Jazz Dance Academy Montreux - Cours

Jazz/Modern'Jazz, JDA Junior, Jazz Initiation, Body awakening, Baby Dance

Kayoko Watanabe

Japanese-born Kayoko Watanabe trained in classical jazz and contemporary dance in Japan and France. A versatile dancer, she began her career as a jazz dancer at the age of 20 in a creation by the Broadway Dance Center in Tokyo, Japan, and danced in France in creations by Jean Guizerix, Candice and Delphine Schoevaert, Sylviane Catherine, Philippe Fialho, Cécile Theil-Mourad and Patricia Castejon, among others. At the same time, she began training for a state diploma as a dance teacher, in the teaching section with Cathy Bisson, which opened the way to teaching in several international schools.

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Kayoko has been living in Switzerland since March 2019, and has taught dance in various schools in the canton of Vaud. She has also been invited to give several workshops at the AFJD (dance-study programme), master classes and judge the International Coastal Competition in 2020.
A teacher with the French state diploma in jazz dance since 2007, she has also run her own Compagnie Fusion Ballet, C.F.B. since 2015, and her own academy, of which she is founder and director, Jazz Dance Academy Montreux, since November 2020, affiliated to the French Dance Federation since 2022. In 2023, she will create the Junior Jazz Ballet Montreux (JJBM), in the form of a junior jazz ballet company.

Classical Dance, Classical initiation

Marie-Hélène Rey Lescure

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French-Swiss Marie-Hélène Rey Lescure has always had a passion for classical dance, having practised it assiduously from an early age, and she quickly developed a vocation for sharing this passion. It is with a great deal of kindness that she tries to pass on the taste for effort, rigour and perseverance, but also the joy and pleasure of dancing that one feels when practising this marvellous art.

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Between 1995 and 2013, Marie-Hélène danced in a number of shows at the Théâtre de Vevey as part of Animai, as well as in shows put on by the "Les Sylphides" school in Montreux. Since 2015, she has been a teacher at the Igokat dance academy in Lausanne, and a dance instructor for "Jeunesse + Sport" in Switzerland (youth and children's section).

Classical Dance, Classical initiation

Jolanta Monod

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Of Lithuanian origin, Jolanta Monod trained as a classical dancer from the age of 10 at the Vilnius National School of the Arts. After her training, she danced for over twenty years with the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (LNOBT). During her career, she has covered the entire classical repertoire, dancing both in Lithuania and abroad.

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After her career as a dancer, she trained as a dance teacher at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, studying the Vaganova method in particular. After obtaining her university degree, she taught in several schools in Lithuania, both to children and adults.
She moved to Switzerland in 2014 to teach pre-professional courses with AFJD. A keen dancer, Jolanta Monod speaks French, English and Russian as well as Lithuanian.

Contemporary

Ai Koyama

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Photo © Gert Weigelt

For over 15 years, Ai Koyama has been teaching contemporary, classical and improvisational dance to professionals, adults, children and athletes in Japan, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

As a professional dancer, Ai Koyama has been working for the Linga company (CH) since 2007, and has worked for Nicole Seiler (CH), Heddy Maalem (FR), United Cowboys (NL), as well as collaborating with numerous independent artists on international projects.

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Photo © Gregory Batardon

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Ai started jazz dance at the age of 4 and classical dance at the age of 5 by Tatsuo Kasuya in Mito, Japan. Obtained a Bachelor of Arts [B.A. Dance and Dance Education] from the Universitý Ochanomizu (Department of Performing Arts) in Tokyo, and a Bachelor of Art [B.A. Choreographer and Dancer] from the Universitý of the Arts Amsterdam (Theatre and Dance - SNDO-Choreography) in Amsterdam.
She is certified as a "Health Exercise Instructor" by the Japan Health Promotion & Fitness Foundation.

Hip-hop

Soulii

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Soulii has been passionate about dance for 17 years, and took his first steps in the world of Break Dance before moving naturally into Hip Hop, a world in which he has blossomed. He began his career with the WLS Crew in Martigny, a formative experience that enabled him to lay the foundations of his artistic identity.

He then joined the Inside company as a dancer and assistant choreographer, a role that gave him the opportunity to develop his scenic vision and creative flair.

Today, he is the founder of Flowless, a team dedicated to competition and show, where energy, precision and passion are at the heart of every performance. At the same time, he is a member of the Obsidian company, a collective of 5 dancers and choreographers driven by a shared desire to push back the boundaries of artistic expression.

With three world championship appearances to his name and a regular presence at major events, he continues to develop his dance through experience, encounters and performances.

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Theater

Gaëtan Aubry

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At a very young age, Gaëtan Aubry joined the TPR children's theatre school and troupe, under the direction of Jacqueline Payelle and Charles Joris. At the age of 16, he decided to make a life for himself in the theatre and went to Paris to study at the Claude Mathieu school.

He became a professional actor and performed for many years in Paris and on tour in Europe. He also began teaching theatre to children in Marly le Roi.

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He moved back to Lausanne in 2011 to create shows for young audiences, such as "Dans la boutique fantastique", "Ribouldingue moussaillons" and "Lilola".
He became the theatre teacher at the AFJD and held the post for 10 years, while at the same time teaching the COES classes in the city of Lausanne and the reception classes.

He has been a drama teacher at the Fabian Ferrari theatre workshops since 2023. He continues to perform in shows for young audiences and to create for and with children. Gaëtan Aubry is equally at home on stage and backstage, directing and teaching.

Want to discover and learn more about
the Fusion Ballet Company?

Come and visit us

Rue de l'église catholique 14
1820 Montreux

9 mn walk from the Montreux SBB railway station
20 mn from Lausanne SBB station

Contact us

On +41 78 403 12 08

By email

IBAN

CH12 0483 5119 8001 6100 0 - UBS
KAYOKO WATANABE JAZZ DANCE ACADEMY MONTREUX
RUE DE L'EGLISE CATHOLIQUE 14
1820 MONTREUX

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Affiliated to the French Dance Federation (FFD)

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