Hello, I’m Chloé
I’ve been using my experiences as a former elite gymnast, a classical dance student, a master of applied sciences of Social Work and as a gymnastics coach to become an all-round choreographer.
For many years I was able to learn from the best technical coaches in woman’s artistic gymnastics. With my desire to grow I was able to soak up a wealth of knowledge and used it to discover and build my vision as a choreographer and as a coach.
I feel lucky that I have combined my 4 favorite fields of interest into one job:
Gymnastics – Dance – Coaching – Education
These are just a few of my passions, I have many others. I spend most of my time developing all these topics of interest and connecting them into my holistic view of my work as a choreographer, a coach and as a human being too.
“Connecting everything helps me to deliver something bigger than gymnastics”
Next to the love for the sport, I am most interested in developing these young human beings into strong adults who are able to find their path using many of the life-lessons and a big variety of tools they have gathered during their time in gymnastics.
That’s what makes my heart grow bigger and glow brighter.
“What makes your heart grow and glow?”
Timeline
1995
Chloé van Bavel
Born in the Netherlands
2000
Starting ballet
When I was doing ballet, one of the moms saw how flexible I was and advised my mom to try out gymnastics
2001
Starting gymnastics
I started gymnastics when I was 6 and fell in love immediately. Pretty soon they let me join the selection as their youngest member, and I enjoyed learning new things.
2004 – 2007
Gymnastics career
In these years I was a pupil in the elite system and went on many training camps and competed at the Dutch National Championships.
During these years I had 3 CD’s full with floor exercise music. In my living room I’ve created endless numbers of floor exercises, not knowing I would be doing this as a job later in life!
Highlight 2006: 2 nd all-round during the Dutch National Championships In 2007 I loved the first year after compulsory exercises, but unfortunately I needed elbow surgery.
Because my other elbow also had trouble, they told me I was too far behind and had to quit.
2007 – 2012
High School & Dance Education
I was lucky to be able to fill the gap with the combination of High School with a Classical Dance Education, which consisted mostly of classical ballet, technical and improvisation modern dance, caractère and tap dance, jazz, hip-hop and more. Here I learned that ballet is the fundamental and most technical dance form from where you gain so much understanding, form and control over the body. It gave me the freedom to understand other dance forms better.
Highlights:
Dancing as a solo with the graduation students and a live orchestra.
Ballet: Performing the dance of the Little Swans.
2011 – 2013
Becoming a choreographer and coach
I got invited at a club in Hengelo to create floor exercises. After that I stayed and started my coaching career with teaching young talents. I also started to implement some ballet into the training sessions.
When I quit, I made up my mind that I wanted to become a choreographer and started thinking about how to implement dance elements into gymnastics training.
2013 – 2017
Bachelor of Applied Siences of Social Work
I’ve developed my interest in human behavior many years before and have been reflecting on my own and other’ behaviour since the beginning of high school. I knew I had to do something with it.
During the study I developed my interest in education, doing my thesis about the effect of non-ormal learning on professional development. I finished my study with a minor in Sports Psychology, knowing that coaching is what I wanted to continue doing after graduating.
2015 – 2022
Elite gymnastics choreographer and beam coach
The elite club where I started as a little girl, was organizing an internship to become a choreographer.
After my 2 year long brainstorm I knew I was the one they were looking for. The internship got cancelled and I became the choreographer for elite youth, junior and senior national team members. In these years I was able to learn from the best and I have my mentor and great colleagues to thank for bringing me where I am today.
2017
Coach for the junior national WAG team and Dutch National Talent Training Series
At a big yearly show ‘A touch of gold’ in the Ziggo Dome I got chosen to be the woman’s junior national team coach. The choreographer was too busy with the seniors, so I ended up as a big help with practicing and fine-tuning the choreography of the junior WAG and MAG performance.
From 2017 – 2020 I hosted 3 seasons of Talent Training Sessions for Coaches and Gymnasts to enhance talent development on regional level. These events were orginized by Dutch Gymnastics KNGU.
2018
Youth European Games in Glasgow
3 gymnasts of our club got send to the (Youth) European Games in Glasgow. It was amazing to see my choreographies on an international stage, with Sara van Disseldorp becoming 7 th in the FX final as a highlight.
2019
FIT Challenge Gent (Belgium)
I became the team coach and choreographer for the Youth WAG team NL, creating their team warming-up and a team presentation choreography. 2 gymnasts from my club where on the team so I was proud to see them shine on a big podium for the first time.
Creating team choreographies and dance solo
At a Christmas special I got the chance to create my own dance solo and perform again. With the gymnasts I could create a performance with a live singer in the middle, their dance being a support for the complete show. What I love about these events are the creative freedom I receive, the team building that happens and the development of performance and artistry that happens naturally.
2019 – 2021
Hosting educational workshops
In the years before, I learned how to host educational workshops. First by doing just a small piece of a workshop, and later by hosting a workshop about our Long Term Gymnastics Development system with colleagues. In 2019 I started to give my own workshops, creating the subjects and content from on my own. This helped me tremendously to develop my vision.
2021
Starting my company: CB van Bavel Choreo & Ballet
A year ago I told Lisa that I wanted to create a professional Instagram and start my own company. With a little push in the right direction, I launched my own company and have been working together with her on several online coach education sessions. I did my first sessions in English and I’m looking forward to do many more! My Instagram @chloe_choreo_ballet has been growing ever since!
2022
Masterclass Dance Elements Nick Ruddock
Nick Ruddock found the online sessions and participated in both. He decided to invite me to do a Masterclass about Dance Elements in England. This has been a big highlight in my career and gave me a huge confidence boost about my level of expertise.
2022
Diploma Trainer/Coach N4
In 2022 I received my license as a coach at one of the highest levels available in the Netherlands.
2022
Launch website and services
In 2022 I launched my website and decided to give all my love and attention to my company. I’m looking forward to many new experiences, lessons to learn and I’d love you to be part of the journey…