June 28, 2025

On Saturday evening, June 28, Vérine Bouwman from Wijchen was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Mayor Renske Helmer-Englebert of the municipality of Wijchen presented her with the royal decoration at Theater Orpheus in Apeldoorn.

The award ceremony took place during the very last performance of our End of Season 2025 programme. This edition was especially meaningful, as Vérine gave her farewell performance. For twenty years, she was a dancer with our company. That evening, she performed two powerful duets for the last time, together with her husband and fellow Introdans dancer Salvatore Castelli. The performance was attended by close family members and about 1,000 guests.

Vérine Bouwman began dancing at age six at ballet studio Stella van Wanrooij in Wijchen, where her passion and talent quickly became clear. She continued her training at Balletschool Arnhem, then at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, and finally at the Dutch National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam. In 2005, she joined Introdans as an intern, and went on to spend the next twenty years on stage as a professional dancer. Her remarkable dedication, presence, technique, strength and musicality have left a lasting impression on audiences, colleagues, and choreographers alike.

She performed in many national and international productions, including a performance in Buenos Aires offered by Queen Beatrix to the Argentine government. She is often asked for interviews and is a familiar face in the dance world. In 2018, she received the Merit Award from Dansersfonds ’79.

In addition to her work on stage, Vérine Bouwman was active behind the scenes. She served for six years on the works council of Introdans, where she strongly advocated for high-quality medical care and physiotherapy for dancers. Thanks in part to her efforts, dancers now have access to top-level athletic facilities at Sportcentrum Papendal. Since 2022, she has also been teaching at ArtEZ University of the Arts, where she gives classical ballet classes in the upper years of the preparatory programme and mentors young dancers on their way to a professional career.

As she steps away from the stage, Vérine is embarking on a new chapter. We are thrilled that she will remain with Introdans as a répétiteur/ballet master, bringing her vast experience and deep repertoire knowledge to a new role. A new beginning, with the same passion for dance. “For me, this is a beautiful way to pass on all my knowledge and experience to the next generation of dancers,” says Vérine.

Mayor Helmer-Englebert expressed her deep admiration: “Vérine is a role model for colleagues and young people alike. Through her talent, powerful stage presence, perseverance, and love for dance, she has made a remarkable contribution to the development of dance in the Netherlands in general — and to the company Introdans in particular.”

A deep bow and a roaring applause. Congratulations, Vérine, and thank you!