Since the age of 6, Liselotte 'Lotte' (15) began practicing dance. She learned to present herself in an elegant way with a unique grace. She is so consumed by the art of dance and devotes so much time to it that she has sacrificed much of her free time and hanging out with friends to practice her craft. "From a very young age, I learned to put myself and what I love first."
YOUNG BUT ALREADY WITH A DISTINGUISHED CAREER
During her first year of ballet, along with her sibling, she shared the lead role of Clare in the Nutcracker ballet at the Kozlov Dance Academy. Every year, she continued to receive important roles until in 2021, she got the lead role of Sugar Plum Fairy who dances the grand pas de deux with Mr. Leonid Kozlov. "I feel honored to have been chosen by the Prins Bernhard Cultuur Fonds Caribisch Gebied and the Young Talent Fund, and with their help, my training has become much more intensive and personal, raising my level."
During a training session in Brussels, while participating in their intensive professional training, she was chosen for the lead role of Cupid in the Don Quixote Ballet. Liselotte considers this as her "breakthrough" moment. After this, the Brussels Ballet training school asked her to stay and train with them for a year, but Liselotte decided to return to Aruba and continue her intensive training at Kozlov.
In 2018, she was invited to perform a solo in Curaçao, and in 2021, 2022, 2023, she participated in the International Ballet Competition in New York, winning various medals, silver and bronze, and receiving multiple scholarships around the world. "Without a doubt, the highlight of my entire career as a ballerina so far was being able to present a dance to the Dutch Royal Family and receiving personal congratulations from King Willem Alexander."
In addition to traditional ballet, Liselotte is also interested in lyrical and contemporary dance that incorporates elements of classical ballet. During lessons, she uses different styles of music that are very enjoyable to dance to, and during student showcases, she performs various dances of folklore, jazz, eastern European, and character. During the week, since she is still in school, she trains 5 and a half hours in a group and 3 hours privately. During presentations, we certainly add about 3 hours. "At home, I spend at least 45 minutes every day doing stretching, and when I don't have lessons, I train at home.”
LISELOTTE VAN DOORN
LISELOTTE VAN DOORN
PERSPECTIVE AND GOAL
Coming from a small island like Aruba can complicate things a bit for a semi-professional ballerina like Liselotte. When traveling to participate in training or competitions, the costs are enormous. "I try to keep up with all the developments by following international dancers on YouTube." Liselotte's dream is to sign a contract with a classical ballet company and perform on stage every day. "In addition to learning from ballet teachers, your own dedication and determination as a ballerina will make the difference in how far you can go." Having a supportive family also helps a lot in this career.
Built with Shorthand