History and Ideology
We are the Ballet Juvenil Costarricense, the only representatives of the Cuban Ballet School in Costa Rica, since 1994. Our work is focused on the training and development of children and youth talent.
Our teachers are graduates from the National Ballet School of Cuba, with vast professional experience as international dancers and teachers.
In the 27 years of continuous training we have performed some of the most recognized works of the International Classical Repertoire such as “Sleeping Beauty of the Forest”, “Don Quixote”, “The Nutcracker”, “The Sylphides”, “Swan Lake”, among others.
As part of our school’s curriculum, we teach Ballet, Contemporary Ballet and Jazz. We recognize the value and importance of training artists capable of facing international technical demands.
Mission and Vision
Mission
Offer an exceptional educational service in the art of dance, based on a specialized and multidisciplinary curriculum lead by industry professionals. Our goal is to awaken interest in the study of this art, develop our student’s capacities of expression, allowing them to integrate into the professional artistic field. We believe in the power of art to transform society and implement this value in a way in which our students can grow physically, emotionally and socially.
Vision
To be the best nationally recognized school in the field of classical and contemporary ballet and jazz providing an education of excellence in art, developing the skills and talents of the student, fostering respect for art, companionship and creativity.
Programs
Classic Ballet Program
The students take a comprehensive training of Classical Ballet.
Under this program, the students develop great technical work, study ballet routines and choreographic schemes, they are able to work the muscular build of their body, learn the nomenclature and indispensable terms about the different ballet positions.
It is a demanding and highly disciplined dance, which becomes the basis for dancers to be able to face the international technical demands, being able to train as integral artists.
Ballet, starting at age 3
Jazz and Contemporary Program
The students take emphasis on Jazz and Contemporary lessons and basic training in Classical Ballet.
Under this program, they are able to increase dancing skills that allow greater body exploration, improve and diversify their skills as performers.
Ground use skills are acquired, use of torso, movement dynamics, better use of space, movements, turns, pirouettes, leg elevation, jumps and big jumps, rhythms, greater connection to sensations, experiences and feelings that will achieve a more advanced and complete interpretive level in dancers.
A necessary course for versatile dancers and in a comprehensive training.
Jazz, starting at age 5
Contemporary, starting at age 5
BJC Competition Team.
Technically outstanding and committed students are selected to represent our Academy in different national and international competitions.
With hard work, passion, and dedication they undergo a rigorous training and rehearsal program to proudly represent our studio with their outstanding participation.
Renowned national and international teachers will give methodological workshops, master classes and intensive workshops in different disciplines, including: Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Urban Dance and more.
From the Halls
to the stages
Ballet Nacional
de Costa Rica
With the objective of professionalizing and enhancing ballet dance in Costa Rica, in 2018, BJC founds the First Ballet Company of Costa Rica, BALLET NACIONAL DE COSTA RICA.
With the aim of promoting Costa Rican art and culture nationally and internationally, the Company has high-level national and foreign dancers, to stage the highest-level dance works in our country.
With this we provide Costa Rica with a solid and professional ballet company, which proudly represents Costa Rica nationally and internationally (globally).
Directors
Pedro Boza
Artistic Director
Biography
Egresado de Graduated from the National Ballet School of Cuba, he takes part of the Camagüey Ballet Company since 1971, where he was appointed principal dancer some years later.
He was First Guest Dancer to the National Dance Company of Mexico, to the Ballet of the Berlin Opera, to the Trujillo Ballet in Perú, to Ballet Festivals in France, Belgium, Colombia, Spain, China, Switzerland, among others.
He was First Guest Dancer of the Royal Wallonie Ballet in Belgium from 1987 to 1990, where shortly after he also became Ballet Maître and Acting Director.
He has ample teaching experience with International Ballet Maître International Category.
During his career as a dancer, he has received several awards such as the “Medalla de Oro y Gran Prix del Concurso de Ballet de Trujillo”, Peru, “Mejor Artista de la Ciudad de Camagüey”, Cuba, and together with the Colectivo del Ballet de Camagüey, he received the Artistic Merit distinction “Machete de Antonio Maceo”, which is awarded to the best group of artists of the Republic of Cuba.
Since 1994, he has been the director of the Ballet Juvenil Costarricense, receiving the Costa Rican National Culture Prize in year 2011.
Annia Rosales
Artistic Director
Biography
Graduated from the National Ballet School of Cuba in 1984, under the direction of Ramona de Saá and the training of Esther García, Joaquín Banegas and Pablo Moré. She inmediately becomes part of the Camagüey Ballet and with this company, under the direction of master Fernando Alonso creator of the Cuban Ballet School, toured several countries in Europe and Asia, with works from the classical repertoire such as “Paquita”, “Swan Lake”, “Guiselle”, “El Corsario”, “Grand Pas de Deux Classique”, “Festival de las Flores en Genzano”, “La Fille Mal Gardée”, among others.
She was hired by the Royal Wallonie Ballet, Belgium, where she reached the rank of solo prima ballerina and participated in numerous European tours through Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany.
She is currently a ballet methodologist and has vast teaching experience of more than 25 years in institutions such as the Elemental School of Ballet “Alejo Carpentier” (today, Elementary Level of the National Ballet School of Cuba), the Center for the Promotion of Dance of the Habana and outstanding schools of Panama and the Republic of Argentina.
She is the director of the Ballet Juvenil Costarricense since 1994.
Viviana Clare
Executive Director
Biography
Her studies of classical ballet began at the age of 5, uninterrupted, with outstanding teachers, where she studied the Vaganova technique for several years and worked as a ballet teacher since she was 14 years old. Later, she deepened her studies with the cuban technique. In year 2000 she entered the world prestigious National School of Ballet of Cuba for one year, where she deepened and formalized her professional studies of ballet the renowned Cuban teacherRamona de Saá, as well as took classes in ballet methodology and teaching.
In year 2000 she was hired by the Montreal Ballet company, Canada, where she danced with them with a contract.
In 2016, she opened BJC Academy Escazú with reknown cuban masters Annia Rosales y Pedro Martín Boza, and in 2018, they founded together the First Ballet Company in the country: National Ballet of Costa Rica.
Viviana graduated from Business Administrador at the University of Costa Rica and completed an internship in finance at Concordia University, Canada.
She currently is Executive Director of the BJC Acadamy, the National Ballet of Costa Rica, and the artistic events company Spectalium.
