Poznań’s Teatr Wielki is entering a new chapter for its ballet company, with choreographer, director and dancer Anna Hop taking up the role of Director of Ballet on 15th October 2026. Her appointment brings an artist with an established career in Poland and abroad to one of the city’s leading cultural institutions.
Hop has been associated with the Polish National Ballet since 2009, building a body of work that spans classical ballet, contemporary choreography, opera and multimedia projects. Her experience across these fields could bring a fresh perspective to the development of the Poznań company and its place within Poland’s performing arts scene.
A choreographer working across disciplines
Hop’s work draws on classical ballet while exploring different approaches to movement, music and theatrical storytelling. Her productions include Exodus, set to music by Wojciech Kilar, Pinocchio to music by Mieczysław Wajnberg, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring music by Felix Mendelssohn.
Other works include Mąż i żona (“Husband and wife”), with music by Stanisław Moniuszko and Wojciech Kostrzewa, and Butterfly w krainie cieni (“Butterfly in the land of shadows”). Across her repertoire, she has worked with established musical traditions while looking for new ways to bring stories to the stage.
Her international projects have included The Fall of Dora Maar, choreographed for French broadcaster ARTE, and Fordlandia, created for ballet stars Lucia Lacarra and Matthew Golding. Her work has also been presented at the Royal Opera House in London.
In 2024, Hop co-created and co-directed the opening ceremony of the ImpaQ conference in Saudi Arabia. The following year, she took part in the Positioning Ballet Forum for Future Ballet and Dance Leaders, organised by Dutch National Ballet. She is also currently collaborating with the Paris Opera.
A new role for ballet in Poznań
The appointment reflects a change in how Teatr Wielki intends to position its ballet company within the wider institution. Rather than retaining the previous title of head of ballet, the theatre has established the role of Director of Ballet.
Theatre director Adam Banaszak has spoken about the importance of giving dance a more prominent place alongside opera.
I would like to emphasise that the building beneath Pegasus is a shared home for both opera and the fleeting, ephemeral art of dance,”
Banaszak said in an interview.
I want to highlight the standing of the ballet company, which is why we will have a Director of Ballet rather than a head of ballet, as was previously the case. This change symbolises a new way of thinking about ballet within a cultural institution that is modern and conscious of its role,”
he added.
The distinction is significant for the company’s position within the theatre, although the artistic direction and future repertoire under Hop have yet to be set out in detail.
Supporting the next generation of dancers
Alongside her choreographic work, Hop has been involved in education and initiatives supporting emerging artists. One example is Kreacje, a project associated with the Polish National Ballet that gives young creators opportunities to develop their work.
For Poznań, her appointment brings an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between established ballet traditions and contemporary performance. The challenge will be to translate her broad experience into a distinctive direction for the local company, while developing a repertoire that speaks to both regular theatre audiences and people discovering dance for the first time.
With Hop now in post, attention will turn to how the Poznań ballet develops under its new director and what audiences can expect from its future seasons.
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