This July, Ajkun Ballet Theatre returns to Australian stages, studios and adjudicator tables following a hiatus caused by the pandemic. With performances, masterclasses, auditions and a new partnership with the Sydney Eisteddfod, the company’s 2025 visit marks a meaningful continuation of its long-standing relationship with Australian dancers and institutions.
It was in 2002 that Dr Chiara Ajkun, Artistic Director of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre, first travelled to Australia as a guest teacher. “It was thanks to Colin Peasley that I learned the ins and outs of dance in Australia,” she recalls. “I connected with—well, I think the majority of dance institutions in the country.”
Since then, Ajkun Ballet has provided opportunities for Australian dancers to train and perform in New York through its intensives, full-time trainee program, and touring company. Graduates of Ajkun’s programs have come from five states and the ACT, including Rielly Seville, Timothy Coleman, Ella Marjorie Betts, Katie Rooke and Michael O’Mullane, among others.
For Queensland Ballet Academy graduate Jorja Signitzer, currently training with the company, the experience has been transformative. “I’ve gained so much knowledge and experience, which has helped me improve immensely in more than just my dancing,” she says. “Ajkun Ballet has been such an encouraging environment to grow as an artist, and dancing Chiara Ajkun’s choreography is the most rewarding part.”
This year’s tour includes a performance at the Sydney Opera House as part of the Sydney Eisteddfod Ballet Gala on 20 July. Principal dancers Momoko Burbine and Klevis Tafaj will perform a pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, while Dr Ajkun will adjudicate select ballet events. Scholarships to train with the company in New York will be awarded to selected Sydney Eisteddfod prize winners.
The visit also marks the return of Sydney-born Senior Company Artist Abbi Johnson, who now serves as Ajkun Ballet School Coordinator. “It’s incredibly meaningful to return as part of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre and to connect with young dancers here,” says Johnson. “I’m excited to share what I’ve learned over the years and inspire others along their own journey.”
Johnson will lead audition and masterclass events on 18–19 July in Sydney, open to dancers aged 12–17 and 18+. She is also available to visit institutions across the country to deliver sessions in the Ajkun Methodology and Repertory—an approach known for its focus on biomechanics, performance quality and individual artistry.
For many Australian dancers, training with Ajkun Ballet Theatre has opened doors to international careers. Michael O’Mullane credits the company with giving him direction and opportunity: “I wouldn’t have survived without my scholarship there.” That scholarship came via the AjkunBT Fund, which continues to support Australian students based on merit and need.
This homecoming tour offers both reflection and opportunity. For emerging dancers, it’s a rare chance to audition on home soil for a company that bridges classical tradition and contemporary storytelling in one of the world’s cultural capitals.
Ajkun Ballet Theatre Events – July 2025
Auditions & Masterclasses
18–19 July 2025
3DANKS, Waterloo, NSW
For dancers aged 12–17 and 18+ interested in company positions or training programs
Performance
20 July 2025
Ajkun Ballet Theatre performs at the Ballet Gala, Sydney Opera House