Ayako Nakano
Born in Japan, Ayako began her ballet training at the age of five at the Urayasu Ballet Academy in Tokyo. During her formative years, she distinguished herself by winning the prestigious Tokyo Ballet Competition , recognized nationwide, and the Asia Pacific Ballet Competition , a decisive platform in the Asian ballet scene. These major achievements brought her early recognition and opened the door to the internationally acclaimed Prix de Lausanne in 1992.
As the winner of the Prix de Lausanne , she was awarded a scholarship that led her to the world - renowned Royal Ballet School in London. In 1994, her professional career began as a soloist with the Ballet Zürich , based at the Zurich Opera House. From 1996 onward, she continued her journey as a soloist with several prominent European companies, including the Oper Köln , the Staatstheater Saarbrücken , and the Komische Oper Berlin.
In 1998, she was selected as one of four soloists — all former Prix de Lausanne winners — to perform at the Opening Gala of the Nagano Olympic Games . Since 2001, she has been a key member of the ballet ensemble at Theater Basel , where she was appointed principal dancer . Her performances in works by Richard Wherlock , the company’s director, as well as in pieces by various renowned choreographers, enriched her artistic range and depth. Highlights of this period include her appearance at the NHK Ballet Gala in Tok yo and Osaka in 2004 as principal in Romeo & Juliet , and her performances at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto in 2005 ( Bolero , Romeo & Juliet ) and 2007 ( Le Sacre du Printemps ).
In 2013, she returned to the Prix de Lausanne , this time as a coach for the contemporary solo category. She also maintained strong ties to Japan through regular guest appearances at the Aoyama Ballet Festival Gala between 2001 and 2006. These ongoing commitments led her back to the Urayasu Ballet Academy — where it all began — this time not as a student, but as a leader. Since 2017, she has served as the artistic director of the academy, guiding new generations of dancers with her insight and vision.
In 2021, after more than 35 years of professional life on stage — as a principal dancer, choreographer, and mother of two — she gracefully stepped away from performing, marking the beginning of a new chapter. Today, she is dedicated to sharing her knowledge, experience, and passion for classical and modern expressive dance with aspiring dancers around the world.