Jan Hofstra

Jan Hofstra joined Dutch National Ballet in 1965, where he worked for 32 years, first as a technician and later as head of the technical department. During that time, he worked with choreographers including Sir Peter Wright, Rudi van Dantzig, Hans van Manen, Toer van Schayk, Heinz Spoerli and Édouard Lock. He also created the lighting design for a large number of works by George Balanchine that were, and continue to be, performed by Dutch National Ballet.

From 1986 onwards, Hofstra worked primarily as a lighting designer, particularly for Hans van Manen, with whom he collaborated with ballet companies around the world. In the 1990s, he also designed the lighting for a large number of exhibitions at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. In 2001, he was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau, and in 2008 he received the Special Prize of the Dansersfonds ’79.

In May 2026, Jan Hofstra passed away, at the age of 90.

Last update: 04-08-2026