Ayako Nakano

Ayako Nakano, born in Japan, began her ballet training at the age of five in Tokyo. Early recognition at the Tokyo Ballet Competition and the Asia Pacific Ballet Competition, where she won second and third prizes, led her to win the Prix de Lausanne in 1992. This achievement earned her a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in London, where she honed her technical mastery, artistic expression, and enhancing her artistic versatility.

Ayako launched her professional career in 1994 as a Soloist with Ballet Zürich at the Zurich Opera House. She later worked and performed as a soloist with Oper Köln, Staatstheater Saarbrücken, and Komische Oper Berlin, gaining extensive experience across classical and contemporary repertoire. During this period, she collaborated and worked with world-renowned choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, and others, which broadened her artistic versatility.

In 1998, she was selected as one of four former Japanese Prix de Lausanne winners to perform at the Nagano Olympic Games opening gala.

In 2001, Ayako joined Theater Basel under the direction of Richard Wherlock, where she was appointed Principal Dancer. Basel became the cornerstone of her career, enabling her to perform leading roles, contribute to the creation of new works, and collaborate closely with internationally acclaimed choreographers. During this time, she also served as Ballet Mistress, overseeing rehearsals, coaching dancers, and supporting the artistic development of the company. Career highlights include performances at the NHK Ballet Gala in Tokyo and Osaka, the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, the Aoyama Ballet Festival in Japan, and staging productions of Stijn Celis at Introdans in the Netherlands, as well as Richard Wherlock ballets at Opera Bucharest.

In 2013, Ayako returned to the Prix de Lausanne —this time as a coach for the contemporary solo Le Sacre du Printemps, a work originally created for her by Richard Wherlock in Basel in 2001.

After more than 35 years on stage as a professional dancer and mother of two, Ayako retired from performing in 2021. She continues to share her expertise internationally as a Freelance Rehearsal Director, Choreography Assistant, Ballet Mistress, coach, and teacher, inspiring the next generation of dancers with her artistry, discipline, and passion.

Her career reflects a lifelong dedication to ballet and a commitment to talent across the global dance community.