CUPCAKES & CONVERSATION IS BALLET NEWS’ FLAGSHIP INTERVIEW SERIES WITH PROFESSIONAL BALLET DANCERS GLOBALLY. FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, BALLET NEWS HAS BEEN ASKING THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT ANSWERS TO.
What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning ?
I wake up early and take time to warm-up my body. As my body gets ready, I feel like my mind is also set and motivated.
If ballet chose you, as many dancers say it did, what is it that has made you stick with it ?
Dancing makes me realize that I am alive. I like that feeling very much.
What are you looking forward to dancing this season & what are the big challenges likely to be
for you ?
Nutcracker (choreography by Wayne Eagling). I am looking forward to dancing Clara (and the Sugar Plum Fairy) again. Last season, I was injured when I was dancing the same role. Physically I am recovered but it will be a kind of challenge for me mentally to overcome the accident.
Who would you most like to dance with & what would you dance ?
I am fortunate to dance with the wonderful partners in my company, but I would like to dance with myself being a male dancer and to point out my faults. Could be any repertoire. It might also give me a real perspective of the male dancer.
If you could dance anywhere in the world (not only in a theatre), where would you dance ?
I would like to dance in the universe. I wonder what it would be like to dance in space, without gravity surrounded and by the planets.
How do you prepare your pointe shoes ?
Basically I sew the platform and cut half of the inside sole of my new shoes. The procedures are always slightly different depending on the shoes.
What is your daily routine at the moment ?
Gyrokinesis ! I have been doing this for almost 10 years, but recently I am convinced that the method is good for me to start the day. I feel my entire system is awakened.
What do you eat during the course of a typical working day ?
I eat Onigiri (rice ball) from the cafeteria in the theatre. There are many kinds of fillings and I find Takana (leaf mustard) is good!
Would you like to see any improvements in ballet, and if so what are they?
Not particularly in ballet, but for me, I have a tendency to evaluate myself too strictly and think too seriously. I want to be kinder to myself and be more optimistic.
You can ask six famous people to dinner – who would you invite ?
Very difficult question…
I would like to have dinner with my favorite grandfather who passed away few years ago. If it has to be famous people, then Shohei Ohtani (baseball player), Hiroyuki (internet entrepreneur), Yoshikazu Namiki (spiritual counsellor), Harry Ticker (Japanese comedian) & Zenaida Yanowsky!
What would surprise people about you ?
When people meet me they say they are surprised that I am smaller than they thought.
Who inspired you to dance ?
My mother took me to ballet class when I was a little girl. At that time, I was thin and didn’t eat much, so she thought that my appetite might increase if I participated in the class and moved a lot. That’s how it started.
What is your best piece of advice ?
These are not my own words, but I like the idea that “even if you find it hard and stressful, don’t forget that you were not only chosen but you did make your own choice”.
How do you prepare in the hours before a show ?
Most of the time, I do some exercises with a Thera-Band until the last moment.
How do you deal with the stress of performing ?
After the performance I go to Sentou (Japanese style public baths) the next day. I have to take a train to go to the public baths but I like it.
Which role has tested you the most & how ?
The Queen of Hearts in Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Lescaut’s Mistress in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon were the two challenging parts for me. To act and dance a mature woman was not easy. I really studied and observed a lot.
If you were asked to design your own ballet costume, what would you create ?
I love the paintings by Mark Ryden (American painter of Pop Surrealism). He even created a ballet piece called Whipped Cream. I would love to make a ballet costume which has a world view of Mark Ryden’s art.
What do you look for in a dance partner ?
Someone who is easy to talk to. I want to exchange ideas.
What is your favourite quote ?
Circumstances don’t matter only my state of being matters.
Do you have a ‘signature step’ – one that comes naturally to you ?
Signature step??? I love fouettés. I was able to turn without any difficulties when I was a little girl. I was just turning round and round and felt happy.
A phrase I use far too often is … ?
None, that I cannot think of. I think you should ask my colleagues.
What’s been your best on-stage moment so far ?
Difficult to pick one, but I was so happy and relieved after I accomplished being a substitute.
Do you have a secret skill which no-one knows about ?
I don’t think it is a big secret but I love drawing. During the injury I was drawing some animation. There are some on the internet.
In terms of your ballet career, where would you like to be in a year from now ?
I’d like to keep in good condition, stay healthy, and avoid injury so that I can feel inspired and keep dancing.
Who would you like to have a conversation with ?
I would like to talk with a person who has an ability to see the previous life. I am curious to have a talk around my previous life.
What is your exit strategy, for the time when you stop dancing, and how did you plan it ?
I don’t really have a strategy. But I have an interest in Gyrokinesis, the method to maintain body condition. It would be nice if I can help people, not only dancers, with their physical maintenance. I even have a machine at home.