For more than ten years, Ballet Preljocaj has welcomed young apprentice dancers aged 18 to 21 each year, selected through auditions following an initial application process. This professional development programme gives them the opportunity to spend a full season immersed in the daily life of a major choreographic company, while pursuing academic training through a work-study programme with the Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower in Cannes.

For the 2026/2027 season, the new cohort will comprise six dancers—three women and three men—aged between 17 and 20. During their apprenticeship, they will work in particular on the revival of Still Life, a piece created by Angelin Preljocaj in 2017 for six performers. This immersion in the choreographer’s repertoire will give them the opportunity to engage with a demanding, physical and sensitive choreographic language, while developing their stage presence and understanding of company practice.

The young dancers will also collaborate with Anna Chirescu, an associated artist for the 2026/2027 season, on a new creation. This dialogue with a new generation of artists is central to the mission of Ballet Preljocaj Junior: transmitting a choreographic legacy while introducing apprentices to contemporary, diverse and evolving forms of artistic expression.

As each season, the dancers will also play an active role in the dance outreach programme led by Ballet Preljocaj across the region. They will work with schools in the Pays d’Aix area, as well as social and healthcare organisations, helping make dance more accessible to a wide range of audiences, including those who may be less likely to engage with cultural venues.

As part of a cooperation project initiated in 2025 with the Fondation Montresso in Morocco, the six dancers will also travel there in spring 2027. They will meet young local dancers and take part in exchanges, transmission activities and practical sessions, including dance walks, battles and artistic encounters. This international dimension extends the programme’s ambition: to train young performers capable of working in diverse contexts and engaging with different audiences and choreographic cultures.

Key dates:

27–28 March 2026: auditions at the Pavillon Noir, following the submission of more than 500 applications, with 170 candidates shortlisted

15–16 June 2026: launch of the 2026/2027 season at the Pavillon Noir and announcement of the new cohort

1 September 2026: arrival of the six dancers at the Pavillon Noir, introduction to the company teams and start of their apprenticeship, beginning with the revival of Still Life

18–20 November 2026: public performances of Still Life at the Théâtre du Pavillon Noir, accompanied by school performances and performances for audiences facing barriers to cultural access

December 2026: start of the creation process with associated artist Anna Chirescu

Late January 2027: performances of Still Life at the Fondation EDF in Paris, subject to confirmation

March 2027: performances of the new creation by the associated artist at the Pavillon Noir

April 2027: residency and cooperation project in Morocco with the Fondation Montresso

May–July 2027: participation of the young dancers in tours, special events and projects led by the G.U.I.D.

Through its support for Ballet Preljocaj Junior – 2026/2027 Cohort, the Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund is supporting a structured training and professional development programme that enables young dancers to take a decisive step from education into professional careers. It contributes to the transmission of choreographic knowledge, engagement with diverse audiences and the development of an artistic future grounded in excellence, exchange and encounter.