Yuriko Kajiya

Each month we highlight a Prix de Lausanne-related international dance artist.

Name: Yuriko Kajiya

Birthplace: Nagoya, Japan

Training: Shanghai Ballet School

Prix de Lausanne: Prix de Lausanne Scholarship 2000

Previous companies/positions: Soloist, American Ballet Theatre

Current company/position: Principal, Houston Ballet

Favorite roles/choreographies: It is very hard to pick a favourite role. I look at each new role or choreography as a question. It is the pursuit of those questions through rehearsals and performances where I am able to grow as a dancer. Each new question is my favourite.

Career highlight: Performing each year at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York. And working with my beloved coach Irina Kolpakova on a daily basis.

Message to the Prix de Lausanne candidates: I know Prix de Lausanne is a competition and everyone goes there hoping to win. From my own experience, winning is not everything. I now have so many friends all around the world dancing in different companies through the Prix de Lausanne. I don’t think the goal should be to become a competition winner but to become a working dancer with a career. The Prix de Lausanne will help guide you towards this goal.

Message to the Prix de Lausanne organisation: Thank You Prix de Lausanne ! Participating and winning this competition impacted my career and my life. I have been able to see, do, and achieve things I never thought possible.