Jan Broeckx has been the head of the Ballet Academy at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich since October 1, 2010. The native Belgian received his dance training in Antwerp, at the internationally renowned Royal Ballet School of Antwerp, based on the Vaganova system, and at the age of 17, in 1978, won the Prix de Lausanne. Immediately afterwards, he received offers and contracts as Principal Dancer (from 1978–1986 with Ballet of Flanders, from 1981–1985 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and subsequently with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich).
In addition, he was in high demand internationally as a guest and star dancer, performing with the London Festival Ballet, La Scala in Milan, and Het Nationale Ballet in Amsterdam, among others. He was also a highly welcome guest at major gala events, including the World Ballet Festival in Tokyo, the Gala des Étoiles in Montreal, and the Nijinsky Gala in Hamburg. Roland Petit saw him dance in Berlin (1982) and invited him first as a guest and later as Danseur Étoile to join the Ballet National de Marseille. During this long-standing collaboration, he interpreted numerous roles in Petit’s ballets and, as one of his closest collaborators, staged Roland Petit’s works worldwide in renowned theaters such as the Paris Opera, La Scala Milan, Teatro Colón Buenos Aires, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Kirov Ballet, and others.
In cooperation with his mentor, he co-founded the École Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille. His international reputation as a dancer, educator, and choreographic assistant makes him a sought-after guest at ballet competitions around the world. His work in film and television, as well as his roles as ballet master (including at La Scala in Milan and Zurich Opera House) and his pedagogical activities, complement the career of Jan Broeckx, who was named “Artist of the Year” in Munich in 1985. Both choreographically and as a dancer, he has worked not only with Roland Petit but also with Rudolf Nureyev, George Balanchine, John Cranko, Hans van Manen, Rudi van Dantzig, Nils Christe, Ronald Hynd, Peter Schaufuss, and Jiří Kylián, and has danced alongside world stars such as Alessandra Ferri, Altinai Asylmuratova, Lucia Lacarra, and the legendary Zizi Jeanmaire