Born and raised in Ehime, Japan, Ayaka Kamei is a New York-based freelance dancer and teaching artist.

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Currently, she is performing in Turandot at The Metropolitan Opera. 

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In recent years, she performed in the world premiere of Doppelgänger at the Park Avenue Armory, was a soloist dancer in Aida at the Metropolitan Opera, and was a closing company member of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. 

 

She has performed with The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and the World Tour, The Metropolitan Opera, Twyla Tharp Dance, MorDance, New York Theatre Ballet, Ayalis In Motion, and AZOTH Dance Theatre. 

 

She has performed works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham, Antony Tudor, Roy Assaf, Aszure Barton, Carolyn Choa, Dario Dinuzzi, John Heginbotham, Jessica Lang, Austin McCormick, Keith Michael, David Needham, Matthew Neenan, Annie-B Parson, Alexei Ratmansky, Taryn Kaschock Russell, Julie Taymor/Mark Dendy, Bettijane Sills, among others.

 

Following her early training at Tatewaki Hiroko Ballet School, she graduated from Northern Ballet School in England as well as SUNY Purchase, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a President Award for Achievement in the Conservatory of Dance. She was also selected to study abroad at Codarts in the Netherlands and Springboard Danse Montréal. 

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Her choreographic experience includes works for Tatewaki Hiroko Ballet School, Newsteps Series, and Shapeshifter Lab with NY Japanese Women Jazz Composers.

 

As a passionate teaching artist, she has had the pleasure of teaching ballet, contemporary, and yoga classes in Japan and New York at places such as SUNY Purchase, Gibney Dance, 92NY, Chen Dance Center, Joffrey Ballet School, Central Park Dance, Greenwich Dance Studio, Dance Project of Washington Heights, Artistry Dance Project, Hariyama Ballet, Tatewaki Hiroko Ballet School, Musashino University, and more.

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She has been a part of the Dance Educational Laboratory (DEL) since 2021 and has helped bring dance education to public schools throughout New York. 

 

Being a versatile dancer, she takes a contemporary approach to the traditional forms and emphasizes the importance of musicality and fluidity. She takes pride in her playful and inclusive way of teaching. Dancing is a source of happiness for her, and she is delighted to share it with everybody.

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She was a recipient of the Regional Cultural Award from the Ehime Cultural Association in 2017.