Jerusalem Ballet's New Home Takes Shape

Last week, Jerusalem Ballet welcomed guests whose visit proved to be far more than a formal courtesy call. Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, accompanied by senior officials from the Municipality's departments of culture, sports, and urban development, visited the company's studio to experience firsthand the work, vision, and artistic life of one of the city's leading cultural institutions.

The delegation included Tamar Berliner, Director of the Municipal Department of Culture, Eli Cohen, Orit Dolev, the Mayor's Cultural Affairs Advisor Katya Tuv, and representatives involved in the city's development projects.

Artistic Director and choreographer Nadya Timofeyeva shared the remarkable story of Jerusalem Ballet—a unique institution that brings together a professional ballet company and a ballet school under the umbrella of the Jerusalem Ballet Association.

                                   Photo by Anya Maksymenko

The school was founded in 2004 by the legendary Bolshoi ballerina Nina Timofeyeva, while the professional company was established by Nadya Timofeyeva in 2008. Since then, it has developed a distinctive artistic voice of its own. Rather than relying solely on the traditional classical repertoire, its productions draw inspiration from Jewish identity, Israeli reality, memory, contemporary human experience, and original storytelling—an artistic language that has become one of the company's defining characteristics.

During the visit, the delegation watched an excerpt from the ballet Kookl@. The performance was followed by a conversation with the dancers, during which Mayor Moshe Lion asked each of them a simple but revealing question: why had they chosen Jerusalem?

The answers spoke for themselves. Alongside dancers born and raised in Jerusalem, the company includes artists who have moved from Haifa, Tel Aviv, and other parts of Israel because they found here something increasingly rare: an artistic home where they can grow, experiment, and pursue excellence within a supportive creative environment.

The discussion also highlighted the work of Jerusalem Ballet School, whose graduates are now performing with companies in Israel and abroad. Beyond professional training, the school has developed an extensive educational mission, including programs with students from Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community, demonstrating how dance can become a bridge between diverse sectors of society.

One of the most moving moments of the visit centered on Memento, a ballet featuring a dancer who performs in a wheelchair as an integral part of the production. For the company, inclusion is not presented as a separate concept or social statement—it is woven naturally into the artistic fabric of the work itself. The Mayor expressed his admiration for the way Jerusalem Ballet combines uncompromising artistic standards with a deeply human vision of partnership and inclusion.

Dr. Ayelet Giladi, Chair of the Jerusalem Ballet Association, also presented the company's growing international activities. Among its most significant collaborations is an academic and artistic partnership with a university in Boca Raton, Florida. As part of this initiative, Jerusalem Ballet toured for Jewish and non-Jewish communities in the United States, while Nadya Timofeyeva worked with university students to create an original choreography set to music from Schindler's List. Later this year, a delegation of students from the university is expected to visit Jerusalem, further strengthening this artistic and educational exchange.

The conversation naturally turned to Jerusalem Ballet's role beyond Israel's borders. Today, the company serves not only as one of the city's leading cultural institutions but also as an international cultural ambassador, presenting audiences around the world with a contemporary artistic portrait of Jerusalem—one that is creative, diverse, deeply rooted in heritage, and unmistakably modern. Mayor Lion expressed particular interest in the company's international collaborations and emphasized the importance of continuing to expand these global connections.

The visit also looked toward the future. Among the topics discussed was Jerusalem's new cultural center currently planned near the city's main entrance, where Jerusalem Ballet is expected to receive its permanent home in the coming years. For the company, this represents a major milestone that will provide new opportunities for both the professional ensemble and the ballet school.

"For me, as Artistic Director, this visit was an opportunity to tell our story once again," said Nadya Timofeyeva. "A story that began with my mother, Nina Timofeyeva, and continues today through new productions, new generations of dancers, and new artistic ideas. Perhaps the most touching moment was hearing our dancers explain why they chose Jerusalem. Their answers captured better than anything else what an artistic home truly means."

Members of Jerusalem Ballet described the meeting as a meaningful expression of confidence in the company's work and vision.

"This was much more than a formal visit," they said. "It was a genuine recognition of Jerusalem Ballet as a creative, innovative institution representing both Jerusalem and Israel on stages around the world. For us, it is both an honor and a responsibility—and a source of inspiration as we continue building for the years ahead."