Jan Hofstra studied instrument construction and electrical and radio engineering. Between 1950 and 1961 he worked in the film industry, then worked as the chief technical officer for numerous touring productions. In 1964 he joined the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, where he was responsible for the technical organisation of ballet performances.
He has worked with many well-known choreographers and set designers, such as Peter Wright, Hans van Manen, Rudi van Dantzig, Heinz Spoerli, Eduard Lock, Jean Paul Vroom, Keso Dekker, Jan van der Wal, Kurt Jooss and others.
He provided the lighting designs for a large number of Balanchine works that have been performed at Dutch National Ballet, including Agon, Theme and Variations, Serenade, and Symphony in C. He also designed the lighting for ballets choreographed by Hans van Manen (Three Pieces, 5 Tangos, Metaforen, Trois Gnossiennes) and Kurt Jooss (The Green Table) for many renowned companies, as well as such well-known ballets as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Paquita, Graduation Ball, Suite en blanc, The Firebird, The Miraculous Mandarin, and others.
He has worked for ballet companies in all European countries, as well as in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Netherlands Antilles. Since 1994 he has also been the lighting designer for all the exhibitions held at the Rijksmuseum Museum in Amsterdam.
On the 40th anniversary of his artistic career, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
