Bal Spécial has officially existed since 2015, but its story began much earlier, in the early 2000s (Cacao Bleu asbl). It all started with a request from parents in Eupen, looking for a different way to approach dance for their child: a more creative, more holistic approach that considers the child's development in all its dimensions. They then called upon Anne-Lore Baeckeland Gantoise, pedagogue and dancer.
In Liège, another founding milestone took place in 2011 with An Elephant in the City, a project by the Collectif du Lion that invites schools and hundreds of children to experience an entire year to the rhythm of dance. What was meant to be a one-off experience continued at the request of families: a second year, then a third… Until it became clear that a permanent structure was necessary to allow the project to continue to grow. This is how Bal Spécial was officially born in 2015.
Through Bal Spécial, Anne-Lore Baeckeland brings together the different experiences that have shaped her career: her work as a freelancer within many artistic education organizations and theaters in Flanders; her experience as a creator of shows for young audiences and interactive traveling exhibitions, designed to introduce dance in all its richness; but also her own childhood experience, growing up in an environment where free play, youth movements and sports clubs held an essential place. Today, Bal Spécial is at once a demanding and accessible artistic education space, a community that cultivates its own rituals and moments of sharing, an intergenerational structure where young and old meet regularly in shared projects, and a space where children and young people are invited to participate in the life of the association and take on responsibilities. It is also an environment where everyone can grow, flourish and develop their creativity, while discovering that rigor, commitment and benevolent discipline make it possible to carry out ambitious artistic projects together, supported by professional dancers.
Each person who joins Bal Spécial, as a team member or invited artist (depending on funding from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and project calls), brings their sensitivity, their background and their passions. It is this diversity that nourishes and helps Bal Spécial evolve over the years. From 2023 to 2027, Pierre Bastin shares his commitment to young people and develops projects around climate and living things. From 2025, Amalia Guis joins the adventure with her passion for salsa. Hannah Schmetz, a graphic designer by training, passionate about hip-hop and house, brings her visual universe and her sense of rhythm to workshops and summer programs.
Bal Spécial is a boat that moves forward based on encounters, desires, and opportunities. Some projects come to life thanks to external funding, others thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of those around us. Parents, volunteers, volunteer percussionists, artists, partners, and friends each contribute their own part. It is thanks to all these people that the adventure continues to exist.
