Osiel Gouneo
Born in Matanzas (Cuba) in 1990, Osiel Gouneo began his training in 2005 at the National Ballet School Cuba in Havana. He joined the Cuban National Ballet in 2008 and was appointed Principal just three years later. Osiel Gouneo was then engaged by the Norwegian National Ballet for three years and has been dancing as Principal with the Bayerisches Staatsballett since 2016/2017. While his career he has already been a guest at major international houses, including the London Coliseum, Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, Lincoln Center in New York, Paris Opera and the National Theatre Japan in Tokyo. In June 2021, he danced Romeo in Romeo and Juliet by Rudolf Nureyev at the Paris Opera Ballet. He has mastered a large repertoire of classical pieces and has made his debut with the Bayerisches Staatsballett in numerous roles, such as the soloist in Symphony in C or in the title role of Spartacus. Osiel Gouneo is also the winner of various awards, such as the gold medal at the international ballet competition in Beijing, a silver medal at the international ballet competition in Varna or as the winner of the Cuban Dance Grand Prix. In addition, the dancer was honoured as a newcomer to the international dance scene at the annual Positano Prize. On 14 March, Osiel Gouneo’s biography Black Romeo. My path in the white world of ballet.
Lucia Lacarra
Prima ballerina Lucia Lacarra was born in San Sebastián (Spain). She received her ballet training with Víctor Ullate in Madrid, in whose company she also received her first engagement. In 1994 she became a dancer with the Ballet National de Marseille, in 1997 first soloist with the San Francisco Ballet and finally prima ballerina with the Bavarian State Ballet. In the course of her career, she has been honoured with numerous international awards, including the Nijinsky Award 2002, Prix Benois 2003, Münchner Merkur-Theaterpreis 2004 and 2005, Premio Nacional de Danza 2005. Lucia Lacarra is an honorary citizen of her home town of San Sebastián. In 2008, she was awarded the title of “Bavarian Chamber Dancer”. She has been a permanent guest soloist at Ballett Dortmund since 2016. Together with Matthew Golding she founded GOLDENLAC Productions. In September 2020 they premiered their first show called FORDLANDIA. In October 2021 they premiered together their second show IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT. She Won the Max Award as best female dancer for it. In October 2023 Lucia Lacarra premiered the first production of her new Company “Lucia Lacarra Ballet” called LOST LETTERS.
Johannes Bergmann
DIS-TANZ-START/Dachverband Tanz Deutschland e.V.
is project manager of the DIS-TANZ-START funding programme at Dachverband Tanz Deutschland (German Dance Association), which is coming to an end, and manages its implementation and execution. This primarily includes the funding of additional positions for young dancers in German ballet and dance ensembles, measures for placement and qualification as well as evaluation. He previously worked at various municipal and state theatres in Germany, most recently as a dance dramaturge and manager. He studied cultural management as well as theatre and musicology with a focus on music and dance theatre.
Dany Beyer
DIS-TANZ-START/Dachverband Tanz Deutschland e.V.
coordinates the qualification programme for starting a career in dance as part of DIS-TANZ START. She studied theatre-/dance science and adult education with a focus on programme planning and educational counselling in science and culture. For many years, Dany Beyer has supported institutions in the conception and implementation of educational programmes, especially for emerging artists and scientists in biographical transitions. She has been part of the team at Dachverband Tanz Deutschland since 2021. Previously, she worked for various Berlin universities (FU, HU, UdK).
Friedemann Vogel
First Soloist, Stuttgarter Ballett, Kammertänzer
Friedmann Vogel was born in Stuttgart. He first completed his ballet training at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart and then at the Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo. His special talent was recognised with numerous prizes at international ballet competitions, including the Prix de Lausanne and the Erik Bruhn Prize for young dancers in Toronto. He joined the corps de ballet of the Stuttgart Ballet at the beginning of the 1998/99 season. He was appointed first soloist in June 2002. In 2015, Friedemann Vogel was awarded the title of Chamber Dancer at the Stuttgart State Theatre by the state of Baden-Württemberg. Friedemann Vogel regularly receives invitations from prestigious companies all over the world.
At the Stuttgart Ballet, Friedemann Vogel has danced numerous leading roles in full-length ballets by famous choreographers. Many choreographers created roles especially for him in their ballets.
William Moore
William Moore’s journey in the world of ballet began at the Royal Ballet School, where he graduated in 2005. His talent and dedication led him to the Stuttgart Ballet, where he danced for seven years and was promoted to Principal at just 24. Following his success in Stuttgart, he joined Ballet Zurich, where he was the leading dancer of the company for a decade before leaving in July 2022.
William is now perusing his dream of acting, landing a small role in a film by Swiss film director Stefan Haupt. He’s now set to make his debut as a dancer/actor in the Amazon Prime TV series „Étoile.”Moore’s career is marked by his versatility and commitment to his craft. From the stage to the screen, he continues to captivate audiences with his talent and passion, leaving a lasting impact on the world of dance and theater.
Gesine Moog
Gesine Moog received her Bachelor of Arts 1997 at University of Music and Performing Arts Frankfurt/ Germany and started her professional carrier as a dancer in different theaters in Germany. 2007 she toured the production Kamuyot by Ohad Naharin in Sweden and 2008 she became a member of the Cullbergbaletten. During her employment at Cullbergbaletten, she got to work with Mats Ek, Alexander Ekman, Deborah Hay and Jefta Van Dinther to name view. In addition to her employment, she also received special commissions by Edouard Lock and other choreographers. Since 2020 she continued as a freelance dancer internationally and worked with choreographers as such as Jan Martens and Christos Papadopoulos and is a member of the Dance On Ensemble Berlin.
Bianca Vilahriño Teixeira
Bavarian State Ballet
The dancer Bianca Teixeira comes from Brazil and is a soloist in the ensemble of the Bavarian State Ballet. Her awards include the silver medal at the final of the Youth America Grand Prix and the honour as »best classical dancer« at the Festival de Dança de Joinville in Brazil in 2014. She completed her formal dance training at the Ballet-Academy of the University of Music and Theatre Munich in 2016. She danced her first season with the Bavarian Junior Ballet and already took on solo roles there before moving to Warsaw to join the Polish National Ballet – here she rose to demi-soloist within the company. In 2019, Bianca Teixeira moved to San Francisco Ballet, where she performed in numerous productions such as The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Etudes, Sandpaper Ballet, Cinderella and Blake Works. At the beginning of the 2021/2022 season, she was engaged as a soloist at the Bavarian State Ballet, where she has since made many other role debuts, including Clementine in Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella and Helena in John Neumeier’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Julian MacKay
Bayerisches Staatsballett
At the age of eleven, Julian MacKay left his native Montana (USA) to dance at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. Upon graduation, he became the first American to receive a full Russian diploma. While in school, he won medals at five international ballet competitions, including the Prix de Lausanne, IBC Istanbul, YAGP, Sochi Young Ballet of the World and Beijing International Ballet Competition. At the age of 17, the dancer made his professional debut as Siegfried in „Swan Lake“ with the Russian State Ballet and joined the Royal Ballet in London. A little later he accepted Mikhail Messerer’s personal invitation to the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. At the age of 19, Julian MacKay was promoted to First Soloist of the company after a rousing performance in „Flames of Paris“ and celebrated worldwide as a guest artist. In 2020, Julian MacKay continued his international career at San Francisco Ballet. Parallel to his dancing career, Julian MacKay completed a Bachelor’s degree as a teacher, ballet master and choreographer at the renowned GITIS University in Moscow. As successful model, he has appeared on the covers of numerous glossy magazines such as Teen Vogue and Harpers Bazaar. MacKay is also CEO of MACKAY PRODUCTIONS, an international arts production company he co-founded with his brother Nicholas MacKay. Julian MacKay has been dancing as First Soloist with the Bavarian State Ballet since the 2022/23 season.
Michael Freundt
Dachverband Tanz Deutschland e.V.
Michael Freundt studied theatre science, philosophy and dance science at the theatre academy Hans Otto and the university of Leipzig. He worked as a freelance journalist and critic, among others for zitty, Wochenpost, Theater der Zeit and Berliner Zeitung. He belonged to the directors‘ team of numerous independent theatre projects and worked for euro-scene Leipzig from 1997 till 2002. After his collaboration on productions in the genres of theatre, dance and ancient music Michael Freundt became deputy managing director of Internationales Theater Institut (ITI) – Zentrum Deutschland at the beginning of 2003. Since 2004, Michael Freundt has been involved in the meetings of Ständige Konferenz Tanz (Steady Conference Dance, SK Tanz), he coordinated its development into a registered association, and in March 2006 was named managing/excecutive director of SK Tanz, now called Dachverband Tanz Deutschland (German Dance Association).
