The Paris Opera announces the creation of a Junior Ballet comprising of 18 dancers aged 17 to 23, from September 2024.

Designed as an incubator for young talent, the Paris Opera Junior Ballet tackles multiple objectives: diversifying dancer profiles, facilitating their professional integration, aims to diversify dancer profiles and facilitate their professional integration, strengthening engagement with audiences through tours and outreach efforts, while perpetuating the Paris Opera's tercentenary expertise.

The creation of the Junior Ballet reflects the Paris Opera's desire to be constantly evolving, offering innovative forms of creation, training and transmission, while preserving the institution's heritage.

The Junior Ballet aims to foster a close relationship with the public
through tours in France and abroad. Alexander Neef, General Director of the Paris Opera

The Junior Ballet is open to young dancers from all backgrounds and to students of the Paris Opera Dance School who wish to complement their initial training.

Following the Ballet company's external competition on July 2^nd and 3^rd 2024, 9 young female dancers and 9 young male dancers will be recruited to join the Junior Ballet as of the 2024/2025 season with a two-year professionalization contract. A further 6 new dancers will join in September 2025.

Under the direction of José Martinez, Director of Dance at the Paris Opera, the Junior Ballet will be supported by a dedicated artistic, pedagogical and administrative team.

The Junior Ballet program will alternate between training and performing on stage alongside the Ballet company. In its first season, the Junior Ballet will perform The Sleeping Beauty at the Opéra Bastille, and on tour in France from May 2025.

The Junior Ballet has been made possible thanks to the commitment of corporate sponsors, private foundations and major donors, to whom the Paris Opera would like to express its gratitude, first and foremost CHANEL, Founding Patron of the Junior Ballet.