{{Short description|Japanese ballet dancer}} {{Infobox dancer | name = Yuriko Kajiya | image = Yuriko Kajiya 2024-11-13 (cropped).jpg | caption = Kajiya in November 2024 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|06|25}} | birth_place = Nagoya, Japan | education = Shanghai Ballet,<br />National Ballet of Canada | occupation = Ballet dancer | years_active = 2001–present | current_group = Houston Ballet | website = }}
'''Yuriko Kajiya''' (加治屋百合子 ''Kajiya Yuriko'', born 1984) is a Japanese ballet dancer who currently performs as a principal dancer with Houston Ballet. Prior to joining Houston Ballet, she danced as a soloist with American Ballet Theatre for seven years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/yuriko-kajiya-houston-ballet-2596230473.html|title=Houston Ballet’s Yuriko Kajiya on Her Signature Role, Favorite Ice Cream Flavor & Surprising Hidden Talent|last=Nancy|first=Wonzy|date=August 15, 2018|work=Dance Magazine}}</ref>
==Early life== Yuriko was born in Nagoya, Japan, and started training with Matsumoto Michiko Ballet when she was eight years old. She moved to China at the age of 10, where she studied with and graduated from the school of the Shanghai Ballet. She won the Best Performance Award in the senior category at the Tao Li Bei National Ballet Competition in 1997, at age 13. In 1999, she was a finalists at the Third International Ballet Competition, held in Nagoya. She won a Prix de Lausanne in January 2000, allowing her to continue her training with the school of the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://time.com/collection/next-generation-leaders/4037535/yuriko-kajiya/|title=The Japanese Ballerina Who Overcame Critics to Become a Star|last=Oaklander|first=Mandy|date=September 14, 2015|work=TIME Magazine}}</ref>
==Career== [[File:Yuriko Kajiya for Swans for Relief.jpg|thumb|upright|Kajiya dances for Swans for Relief in 2020]] She joined the ABT Studio Company in September 2001, joined ABT's main company as an apprentice in 2002, and became a member of the corps de ballet in June 2002.<ref name="ABT bio"> {{cite web | title = Dancers: Soloists: Yuriko Kajiya | url = http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=67 | publisher = American Ballet Theatre | access-date = February 14, 2012 }} </ref> Effective August 2007, she was promoted to the rank of soloist.<ref name="ABT 2007">{{cite web | title = American Ballet Theatre Names Five Soloists | url = http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=201 | publisher = American Ballet Theatre | work = Press release | date = July 5, 2007 | quote = Kristi Boone, Misty Copeland, Yuriko Kajiya, Sarah Lane and Jared Matthews have been promoted to the rank of Soloist with American Ballet Theatre ... All promotions become effective August 1, 2007. | access-date = July 16, 2007 | archive-date = February 6, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160206223421/http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=201 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref> {{cite web | title = Yuriko Kajiya | url = http://www.chopsticksny.com/contents/people/2011/05/6247 | publisher = Chopsticks NY | date = May 2011 }} </ref>
Her repertoire at ABT included Kitri in ''Don Quixote,'' Giselle in ''Giselle,'' Gamzatti in ''La Bayadére'', Gulnare in ''Le Corsaire'', Clara, the Princess in Alexei Ratmansky's ''The Nutcracker,'' Olga in ''Onegin'', Lilac Fairy and Princess Florine in ''The Sleeping Beauty,'' the Waltz in ''Les Sylphides'', Miranda in ''The Tempest,'' ''Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux'' and leading roles in ''Ballo Della Regina, Brief Fling'', ''In the Upper Room,'' ''The Leaves are Fading, Petite Mort'', ''Rabbit and Rogue,'' ''Seven Sonatas'', ''Baker’s Dozen, Chamber Symphony'' and ''Theme and Variations.''
Kajiya left ABT to join Houston Ballet as a first soloist in 2014. She gave her final performance with the company with a debut in the starring role of Swanilda in ''Coppélia''. Her partner for that performance was Joseph Gorak.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abt.org/yuriko-kajiya-and-jared-matthews-to-give-farewell-performances-with-abt/|title=Yuriko Kajiya and Jared Matthews to Give Farewell Performances with ABT|date=May 7, 2014|website=American Ballet Theatre}}</ref> Kajiya joined Houston Ballet with her life partner Jared Matthews to pursue great artistic opportunities.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Ballet-dancers-leave-New-York-to-expand-skills-5761899.php|title=Ballet dancers leave New York to expand skills here|last=Glenzter|first=Molly|date=September 17, 2014|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> In November 2014, after only 5 months with the company, she was promoted to principal dancer following her performance in Ben Stevenson's The Nutcracker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.houstonballet.org/explore/artists/principal/yuriko-kajiya/|title=Yuriko Kajiya|website=Houston Ballet|access-date=2019-01-10|archive-date=2019-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110183614/https://www.houstonballet.org/explore/artists/principal/yuriko-kajiya/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since that time she boosted her repertoire, dancing all of the leading roles within the company with major role debuts in choreography by company director, Stanton Welch. Her repertoire now includes Kenneth McMillan's ''Manon''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonballet.org/explore/artists/principal/yuriko-kajiya/|title=A Reckless Path|last=Castañeda|first=Adam|date=September 8, 2015|work=Houstonia Magazine|archive-date=January 10, 2019|access-date=January 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110183614/https://www.houstonballet.org/explore/artists/principal/yuriko-kajiya/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and ''Mayerling,''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Houston-Ballet-s-Mayerling-is-a-must-see-12223295.php|title=Houston Ballet's "Mayerling" is a must-see|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=September 23, 2017|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> William Forsythe's ''Artifact Suite,''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Houston-Ballet-s-Ingenuity-is-contagious-9213662.php|title=Houston Ballet's 'Ingenuity' is contagious|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=September 9, 2016|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> and Stanton Welch's ''Giselle'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Houston-Ballet-s-Giselle-a-heartbeat-in-motion-8053645.php|title=Houston Ballet's 'Giselle' a heartbeat in motion|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=June 11, 2016|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/stanton-welch-new-giselle-2581510879.html|title=Refining the Romantic at Houston Ballet: Stanton Welch's New Giselle|last=Wonzy|first=Nancy|date=June 4, 2016|work=Pointe Magazine}}</ref> ''Madame Butterfly,''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Madame-Butterfly-as-viewed-by-those-who-ve-9227900.php|title='Madame Butterfly' as viewed by those who've alighted on the role|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=September 16, 2016|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> ''The Nutcracker,''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Review-Houston-Ballet-s-new-Nutracker-worth-10639899.php|title=Review: Houston Ballet's new 'Nutcracker' worth every cent|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=November 28, 2016|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> ''La Bayadere'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Houston-Ballet-excels-with-magical-heartbreaking-11208345.php|title=Houston Ballet excels with magical, heartbreaking 'Bayadère'|last=Elizabeth Knox|first=Lawrence|date=June 9, 2017|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> ''Paquita,''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Ballet-shines-in-mixed-rep-program-5767756.php|title=Ballet shines in mixed-rep program|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=September 14, 2014|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> and ''Swan Lake''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonpress.com/arts/review-swan-lake-at-houston-ballet-10597529|title=Houston Ballet Soars in Stanton Welch's Swan Lake|last=De Garza|first=Natalie|date=June 24, 2018|work=Houston Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Review-Swan-Lake-a-fitting-end-to-Houston-13024077.php|title=Review: ‘Swan Lake’ a fitting end to Houston Ballet’s season|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=June 25, 2018|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref>
==Other work== Kajiya starred in the 2007 documentary ''Passion Across a Continent'' and the 2011 documentary ''Yuriko: Ballerina'' which aired on MBS in Japan. In July 2010, she appeared on an episode of the American television series ''So You Think You Can Dance'', alongside her partner and fellow soloist Jared Matthews.<ref> {{cite web | title = American Ballet Theatre Soloists Yuriko Kajiya and Jared Matthews to Appear on "So You Think You Can Dance" | url = http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=316 | publisher = American Ballet Theatre | work = Press release | date = July 14, 2010 }} </ref> In 2012, she received an Artistic Ambassador Award from the government of Japan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/article/Houston-Ballet-announces-new-first-soloists-9660415.php|title=Houston Ballet announces new first soloists, Jared Matthews and Yuriko Kajiya|date=May 8, 2014|work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== {{Portal|Biography}} *[http://balletnews.co.uk//cupcakes-conversation-with-yuriko-kajiya-soloist-american-ballet-theatre/ Cupcakes & Conversation with Yuriko Kajiya]. ''Ballet News''. 6 March 2012.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kajiya, Yuriko}} Category:Japanese ballerinas Category:People from Nagoya Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Prix de Lausanne winners Category:American Ballet Theatre soloists