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Founded by Kayoko Watanabe in 2023, Junior Jazz Ballet Montreux (JJBM) is a junior company supported by Jazz Dance Academy Montreux. JJBM is made up of dancers aged between 17 and 25, from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. At the same time, JJBM also offers younger dancers the chance to discover this profession as apprentice amateur dancers, aged 11 to 17, and also training at the Jazz Dance Academy Montreux by following the JDA junior cursus. The concept of this company is to enable the youngest dancers (apprentice amateurs) to develop in a more professional way alongside professional dancers and to gain a better understanding of the professional dance environment. JJBM presents creations of professional quality, and exploits the techniques of jazz, classical, contemporary and hip-hop dance, beyond the usual procedures within a teaching structure.
We are delighted to present the third performance of the Junior Jazz Ballet Montreux's (JJBM) new pieces, "Rhythm & Move", as part of the academy's fourth show, at the Salle des Remparts, with guest professional dancers Eloïse Ginestar and Guillaume Lolliot, on Sunday 15 June 2025.
ELOISE GINESTAR
Eloïse Ginestar is a 24-year-old Franco-Spanish artist.
She began her career in classical dance, jazz and hip hop, notably at the Académie Internationale de la Danse.
This multidisciplinary background enabled her to specialise in contemporary dance at the Ballet Junior de Genève. During her year there, she danced pieces by a variety of choreographers including Marcos Morau, Hofesh Sheschter, Maud Le Pladec and Ioannis Mandafounis.
She then joined Cie Marchepied in 2023, reunited with Ioannis and discovered Corinne Rochet and Nicholas Pettit for several new creations.
At the same time, after obtaining her State Diploma as a dance teacher in 2021, she gives classes in various venues in France and Switzerland.
Currently freelance, she is taking part in temporary projects as a dancer or teacher.
GUILLAUME LOLLIOT
Photo © Jordi Teres
Guillaume began dancing at the age of 7 in France and soon joined the AFJD programme at Béthusy (Lausanne).
There he discovered contemporary dance and danced at Studio de danse Fusion (Lausanne) before going on to train at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds) and the London Contemporary Dance School (London) in the UK.
He danced with the likes of Seke Chimutengwende, Rosemary Lee, Anders Duckworth and David Zambrano.
Back in the Lake Geneva region, Guillaume co-founded the AHHHH Collective, with whom he created and performed at several festivals.
He also began teaching dance in Lausanne and the surrounding area, and organises cultural mediation workshops alongside his own creative projects.
Since September 2024 Guillaume has been studying primary education at the HEP Vaud.
The second performance of the Junior Jazz Ballet Montreux (JJBM) took place on the occasion of the academy's third show, at the Salle des Remparts, with Mina Schürer and Antonin Mélon, guest professional dancers, on Sunday 9 June 2024.
MINA SCHURER
At the age of 9, Mina discovered rhythmic gymnastics (GRS) and joined the CRP Bern/Neuchâtel, where she participated in various GRS championships, such as the Cantonal Championships in Bern and the Swiss Championships, where she won gold medals. She joined the Swiss national junior team in GRS in 2007. In 2008, she started her dance training at the Barbara Bernard Ballet School in Grenchen/Solothurn. She participated in the Solothurn competition in 2010 and 2011, finishing 7th and 4th.
In 2012 she danced at the Basel Dance Academy (BDA) where she performed a solo, "Insekt" by Dietmar Seyffert, as well as "Last Dance" by Sergio Bustinduy. In 2013, she was engaged as a dancer by the Theater Basel for the production of Elmar Goerden's opera "Manon". In 2015, she danced at the Igokat Academy, where she performed various leading roles. In 2017, she passed the audition of the School l'Atelier Rudra Béjart in Lausanne under the direction of Michel Gascard where she continued her training for 2 years. In the creation "DIXIT" of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, she dances Maurice Béjart's "Sacre du Printemps". Since 2019, she is a soloist with the Igokat Company.
ANTONIN MELON
Antonin Mélon was born on Réunion Island, where he discovered the world of dance. He trained in a contemporary dance at the Conservatoire before later joining the Ballet Junior de Genève.
He then joined the Marchepied company and the Philippe Saire company in Lausanne. At the same time, he co-founded the Did Sapano company with Jérôme Février to devote himself to creation.
Photo © Jordi Teres
