#Featured our students
Curious who you could be in ballet class with? On this page you will find several mini interviews with students at Studio Simoncini.
Sjimmy | International Model
“Learning ballet when you’re almost fifty is tough and touching at the same time, and that’s exactly how it should be. Ballet is the perfect combination of discipline and love,” says Sjimmy.
“I am eager to learn and I like to take on challenges, but I didn’t expect ballet to be so challenging. At the same time, there is nothing else that gives me the mental relaxation that I find in Ballet. I am always busy in my mind and I have a busy job but ballet calms me down. I can totally open up to feel the music and focus on the exercises. At Studio Simoncini I have learned that I can really enjoy the dancing and the moment.
“I love being at the barre, I feel like a ballerina! The way you use your muscles is a discovery. By turning out the legs you use the smaller muscles so you can fully shape and train your legs, within your own physique.
“I notice that I now move more easily and naturally with my work because of the balletclasses. I think all fashion models should take ballet, it’s very helpful.
Matilde | Student Codarts
Matilde, age 17, follows Coaching at Studio Simoncini in combination with studying at the Codarts Lyceum.
“I started with ballet at age 15, before that I did rhythmic gymnastics” says Matilde. “Classical ballet technique is much more detailed than what I was used to in rhythmic gymnastics. That’s why I wanted to do coaching at Studio Simoncini and because I want to get the most out of my dance technique”.
“The coaching is intensive, you get full attention and a lot of corrections. We spent the first few months working on basic technique, placement, strength and coordination. This has given me much more control over my body. We have now started with pointe technique , which is new to me and a challenge, but I totally love it! Today we worked on the échappé on pointe, where you don’t jump but you use the floor and your pointes to slide into the 2nd position.”
“The combination of coaching and dance classes at Codarts reinforce each other. The classical ballet technique gives me more freedom in other dance styles. It’s hard work, but I love doing it. I hope to dance with a modern company later. The Dutch company Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) is beautiful, that’s what I would like to do” 🩵🩰
Myrthe | Student ArtEZ in Venlo
“My future dream is Introdans” says Myrthe. When she was a little girl she saw Introdans on stage, this is what inspired her to audition at the ArtEZ school. “Last week I was staying with Introdans for a whole day, seeing rehearsals and class!”
Mythe says cheerfully “The rehearsals were exactly as I imagined. And I met the dancers, it was fantastic”.
In between the dancing, Myrthe works hard on her school exams and when she has time left she goes sailing. ′′I’m not hanging around in a boat′′ Myrthe explains. “I do sports sailing and that has many similarities with ballet. The discipline is a must. You must know exactly what you are doing. And it’s quite physical. I’m in a small boat so, when there is a strong wind and the sail comes over, you immediately have to bend and jump from side to side. You need strong abdominal muscles and you have to stay active continuously”.
When doing ballet Myrthe has the same energy, discipline and a lot of passion. She travels back and forth from Gennep to The Hague for almost two hours every weekend to follow Sundayclass. In addition she regularly takes Coaching with Mirella Simoncini. “Last time we have been looking at the use of muscles for several classical movements and more specifically where the movements exactly are coming from. Since I follow coaching I am working more consciously, it’s very intensive but I love it”.
For the following season Myrthe was accepted at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.
Isabel | Student International School of The Hague
16 year old Isabel plays in a jazz band and dances twice a week at Studio Simoncini.
“Music and dance are strongly connected with each other,” she explains. Ballet is helping me as a musician because with ballet you have to feel the music and time your movements very precisely. It is also helpful to develop your stage presence”.
From the age of three Isabel gives mini concerts with her parents. When she is six years old she starts playing the guitar and sees a lot of the world because her parents move from Jordan to Argentina, South Korea, Germany and finally back to the Netherlands.
Isabel has plenty of dreams for the future, she would like to study journalism or international law. She has therefore opted for studying at The International School of The Hague.
“I don’t think I can become a professional dancer” she laughs “But I do dream of a career as a singer. I am aware that there are a million other musicians with that same dream but when I make music, it feels completely natural and even though the dream seems far away, I believe for a moment that it could become reality”. 🎸🫶🏻
Jolijn | Student Medicine
She came to Studio Simoncini age 11 and danced continuously for six years till July 2022. “Ballet is the best medicine when feeling sad,” says the now 17-year-old successful student.
Where daily life and adolescence would bring many changes with the accompanying restlessness and struggles, ballet gave her peace of mind and something to hold on to:
“Everytime I would go to class at Studio Simoncini I would forget whatever was on my mind. I was only thinking about the dancing. Ballet is not easy, you have to be able to look at yourself. It taught me how discipline and passion are intertwined and this will give you the perfect balance between hard work and pleasure, simply enjoying the dancing”.
After the summer, Jolijn will move from The Hague to Maastricht, where she will start a new chapter in her life; studying Medicine at Maastricht University. 🎉💓
Emma | Student Laboratory Research
Emma is 3rd year Biology and Medical Laboratory Research (Life Sciences) student.
She sees similarity between working at the lab and dancing; both give peace of mind because there’s discipline and structure. The interesting part about ballet for Emma is that it gives freedom as well because you really dance!
Emma is dancing with @studio.simoncini since 2015 ⭐️💜
Naomi | Student Fontys Dance Academy
She is currently studying Dance Teacher at @fontyshogescholen . In the weekends she is taking extra classes at @studio.simoncini 👏🏻
Find out more about students choosing a professional career in dance here
Siyuan | Student Stanislas College
Siyuan is 13 years old and in her 1st year of Stanislas College
Dance is one of her greatest passions. In her spare time she is dancing at least 4 times a week at Studio Simoncini 🩰
One of her most important dreams for the future is to become a doctor. Siyuan wants to help others and maybe be the one to make a difference when it’s needed ✨
Maya | Digital Designer Bijenkorf
Maya has been dancing at Studio Simoncini since 2019. Besides her love for ballet, she is a digital designer for De Bijenkorf.
Bonny | Naturalis museum of natural history and research
Ballet has been part of her life for 32 years💃🏻
According to Bonny, Ballet is indispensable and let’s you drift away.
She is one of the Virtual Students at Studio Simoncini since November 2021, taking class live from her hometown Dordrecht.
Nadine | Haga Hospital
Nadine works fulltime at the @hagaziekenhuis She has been dancing at Studio Simoncini for almost 10 years ✨💖
Menthe | Interior Architect
Menthe is a professional Interior Architect, she began ballet at age 6 in the first season of Junior Ballet in 2002 with @mirella.simoncini and has been dancing ever since.
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