Norwegian National Ballet School
The Ballet School at the Norwegian Opera & Ballet was established in 1965, and has been Norway's leading school for education in classical ballet ever since.
About the Norwegian National Ballet School
Our mission is to provide a solid foundation in classical ballet, contribute to the recruitment of dancers for our esteemed Norwegian National Ballet, and ensure that we consistently have well-trained students who can perform children’s roles in the company’s productions. We achieve this through a programme of a very high standard, also in an international context, for talented students aged 6 to 16.
The final three years of the programme are offered in collaboration with Ruseløkka School through its integrated lower secondary school and ballet programme. This is the only programme of its kind in Norway and is open to applicants.
How the Norwegian National Ballet School Works
Being part of the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet – and thereby in close proximity to the Norwegian National Ballet – is a strong motivation in our work to provide our students with close, challenging and encouraging training, helping them develop into skilled dancers with strong inner motivation.
The Norwegian National Ballet School does not adhere to a single teaching method. Students are taught by a faculty of international ballet instructors with diverse backgrounds, who nonetheless share a common foundation in the core principles of ballet training. This gives students a solid technical base and a broad stylistic range, preparing them for the combination of pure classical technique and versatility that defines and is sought by the Norwegian National Ballet.
As a result of this strong training, our students are currently represented at leading ballet schools both in Norway and across Europe, and former students are now professionals with major companies such as the Norwegian National Ballet, The Royal Ballet in London, Dortmund Ballet in Germany, and Houston Ballet in the United States.
In addition to regular training, stage experience is an essential part of the education. This is primarily gained through participation in the Norwegian National Ballet’s productions, including Swan Lake, Cinderella, Hedda Gabler, Ghosts – Ibsen’s Gengangere, and not least The Nutcracker, in which up to 90 ballet school students take part. Students also perform in the school’s annual showcase or in smaller performances at the Opera House, in schools, or at other venues.
Older students are also given the opportunity to qualify for international ballet competitions, and we are proud to have achieved strong results in competitions such as the annual Nordic-Baltic Prix du Nord in Sweden and the prestigious Prix de Lausanne.
Disse barna elsker ballett - og Nasjonalballettskolen!
Auditions
The Norwegian National Ballet School’s regular auditions for entry in August 2026 have been completed.
Contact
Christine Thomassen
Leder/Director
christine.thomassen@operaen.no
Jörg Wiesner
Produsent/Producer
jorg.wiesner@operaen.no / 41 69 36 56
Trine Bryhn Damm
Avdelingskoordinator / Department Coordinator
trine.damm@operaen.no / 45 13 13 14
Management
-
Christine Thomassen
Ballettskolesjef -
Trude Støvind
Pedagog, klassisk rekruttering I og II og nivå I, Gutter I -
Larissa Savenkova
Pedagog, klassisk nivå II og III, karakterdans -
Lucas Lima
Pedagog, klassisk gutter 9. og 10. klasse -
Kumiko Hayakawa
Pedagog klassisk, 10. klasse -
Sandra Wiesner
Pedagog, klassisk, 8. og 9. klasse -
Richard Suttie
Pedagog, klassisk pas de deux -
Ciprian Popescu
Trener i akrobatikk -
Linn Mette Groeng
Pedagog, moderne 9. og 10. klasse -
Alexandra Santana Casban
Nivå IV, Gutter III og IV