Yuriko Kajiya
Encyclopedia
Yuriko Kajiya is a Japanese
ballerina
with American Ballet Theatre
(ABT). She was promoted to soloist
on 5 July 2007 after 5 years with the company.
Yuriko was born in Nagoya (Japan) and trained at Matsumoto Michiko Ballet and then the Shanghai Ballet School. She joined the ABT Studio Company in 2001 and joined ABT as a member of the corps de ballet
in 2002. Her repertory with ABT
includes a Shade in La Bayadère
, Blossom in Cinderella
, a Flower Girl in Don Quixote
, the pas de trois in Swan Lake
, the Waltz in Les Sylphides
and the Fairies of Fervor and Joy in The Sleeping Beauty.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
with American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
(ABT). She was promoted to soloist
Soloist (ballet)
In ballet, a soloist is a dancer in a ballet company above the corps de ballet but below principal dancer....
on 5 July 2007 after 5 years with the company.
Yuriko was born in Nagoya (Japan) and trained at Matsumoto Michiko Ballet and then the Shanghai Ballet School. She joined the ABT Studio Company in 2001 and joined ABT as a member of the corps de ballet
Corps de ballet
In ballet, the corps de ballet is the group of dancers who are not soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers. A corps de ballet works as one, with synchronized movements and corresponding positioning on the stage...
in 2002. Her repertory with ABT
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
includes a Shade in La Bayadère
La Bayadère
La Bayadère is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. La Bayadère was first performed by the Imperial Ballet at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on...
, Blossom in Cinderella
Cinderella (Prokofiev)
Cinderella is a ballet, Op. 87, composed by Sergei Prokofiev to a scenario by Nikolai Volkov. It is one of his most popular and melodious compositions, and has inspired a great many choreographers since its inception. The piece was composed between 1940 and 1944. Part way through writing it he...
, a Flower Girl in Don Quixote
Don Quixote (ballet)
Don Quixote is a ballet originally staged in four acts and eight scenes, based on an episode taken from the famous novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. It was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus and was first presented by the Ballet of the...
, the pas de trois in Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
, the Waltz in Les Sylphides
Les Sylphides
Les Sylphides is a short, non-narrative ballet blanc. Its original choreography was by Michel Fokine, with music by Frédéric Chopin orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov. Glazunov had already set some of the music in 1892 as a purely orchestral suite, under the title Chopiniana, Op. 46...
and the Fairies of Fervor and Joy in The Sleeping Beauty.
Career
- Entered Shanghai Ballet School in 1994.
- Won the Best Performance Award at the Tao Li Bei National Ballet Competition in 1997.
- Chosen as the finalist at the 3rd International Ballet Competition in Nagoya in 1999.
- Won the Prix de LausannePrix de LausanneThe Prix de Lausanne is an International dance competition held annually in Lausanne, Switzerland. The competition is for young dancers seeking to pursue a professional career in classical ballet, and many former prize winners of the competition are now leading stars with major ballet companies...
in 2000 and received a Scholarship to the National Ballet of CanadaNational Ballet of CanadaThe National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
. - Semi-Finalist at the 19th Varna International Ballet Competition in 2000.
- Joined the American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
's Studio Company in 2001. - Became a member of the corps de ballet of the ABTAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
in 2002. - Performed as one of the soloists of the American Ballet Theatre at Le Theatre du Chatelet in 2007.
- Was named soloist of American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
in July 2007.