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 approach to 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, an educator 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 invited schools and hundreds of children to experience an entire year to the rhythm of dance. What was supposed to be a one-time experience extended by request of families: a second year, then a third… Until it became clear that a permanent structure was needed to allow the project to continue growing. 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 journey: her freelance work within numerous artistic education organizations and theaters in Flanders; her experience as a creator of performances 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 children and adults meet regularly in common 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 kind discipline make it possible to carry out ambitious artistic projects together, accompanied by professional dancers.
Each person who joins Bal Spécial, as a team member or as an 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 evolves Bal Spécial 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, trained as a graphic designer and passionate about hip-hop and house music, brings her visual universe and sense of rhythm to workshops and summer camps.
Bal Spécial is a boat that moves with 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 part. It is thanks to all these people that the adventure continues to exist.
