Leonard Jakovina

Stager / Choreographic Assistant

Leonard Jakovina was born in Zagreb and graduated from the Classical Ballet School there in 1997. He continued his training at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich and in 2000 joined the Bavarian State Ballet. From 2001 to 2014 he danced with the Berlin State Ballet, becoming a soloist in 2003. During this time, he performed numerous leading roles in the classical, neoclassical, and contemporary repertoire – including works created especially for him.

He has collaborated with international choreographers such as Hans van Manen, Jiří Kylián, John Neumeier, William Forsythe, Angelin Preljocaj, Mauro Bigonzetti, among many others. With the companies from Munich and Berlin, he toured to Japan, China, Russia, Spain, and beyond.

From 2014 to 2022, he was Ballet Director at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and since 2025 he has been leading the ballet of the Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka.

Last updated: September 2025