer who immediately stands out; I really need a chance to move full out in order to show my qualities.” But gradually, she learned how to present herself better. “When I auditioned for Dutch National Ballet the following year, I felt so comfortable and full of self-confidence that afterwards I actually knew already that I’d be accepted there.” 

She describes the years that have passed since then as a period of self-discovery and ups and downs. “There have been lots of challenges, not all of which were artistic ones. I got married, then divorced after a couple of years, and I’ve suffered injuries and setbacks. But I’m extremely grateful for all the security I’ve found here, and for all the great opportunities and experiences that have truly made me who I am today.” 

Up-tempo, high jumps, Latin temperament 

Her highlights definitely include working with choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. “His Chamber Symphony gives you so much freedom for your own interpretation, which really allowed me to show more of myself. The same applies to my role as one of Kitri’s friends in Don Quixote. I enjoy up-tempo movements, high jumps and Latin temperament. I regularly go to salsa and bachata classes with my current boyfriend, and I’d like to take it up more seriously one day.” Another thing Naira will never forget is the chance she had to work for several weeks with William Forsythe himself, in June 2023. “He’s totally unique in his approach, vision and musicality, and his ballets are so incredibly challenging and exciting. His Pas/Parts is one of my all-time favourite works.” 

Coaching 

Alongside ballet and Latin-American dancing, Naira recently developed another passion: coaching. “In a period when I found myself in a bit of a rut, I read a lot about personal development, which took me along the path of life coaching. Purely by coincidence, I’d just started my training as a coach when the corona lockdown was announced, so I was able to put all my time and energy into my studies.” Now she’s working several hours a month as a high-performance coach for professional dancers, who she helps to get the best out of themselves, their careers and their lives. Her initial fear that this might distract her too much from her dancing career has turned out to be unfounded. “It has brought me so much, both personally and as a dancer, that now I only wish I’d started it earlier.” 

Text: Astrid van Leeuwen