ASKEL is a long-term coaching project that aims to develop the skill level of young dancers and encourage them to participate in the next two HIBC competitions, in 2026 and 2029.
The coaching project is intended for ballet dance enthusiasts and dance students aged 12–18 nationwide. Its purpose is to encourage long-term goal setting, develop the dancer’s mental and physical endurance, and support and diversify the education of young dancers in classical ballet and also in contemporary dance.
The coaching project also provides the ability to participate in entrance examinations of vocational schools or international and domestic auditions, where young dancers have the opportunity to apply for a job that matches their education, interest and skills.
The content of ASKEL coaching activities is planned by a steering group consisting of experts who prepare the content of the coaching. An individual coaching program will be designed for those selected for the ASKEL coaching project with the support of the association’s experts in cooperation with the dancer themselves and their teacher/own coach. The coaching offered by HIBC supports both the dancer’s own training and the coaching provided by their own local school.
The teaching offered by the project is mainly individual and is shaped according to the dancer’s own schedule in cooperation with the dancer and their own coach. Young dance students also attend comprehensive school and participate in other performances and competitions at their own dance school.
The teaching offered by the ASKEL coaching project is mainly individual and is shaped according to the dancer’s own schedule in cooperation with the dancer and their own coach. Young dance students also attend comprehensive school and participate in other performance and competition activities of their own dance school, so individual scheduling and needs are inevitably variable.
The goal is to create an inspiring and encouraging environment where promising young dancers learn from both the teachers of the coaching team and each other.
The project has been funded in 2023–2024 by the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation
Dancers selected for the coaching:
Minni Haukilahti, Penelope Hokkanen, Signe Johansson, Veronika Kirt, Kanerva Kuula, Eerika Kyllönen, Daniel Leskinen, Linda Leskinen, Eino Mäkinen, Wilda Pannula, Matilda Saarinen and Leon Solanto.