{{short description|Japanese ballet dancer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Multiple issues|{{notability|1=Biographies|date=July 2017}}{{BLP sources|date=July 2017}}{{primary sources|date=July 2017}}}} {{for|the television announcer|Yuka Ebihara (announcer)}} thumb|Yuka Ebihara|alt=|405x405px '''Yuka Ebihara''' (Japanese: 海老原由佳, ''Ebihara Yuka''; born 22 October 1986 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese ballet dancer. Since September 2011, she has been engaged with Warsaw's Teatr Wielki. Since September 2013, she became a first soloist, and since January 2020 she is a principal dancer of the Polish National Ballet. She ended her stage career on December 22, 2024, saying goodbye to the Warsaw audience in the role of Marguerite Gautier in John Neumeier's ''The Lady of the Camellias''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=YUKA EBIHARA BIDS FAREWELL TO THE STAGE : Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa |url=https://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news-view/yuka-ebihara-bids-farewell-to-the-stage/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=teatrwielki.pl}}</ref>
== Artistic career ==
=== Beginnings === Ebihara took up dancing as a 7-year-old in Beijing, where she lived with her family as her father had a temporary working contract. Since 1997, she had continued her training in Iwata Ballet School in Yokohama, and then 2005 in Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Canada. After finishing her training in 2008, she became a soloist of Goh Ballet Youth Company. After one year of dancing with the company, she started to seek her place elsewhere. She was engaged with Norwegian National Ballet, Oslo (2008–2009), performed as a guest dancer with the company of Vienna Festival Ballet in Great Britain (2008), was a soloist with French Compagnie Mezzo Ballet (2009), and danced with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, USA (2009). Then, for two years (2009–2011), she was engaged as a soloist of Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb, where she discovered the Polish National Ballet – a newly created company in Warsaw's Teatr Wielki under the direction of Krzysztof Pastor – was looking for dancers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://teatrwielki.pl/en/people/yuka-ebihara/|title=Yuka Ebihara|website=Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa|language=en|access-date=2018-04-21}}</ref>
=== In Poland === In 2011, Ebihara went through audition to Polish National Ballet, and she got a contract. She began as a corps de ballet dancer, but in only 2 years she was promoted twice and in 2013 she became a first soloist,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news/single-news/n/yuka-ebihara-first-soloist-of-the-pnb/|title=Yuka Ebihara - first soloist of the PNB|access-date=2018-04-26|language=en}}</ref> which is the highest rank in the company's structure. In a very short time, she took over many roles in the company's repertoire and began to represent Polish National Ballet on international ballet galas in USA, Russia, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Czech, Lithuania and Latvia.
== Major achievements == [[File:Yuka Ebihara (Odetta), Jezioro łabędzie, Polski Balet Narodowy, choreografia Krzysztof Pastor wg Lwa Iwanowa, fot. Ewa Krasucka TW-ON.jpg|thumb|Yuka Ebihara as Odetta in ''Swan Lake'' by Krzysztof Pastor after Lev Ivanov|alt=|320x320px]] [[File:Yuka Ebihara (Kitri) i Paweł Koncewoj (Basilio), Don Kichot, choreografia Alexei Fadeyechev wg Mariusa Petipy, Polski Balet Narodowy, fot. Ewa Krasucka TW-ON.jpg|thumb|Yuka Ebihara as Kitri and Paweł Koncewoj as Basilio in ''Don Quixote'' by Alexei Fadeyechev after Marius Petipa|alt=|320x320px]] [[File:Dama kameliowa, choreografia John Neumeier, Polski Balet Narodowy, fot. Ewa Krasucka TW-ON.jpg|thumb|Yuka Ebihara as Marguerite Gautier and Patryk Walczak as Armand Duval in ''The Lady of the Camellias'' by John Neumeier|alt=|320x320px]] [[File:Bolero (2) w choreografii Krzysztofa Pastora, Polski Balet Narodowy, fot. Ewa Krasucka TW-ON.jpg|thumb|Yuka Ebihara and Vladimir Yaroshenko in ''Bolero'' by Krzysztof Pastor|alt=|320x320px]] thumb|Yuka Ebihara and Kristóf Szabó in ''Świtezianka'' by Robert Bondara|alt=|320x320px [[File:Jezioro łabędzie (3) w choreografii Krzysztofa Pastora, Polski Balet Narodowy, fot. Ewa Krasucka TW-ON.jpg|thumb|Yuka Ebihara as Mathilde Kschessinska, Vladimir Yaroshenko as Tsarevich Nicky and Robert Bondara as Tsar Alexander in ''Swan Lake'' by Krzysztof Pastor|alt=|320x320px]] === Overseas === * Giselle – ''Giselle'' by Choo-San Goh (Goh Ballet Youth Company) * Sugar Plum Fairy – ''The Nutcracker'' by Choo-San Goh (Goh Ballet Youth Company) * Soloist – ''Grand pas classique'' by Victor Gsovsky (Goh Ballet Youth Company) * Odette-Odile – ''Swan Lake'' by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov (Vienna Festival Ballet) * Swanilda – ''Coppélia'' by Christopher Lee Wright (Vienna Festival Ballet) * Fairy of the Courage – ''The Sleeping Beauty'' by Emily Hufton (Vienna Festival Ballet) * Duet – ''Dark Lines / Red Softness'' by Yannis Chevalier (Compagnie Mezzo Ballet) * Kitri and Queen of Dryads – ''Don Quixote'' by Patrick Armand (Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb) * Soloist and Duet – ''Concerto Barocco'' by George Balanchine (Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb) * Princess Aurora – ''The Sleeping Beauty'' by Derek Dean (Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb) * Main couple – ''Paquita'' by Derek Dean (Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb) * Sugar Plum Fairy – ''The Nutcracker'' by Vaslav Orlikowsky (Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb)
=== With Polish National Ballet === * Gamzatti and Nikija – ''La Bayadère'' by Natalia Makarova * Our-Strong Woman and Our-Other Girl – ''And the Rain Will Pass…'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Principal Classic Seraphim – ''Six Wings of Angels'' by Jacek Przybyłowicz * Fairy Autumn and Fairy Spring – ''Cinderella'' by Frederick Ashton * Princess Florine – ''The Sleeping Beauty'' by Yury Grigorovich * Duet 3 – ''Century Rolls'' by Ashley Page * Duet 2 – ''Artifact Suite'' by William Forsythe * Duet 2 i 1 – ''Moving Rooms'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Clara – ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by Toer van Schayk & Wayne Eagling * Siren – ''The Prodigal Son'' by George Balanchine * Hippolyta-Titania – ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' by John Neumeier * Osilde – ''Tristan'' by Krzysztof Pastor * First Soloist and Duet – ''Concerto Barocco'' by George Balanchine * First Aria – ''In Light and Shadow'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Duet – ''The Kisses'' by Emil Wesołowski * Duet 2 – ''Adagio & Scherzo'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Kitri-Dulcinea, Street Dancer and Queen of the Dryads – ''Don Quixote'' by Alexei Fadeyechev * Julia – ''Romeo and Juliet'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Mlle Gattai – ''Casanova in Warsaw'' by Krzysztof Pastor<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://criticaldance.org/a-dissolute-life-makes-a-splendid-ballet-polish-national-ballet-in-casanova/|title=A dissolute life makes a splendid ballet: Polish National Ballet in Casanova - CriticalDance|website=criticaldance.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-25}}</ref> * Katherina – ''The Taming of the Shrew'' by John Cranko * Miranda – ''The Tempest'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Soloist & Duet – ''Chopiniana'' by Mikhail Fokine * Soloist – ''Chroma'' by Wayne McGregor * Main Soloist – ''Bolero'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Mathilde Kschessinska – ''Swan Lake'' by Krzysztof Pastor (with new libretto)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.seeingdance.com/polish-swan-lake-31052017/|title=Review: Swan Lake by Krzysztof Pastor, Polish National Ballet|website=www.seeingdance.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-04-25}}</ref> * Princess Alix-Odette<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://teatrwielki.pl/en/repertoire/calendar/2017-2018/swan-lake/termin/2017-09-16_19-00/|title=Swan Lake|website=Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa|language=en|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref> – ''Swan Lake'' by Krzysztof Pastor (with new libretto)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://balletthebestphotographs.wordpress.com/2018/03/19/yuka-ebihara-and-vladimir-yaroshenko/|title=Yuka Ebihara and Vladimir Yaroshenko|date=2018-03-20|work=Ballet: The Best Photographs|access-date=2018-04-26|language=en-US}}</ref> * Świtezianka – ''Świtezianka'' by Robert Bondara * Flute – ''On a Stave'' (Tansman's ''Sextuor'') by Jacek Tyski * Soloist – Szymanowski's ''Violin Concerto No. 2'' by Jacek Przybyłowicz * Marguerite Gautier – ''The Lady of the Camellias'' by John Neumeier<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news/single-news/n/dama-kameliowa-premiera-polska-20042018/|title=The Lady of the Camellias to open on 20 April 2018|access-date=2018-04-21|language=en}}</ref> * Our Couple – ''And the Rain Will Pass…'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Soloist – Chopins ''Concerto in E minor'' by Liam Scarlett * The Reborn – Chopins ''Concerto in F minor'' by Krzysztof Pastor * Princess Aurora – ''The Sleeping Beauty'' by Yury Grigorovitch * Soloist – ''Infra'' by Wayne McGregor * Médora – ''Le Corsaire'' by Manuel Legris *Countess Marie Larisch – ''Mayerling'' by Kenneth MacMillan *Mary Vetsera – ''Mayerling'' by Kenneth MacMillan *Galina – ''Flights-Harnasie'' by Izadora Weiss *Mina-Elisabeth – ''Dracula'' by Krzysztof Pastor *Couple 2. – ''Grosse Fuge'' by Hans van Manen *Leading couple – ''Eroica Variations'' by Ted Brandsen *White Fairy – ''Pinocchio'' by Anna Hop *Blue Fairy – ''Pinocchio'' by Anna Hop *Solveig - ''Peer Gynt'' by Edward Clug *Ingrid - ''Peer Gynt'' by Edward Grieg == Awards == * 2003: First Prize & Scholarship, Ballet Competition, Yokohama, Japan * 2006: First Prize & Scholarship, Surrey Festival of Dance, Surrey, Canada * 2006: Senior Ballet Championships Winner & Most Outstanding Dance Award, British Columbia Provincials, Vancouver, Canada * 2010: Gold Medal (category 22-28 years), International Competition of Ballet Dancers Mia Čorak Slavenska, Zagreb, Croatia * 2014: Jan Kiepura Theatre Music Award for the best dancer in Poland<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news/single-news/n/yuka-ebihara-and-vladimir-yaroshenko-best-dancers-of-the-past-season/|title=News|website=Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa|language=en|access-date=2017-07-17|archive-date=2017-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711083327/http://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news/single-news/n/yuka-ebihara-and-vladimir-yaroshenko-best-dancers-of-the-past-season/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2017: Jan Kiepura Theatre Music Award for the best classical dancer in Poland<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news/single-news/n/best-ballet-dancers-ebihara-yaroshenko/|title=News|website=Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa|language=en|access-date=2017-07-17|archive-date=2017-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708145902/http://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news/single-news/n/best-ballet-dancers-ebihara-yaroshenko/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2019: Silver Medal for Merit to Culture ‘Gloria Artis’ in Poland<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://teatrwielki.pl/en/the-theatre/news/single-news/n/yuka-ebihara-wyrozniona-srebrna-gloria-artis/|title=Yuka Ebihara receives a Silver Gloria Artis Medal|website=teatrwielki.pl|language=en|access-date=2019-07-18}}</ref> * 2024: Special Award for Dancer of the Polish National Ballet's 15th Anniversary
== Bibliography == * http://teatrwielki.pl/ludzie/yuka-ebihara/ * http://www.taniecpolska.pl/people/387 * http://www.encyklopediateatru.pl/osoby/71357/yuka-ebihara * http://www.gala.pl/artykul/yuka-ebihara-wlasciwie-nie-wiem-gdzie-jest-moj-dom-170616011028
== References == <references />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebihara, Yuka}} Category:Japanese ballerinas Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Principal dancers