Queen Máxima opens Dutch National Ballet Academy

On Tuesday afternoon, 1 October, Queen Máxima officially opened the new building of the Dutch National Ballet Academy (DNBA) in Amsterdam. During this festive occasion, the Queen attended a ballet class for final-year students and was given a glimpse behind the scenes, where young dancers were preparing for their roles in the December classic The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.

The new facility, located on Nicolaas Tetterodestraat in Amsterdam Overamstel, provides an ideal environment for students of the Dutch National Ballet Academy. It boasts spacious studios, modern classrooms, and professional facilities, all designed to support ballet training at the highest level.

The Dutch National Ballet Academy is unique in the Netherlands and is part of the Academy of Theatre and Dance, which belongs to the Amsterdam University of the Arts. As the only dance academy directly affiliated with Dutch National Ballet, the DNBA plays a vital role in training future dance professionals. The academy also offers an extensive pre-professional programme for students as young as ten years old, allowing them to combine ballet training with primary and secondary education. The school currently has 165 students.