Born in Kanagawa, Mizuka Ueno began her ballet studies at the age of 5. In 1989, she won the first prize at the Japan dance competition in Saitama. Having won the Prix du Lausanne Scholarship in 1993, she entered the Academy du Danse Classique Princess Grace in Monaco.

Upon graduation from the school at the top of the class, she joined Asami Maki Ballet in Tokyo in 1995.

Ms. Ueno received the gold medal at the World Ballet and Modern Dance Competition in 1996. In February 1999, she danced in the gala performances "Roland Petit and stars" in Mexico. She made her debut as Odette/Odile in "SWAN LAKE" in July 1999, and danced the role again in March, 2000.

She created the soloist role in Roland Petit's "DUKE ELLINGTON BALLET" in July 2001, danced 'Kitri' in "DON QUIXOTE" in March 2002, and 'Esmeralda' in Petit's "NOTRE DAME DE PARIS" with the Ballet of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. She has also danced in "DUKE ELLINGTON BALLET" as a guest with the Ballet of Teatro San Carlo in Naples. She was awarded the Recommended Artists Prize in the category of "New artist of 2001" by the Minister of Education and Culture of Japan, Einosuke Nakagawa Prize by Tokyo Shimbun (newspaper). In February 2003, she danced the role of 'Juliet' in "ROMEO AND JULIET", 'Esmeralda' in "NOTRE DAME DE PARIS" in August, and made her debut as 'Princess Aurora' in "SLEEPING BEAUTY" in October.

In 2004, Ms. Ueno left Asami Maki Ballet in February and joined the Tokyo Ballet in March. With the Tokyo Ballet, her repertory includes, 'Kitri' in "DON QUIXOTE," 'Princess Aurora' and the 'Lilac Fairy' in "SLEEPING BEAUTY," 'Clara' in "THE NUTCRACKER," 'Odette/Odile' in "SWAN LAKE," the 'Lucile Grahn role' in "PAS DE QUATRE," soloist role in Balanchine's "THEME AND VARIATIONS" and "BALLET IMPERIAL," 'Étoile' in "ÉTUDES," as well as many leading roles in Maurice Béjart's ballets, including 'meolody' in "BOLÉRO," 'Shakti' in "BHAKTI III," 'Rose' in "M," 'young girl' in "LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS," and the 3rd Variation in "DON GIOVANNI."

In 2004, she danced 'Odette/Odile' in "SWAN LAKE" opposite Vladimir Malakhov. In 2005, she danced the role of 'Titania' in the Tokyo Ballet premiere of Ashton's "THE DREAM." In 2007, she was invited to Corpo di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala's "DON QUIXOTE" to dance 'Kitri' opposite Leonid Sarafanov during the company's Japan tour, and also invited to dance "BHAKTI III" at Teatro Municipal de Santiago's 150 year anniversary Gala.

Kanako Oki, Principal

Born in Kanagawa, Japan, she began her ballet training at the age of four. In 2008, she became an awardee of the Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists granted by Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and entered The Bolshoi Ballet Academy. In 2010, she joined The Tokyo Ballet, promoted to Principal, 2018. Her repertoire includes Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Kitri in Don Quixote, Masha in The Nutcracker, title roles in La Sylphide and in Giselle, and Jiří Kylián's Dream Time among others. She performed in The Tokyo Ballet premieres of George Balanchine's Serenade (2018), John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet (2022, Juliet), Maurice Béjart's The Ninth Symphony (2014), Jerome Robbins's In the Night (2017), Anna-Marie Holmes's Le Corsaire (2019, Medora) as well as the world premieres of as well as the world premieres of Saburo Teshigawara's Remains of a Cloud (2019), Jo Kanamori's KAGUYAHIME (2023, Kagehime) and the Company's new production of The Sleeping Beauty (2023, Princess Aurora).

Akira Akiyama, Principal

Born in Saitama, Japan, she began her ballet training at the age of seven. After training at The Tokyo Ballet School and National Conservatory Dance School, Lisbon, she joined the Campagnia Balletto Classico di Liliana Cosi e Marinel Stefanscu, Italy. She won bronze medal at the Tanzoplymp in 2013. She joined The Tokyo Ballet in January 2016, promoted to Principal, 2022. Her repertoire includes Kitri in Don Quixote, Medora in Le Corsaire, title role of Giselle, Nikiya in La Bayadère, Maurice Béjart's Roméo et Juliette, John Neumeier's Spring and Fall, Jerome Robbins's In the Night among others. She performed in The Tokyo Ballet premieres of George Balanchine's Serenade (2018), John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet (2022, Juliet) as well as in the world premieres of the Company's new productions of The Nutcracker (2019, Masha) and The Sleeping Beauty (2023, Princess Aurora), and Jo Kanamori's KAGUYAHIME (2023, Kaguyahime). She became a Benois de la Danses nominee in 2024 and danced the pas de deux from Talisman and KAGUYAHIME at the Benois Gala held at the Bolshoi Theatre to critical acclaim.

Dan Tsukamoto, Principal / Ballet Coach

Born in Kyoto, Japan, he began ballet training at the age of five. He joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2008. In 2010, he made his lead role debuts in La Sylphide in January and in Maurice Béjart's The Kabuki in April. He was promoted to Principal in 2013. His repertoire includes lead roles in multiple ballets from classical to contemporary including Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle, works by Maurice Béjart including Boléro, John Neumeier, Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Roland Petit, Mats Ek among others. He performed in The Tokyo Ballet premieres of Béjart's The Ninth Symphony (2014), John Neumeier's Romeo and Juliet in (2014, Romeo), Roland Petit's L'Arlésienne (2017, Frédéri), Le Corsaire (2019, Conrad), John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet (2022, Romeo) as well as in the world premieres of Saburo Teshigawara's Remains of a Cloud (2019) and Jo Kanamori's KAGUYAHIME (2023, Douji). In 2023, he was invited to the Nijinsky Gala to perform Béjart's Bhakti III. In 2024, he was awarded the 36th Hattori Chieko Award. Having worked as rehearsal assistant in La Sylphide and The Nutcracker since 2020, he became Ballet Coach of the Company in 2023.

Arata Miyagawa, Principal

Born in Fukui, Japan, he began his ballet training at the age of six. After winning Full-Scholarship Award, he entered the John Cranko Shule, from which he graduated with honors in 2009. He won the Bronze Medal at the Youth America Grand Prix 2010 - New York City Finals. Invited by Artistic Director Sergei Filin, he joined the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre. He also danced at the Royal New Zealand Ballet. He won silver medal in Senior Male Division at the Varna International Ballet Competition in 2012. He joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2015, promoted to Principal, 2018. His repertoire with The Tokyo Ballet includes Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Basile in Don Quixote, Solor and Bronze Idol in La Bayadère, Conrad, Ali and Lankedem in Le Corsaire, Hilarion in Giselle, Félix-Le chat in Casse-Noisette and Son second - La fille in Le Mandarin merveilleux both by Maurice Béjart among others. He performed in The Tokyo Ballet premieres of Anna-Marie Holmes's Le Corsaire (2019, Lankedem, Ali), John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet (2022, Mercutio) as well as in the world premiere of Jo Kanamori's KAGUYAHIME (2021), the Company's new production of The Sleeping Beauty (2023, Prince Désiré). He received Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists in 2021.

Shoma Ikemoto, Principal

Born in Hiroshima, Japan, he began his ballet training at the age of five. In 2005, he entered the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and graduated in 2008. He joined the Ballet Moscow as Soloist. In 2010, he won the Frist Prize at the Russian Open Ballet Competition "Arabesque 2010". He joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2018, promoted to Principal, 2024. His repertoire with The Tokyo Ballet includes Clown in Swan Lake, Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker, Bronze Idol in La Bayadère, several lead roles in Maurice Béjart's works including IV-SHI (La Mort) in M, Solo in 7 danses grecques, L'Oiseau in L'Oiseau de Feu, Bugaku, Son second - La fille in Le Mandarin merveilleux, and Étoile in Harald Lander's Études. He performed in The Tokyo Ballet premieres of Le Corsaire (2019, Lankedem, Ali), John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet (2022, Romeo) as well as in the world premieres of Saburo Teshigawara's Remains of a Cloud (2019), Jo Kanamori's KAGUYAHIME (2023, The Mikado), and the Company's new production of The Sleeping Beauty (2023, The Blue Bird).

Mika Yoshioka was born in Matsuyama. Having studied abroad in Moscow and St. Gallen in Switzerland, she joined The Tokyo Ballet in 1989.

In 1993, Ms. Yoshioka made her debut as 'Lady Kaoyo', heroine in Béjart's "THE KABUKI" and was promoted to principal dancer. She has since danced almost all leading roles of the company's repertoire, including 'Odette/Odile' in "SWAN LAKE", 'Princess Aurora' in "THE SLEEPING BEUATY", the title role in "GISELLE", Lacotte's "LA SYLPHIDE", 'Kitri' in"DON QUIXOTE" (Vassiliev's version in 2001), 'Etoile' in Balanchine's "THEME AND VARIATIONS" and "BALLET IMPERIAL," the 'Marie Taglioni role' in "PAS DE QUATRE," 'Etoile' in LANDER'S "ETUDES," 'la Jeune Fille' in Fokine's "LE SPECTRE DE LA ROSE," 'cigarette' and 'adage' in Lifar's "SUITE EN BLANC", Kylián's "STEPPING STONES", "SYMPHONY IN D" and "DREAMTIME," as well as roles in many of Béjart's ballets, including 'la mère' in "CASSE-NOISETTE", 'L'Élue' in "LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS," "L'OISEAU DE FEU", "DON GIOVANNI", "BHAKTI", "DANSES GRECQUES." She has danced Odette/Odile, Princess Aurora, Giselle with Vladimir Malakhov in 1997, 1998, 2004, and 2006. In 2005, she danced the title role of Lacotte's "LA SYLPHIDE" with Mathieu Ganio of the Paris Opera Ballet. In 2007, she danced "GISELLE" with Fridemann Vogel of the Stuttgart Ballet, and "LE SPECTRE DE LA ROSE" opposite Mathias Heymann of the Paris Opera Ballet.

Ms. Yoshioka created 'la femme' in Béjart's "M" in 1993, Kylián's "PERFECT CONCEPTION" in 1994, and 'Spring' and 'Summer' in Neumeier's "SEASONS - THE COLORS OF TIME" in 2000. She also danced 'Titania' in the Tokyo Ballet premiere of Ashton's "THE DREAM" in 2005 and 'Fleur des Champs' in Lacotte's "LA FILLE DU DANUBE " in 2006. She was invited to St-Florent Festival in Angèrs, France, to dance "PERFECT CONCEPTION" in July 1994, to the Staatsballett Berlin to dance 'Princess Aurora' in "SLEEPING BEAUTY" opposite Vladimir Malkhov in 2006, and to "Malkhov and Friends" at Deutsche Oper Berlin to dance "SPRING AND FALL" and the pas de deux from "LA SYLPHIDE"" in 2007.