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Lugano Junior Ballet is a pre-professional junior company for talented dancers aged 17–26 who are ready to enter the professional dance world.
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• Daily high-level company training
• Regular performances in Switzerland & Italy
• Creation work built on our dancers
• Guest teachers at least once a month and choreographers in residence
• Physio, gym, Pilates & performance health support
• Showreels & audition coaching
A real company environment — with the guidance young artists need to take the final step.
Performances
We believe dancers grow on stage.
Our season includes around 15 performances, featuring:
• Winter production
• Spring touring program
• Summer Gala
Dancers rehearse and tour like professionals: theaters, technical rehearsals, audience connection.
Bridging artistry, education, and professional creation in Ticino.
Lugano Junior Ballet (LJB) is a Swiss–Italian pre-professional company dedicated to guiding young dancers toward their professional careers through real stage experience, creation, and collaboration.
Founded by Alessandra Ashkenazy, LJB offers a focused, company-style environment where selected dancers train daily, work directly with renowned choreographers, and perform in high-quality productions throughout the season.
Based in Lugano, Switzerland, LJB represents a meeting point between education and professional life — where emerging artists refine their technique, discover their individuality, and experience the full rhythm of company work.
Foundation
Lugano Junior Ballet is built on the foundation of the Ashkenazy Ballet Center (ABC) — a long-standing institution in Lugano known for its high-level classical training and artistic integrity.
The Ashkenazy Ballet Center provides the educational, physical, and artistic base for the company’s activities, including professional studios, Pilates and conditioning spaces, and an environment that supports both excellence and wellbeing.
While LJB functions as an independent brand and ensemble, it is rooted in the same philosophy that defines ABC: discipline, respect for the art form, and creative openness.
Artistic Direction – Alessandra Ashkenazy
A former professional dancer with companies including the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Bonn Ballet, Alessandra Ashkenazy has built a multifaceted career as performer, pedagogue, and artistic director.
She is certified in numerous teaching methodologies, including the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum (ABT NTC), and holds multiple international pedagogical diplomas.
As the founder of the Ashkenazy Ballet Center and Artistic Director of Lugano Junior Ballet, her vision unites classical precision with contemporary creativity — nurturing dancers who are not only technically accomplished but artistically aware and ready to enter the professional world.
Our Vision
At Lugano Junior Ballet, creation is central.
The company aims to provide young dancers with a platform to perform, collaborate, and grow within a professional context — connecting them to choreographers, musicians, and institutions across Switzerland and abroad.
Each season includes new works developed on the dancers, emphasizing individuality, versatility, and the transition from student to artist.
Through this structure, LJB seeks to strengthen Ticino’s cultural landscape and contribute to the development of the next generation of artists.
Collaborations
LJB works in dialogue with local and international partners, including the Ashkenazy Ballet Center, regional theatres, and cultural institutions such as the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary productions and live-music collaborations.
Location
All company activities take place in Lugano, Switzerland, within the facilities of the Ashkenazy Ballet Center and partner institutions.
The company operates in an inspiring natural and cultural setting — surrounded by lakes, mountains, and an evolving artistic community at the heart of Ticino.
Alessandra Ashkenazy
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Founder & Artistic Director
Alessandra Ashkenazy is the founder of the Ashkenazy Ballet Center and Artistic Director of Lugano Junior Ballet.
A former professional dancer with companies including the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Bonn Ballet, she combines a rich stage background with extensive pedagogical expertise.
A certified ballet pedagogue, Alessandra holds numerous international teaching qualifications, including the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum (ABT NTC), and several European pedagogical diplomas.
Her artistic vision unites classical discipline with creative innovation, fostering an environment where young dancers develop technical mastery, individuality, and stage artistry.
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FACULTY
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Victoria Ashkenazy
Co-Founder, Ballet Artist & Pilates Instructor
Victoria Ashkenazy is a ballet dancer, teacher, and movement coach, and the founder of Lugano Junior Ballet. Raised in an artistic environment, she trained in classical ballet from a young age and developed a multidisciplinary approach combining ballet, Pilates, and functional conditioning.
She holds certification in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum through Level 5, integrating its principles into both her teaching and coaching. Her work focuses on developing strong technical foundations, mindful body awareness, and a deep connection between movement and artistry.
Alongside her work with Lugano Junior Ballet, Victoria continues to expand her holistic movement practice through Ballerina Body Lugano and other wellness-based project
Oliviero Bifulco
In-House Choreographer & Contemporary Teacher
Oliviero Bifulco trained at the Scuola di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala in Milan under the direction of Frédéric Olivieri and continued his studies at the San Francisco Ballet School with Patrick Armand.
He began his professional career with the Opéra National de Bordeaux, performing in major classical and contemporary productions. Known to a wider audience through his participation in Amici di Maria De Filippi, he has since built a dynamic career as performer, choreographer, and teacher.
His creations have been presented for Opera Lombardia, DanceHaus Milano, Teatro Fraschini di Pavia, and internationally with the Bangkok City Ballet in 2023.
Oliviero holds a degree with honours in Sociology and Communication from the University of Urbino and is a certified teacher of the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum (Levels Pre-Primary to 3).
Robert Robinson
In-House Choreographer & Contemporary Teacher
Robert Robinson is a British-born choreographer and contemporary dance teacher whose career bridges performance, creation, and visual arts.
A former soloist with the Stuttgart Ballet, he has performed internationally and worked with many of the world’s leading choreographers.
As in-house choreographer and contemporary teacher at Lugano Junior Ballet, Robert brings his distinctive artistic language to daily training, rehearsals, and company creations.
His multidisciplinary background — blending dance, direction, and visual composition — offers dancers a dynamic approach that connects classical technique with modern movement aesthetics.
Alex Ashkenazy
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Alex Ashkenazy is a certified personal trainer and the founder of the private gym located within the Ashkenazy Ballet Center facilities in Lugano.
With a background in strength training, sports performance, and functional conditioning, he works closely with Lugano Junior Ballet dancers to enhance physical strength, coordination, and endurance.
As the company’s Strength & Conditioning Coach, Alex follows both male and female dancers, with a particular focus on supporting the male artists in developing controlled power, stability, and injury prevention techniques that complement their stage work.
His collaboration with the artistic and Pilates departments ensures a balanced, performance-ready approach to dancer fitness and wellbeing.
Guest Faculty & Choreographers
Lugano Junior Ballet regularly welcomes internationally renowned guest teachers and choreographers, offering dancers exposure to diverse approaches, styles, and artistic philosophies.
Confirmed Guests for the 2026–2027 Season
• Paul Chalmer – Classical & Neo-Classical Creation & Coaching
• Siner Gonenc Boquin – Repertoire & Coaching
More international artists will be announced as the season progresses.
Approach
Our teaching philosophy combines classical precision with contemporary awareness.
Dancers receive daily classical and contemporary training, supplemented by Pilates, strength conditioning, and creative coaching.
Through close collaboration between resident and guest faculty, Lugano Junior Ballet provides a professional structure that mirrors the rhythm of an active company.