Mami Hariyama
Director of Hariyama Ballet
Dancer, Teacher, Coach and Pianist.
Raised and coached dancers that won various international competitions.
Her love is teaching ballet to children and adults of all ages and levels,
spreading the joy of dance, and sharing the beauty of the Arts.
Mami Hariyama was born in Osaka, Japan and has two main professional careers: ballet and piano.
She trained and performed ballet in Osaka and was coached by ballet teachers from Vaganova Ballet.
At 15, she traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia to take classes and perform with The Leningrad State Ballet ,
and also to Indianapolis, USA where she took lessons with Irina Kolpakova.
Staring at the age of 17 as a pianist, Mami traveled throughout Japan with Ludmila Kovaleva and
Mariya Grivanova from the Vaganova ballet academy, a relationship that continues during her summer
returns to Japan. She continues traveling back to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Perm, Russia every few years
to keep her ballet method and educate herself.
Since moving to The US in 2004, Mami's piano has been heard in studios such as Steps on Broadway,
Broadway Dance Center, and American Ballet Theater, working with more than 100 different ballet teachers.
Mami was the pianist for the 2010 and 2014 International Ballet Competition USA which takes place every four years in Jackson Mississippi. Her recording credits include a ballet CD with Master teacher David Howard and three ballet CDs for Disney, distributed by Avex records. In all she has total of 7 ballet CDs.
She and her family produced the successful and media covered “Dream Concert" series in Osaka and Tokyo in the years 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2017 where they brought world renowned dancers and musicians. The performers included herself, her parents and their musician friends. Dances were performed by her sisters and guests.
She also produced many performances in NY including “Hope Dream Happiness”. She wants to give a chance for children to see the live arts and also fundraised for them to support their effort to become an artists.
Presently her efforts are geared to "Hariyama Ballet", her own ballet school. She produce School Performances and Her students are also noticed in the competitions around the world and receiving medals and awards. She also travels the US and Japan to coach, guest teach, and give master classes.
EMILY SPEED : BALLET
Emily Speed began her training at Denton Ballet Academy under the direction of Hugh Nini and went on to graduate from Marina Almayeva School of Classical Ballet. Emily received First Place as a soloist at Youth American Grand Prix and was Finalist at World Ballet Competition. In 2010 she competed in Varna International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria and in 2014 she competed in USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Ms.
Ms. Speed has danced for Alabama Ballet, Ballet Tucson, Boulder Ballet and was with Colorado Ballet from 2014-2020 where she was a Demi-Soloist. During her career she has performed many soloist and principal roles. Some of her most notable roles include Russian Girl in Balanchine’s Serenade, Jiri Kylian’s Petite Mort, Antony Tudor’s The Leaves are Fading and Little Sister in his masterpiece Pillar of Fire, Clara, Dew Drop and Sugar Plum in The Nutcracker, Pink in Clark Tippet’s Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Red Couple in Twyla Tharp’s A Brief Fling, Bluebird Pas de Deux in Sleeping Beauty as well as numerous others. She has had the honor of performing at Vail Dance Fest in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Ms. Speed loves to share her passion of dance through teaching and has taught at Colorado Ballet, Boulder Ballet, Mobile Ballet, South Mississippi Ballet Theater, Classic Dance Academy, Mpact Dance Project, Littleton Ballet Academy and just recently launched Point by Pointe: Conversations about Dance. Emily, her husband, Matt, and schnoodle, Rocky, live in New York City where she embarked on new journey last year as a freelance artist.
AKIKO MAKINO : BALLET
Akiko began her ballet training at the age of 7.
She joined the Belleame Stage Create in Tokyo as a soloist in 1993.
Her repertory includes “the Nutcracker”, “swan Lake”, “The Scarlet Letter A” - choreography by Suwako Tago.
She has also performed both Nationally and Internationally as a member of the Japan Ballet Association.
Akiko has experience teaching and choreographing ballet in Tokyo and Kanagawa for both children and adults at the school of Belleame.
She moved to the US in 2003.
Akiko is a certified instructor by the Pilates Academy International. She has been teaching Pilates including All Mat, Reformer, Chair, Cadillac, Cardiolates, SilkSuspension™️and Instructor Certification class at Pilates on Fifth since 2007.
YUKA KAWASAKI : BALLET
Yuka Kawasaki was born in Mie,Japan. She began her training at the age of five with teachers Haruko and Aco Ono at Ono Ballet Studio.
She graduated Osaka University of Art in 2004 and Majored in Performing arts and Ballet.
She trained dance classic with Jyu Horiuchi,Taeko Kanashige and Modern dance with Kiyoko Kato and Mutsuko Imaoka.
She started teaching at the Ooze Dance and Ono Ballet Studio and joined several Ballet performance,fashion&hair shows,events as a dancer and a choreographer.
After moved NYC in 2005,she studied Ballet Hawaii,Boston Ballet and became a teacher at Hariyama Ballet.
She is a certificated pilates teacher by Pilates Academy International and Aromatherapy adviser by Aroma Environment Association of Japan. Body Tone Yoga New York RTY200
NATALIYA SHEPTALOVA : BALLET, CHARACTER
Natalia Sheptalova - Robinett grew up in Moscow, Russia and received her training at The Moscow Academy of Choreography, then at Russian Academy of Theatrical Art - GITIS. She toured internationally with The Russian National Ballet performing various roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, La Bayadère, Cinderella, Paquita. Lately in US Natalia performed with Gelsey Kirkland ballet, American Liberty Ballet, American Swiss Ballet, Metropolitan ballet, Victoria ballet theatre and many others companies and projects. She also being teaching ballet and character dance in various schools in tri-state area NY, NJ, CT. Natalia Is very passionate to share her knowledge of classical and character dance with the audience and her students.
YUI HASEGAWA : BALLET
Yui Hasegawa is Originally from Nagoya, Japan. She began her ballet training at the age of 8 with Yukari Kanbara at Yukari Ballet. She trained classical ballet and contemporary ballet. After her training, She became an assistant teacher of Yukari Ballet. She performed title roll "The Sleeping Beauty" and "Coppelia". She was casted by the well known choreographers and performed with Tatsue Sata, Hideo Fukagawa ,Vladimir Issaev and more. In 2011, she moved to New York. She studied and graduated from Ballet Arts. She joined Hariyama Ballet as an assistant teacher 2012. After graduate school, she became a teacher of Hariyama Ballet. A certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) teacher. She is a company member of Benjamin Briones Ballet from 2018.
Benjamin Briones Ballet
http://www.benjaminbrionesballet.org/about.html
MAMI TOMOTANI : CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ
Mami Tomotani is ASSISTANT DIRECTOR & JAPAN COORDINATOR of The Broadway Experience musical theatre program based in New York City. She is also a performer and freelance teacher in the USA, Japan and the UK.
She worked with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures for more than ten years and was a principal dancer with the company. Productions included the TONY award winning Swan Lake, (London, UK and Europe tour), Sleeping Beauty, (USA tour), The Nutcracker, (London, UK tour, USA, Japan and Korea) The Car-man, (London, UK tour and Japan) Highland Fling, (London, Japan and UK) and Edward Scissorhands, (Australia, London, UK tour, Japan, Korea and USA) which won the 2007 New York Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Theatrical Event.
She also performed in The King and I at The Royal Albert Hall in London. Mami was a member of Landestheater Ballet Linz in Austria. She joined the Shiki Theatrical company when she was 15 years old. Her credits included Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love and HANS (Andersen). Alongside her credits as a performer she served as a dance captain in many productions. Mami has performed for Suisei company playing Iris Kelly in the musical Fame.
Film credits include Matthew Bourne’s The Nutcracker and made regular TV appearances with Highland Fling and Nutcracker! (Fuji TV Networks, Tokyo TV Networks, Japan and the BBC UK.)
Mami Choreographed “Zanna Don’T!” at Pittsburgh University and LaGuardia High School class performance and The Broadway Experience summer program performance. She assist rehearsal director of Matthew Bourne “Dorian Gray” in Japan.
Specializing in contemporary ballet, Theater dance and Choreograph class, she has taught at various schools and studios in Japan and across the USA. She is a guest teacher at LaGuardia High School(New York), Cedar Lake Dance Company(New York), Carnegie Mellon University(Pittsburgh) and has taught for the Re:Bourne company across the globe. She was a regular guest teacher for Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures. Every year Mami produces a major teaching/audition tour across Japan for The Broadway Experience.
Since 2004 Mami has been a writer for the famous Japan Dance web magazine “Dance Cube” of Chacott.
The Broadway Experience
http://thebroadwayexperience.com/
Re:Bourne
http://new-adventures.net/rebourne
New Adventures
http://new-adventures.net/
AYAKA KAMEI : JAZZ, CONTEMPORARY
Ayaka Kamei is originally from Japan where she trained at the Tatewaki Hiroko Ballet School. She graduated from Northern Ballet School in England and from SUNY Purchase in NY where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a President Award for Achievement in the Conservatory of Dance. She studied at Codarts in the Netherlands and Springboard Danse Montréal as well. She has performed works of countless choreographers such as Balanchine, Cunningham, Tudor, Bettijane Sills, Aszure Barton, Matthew Neenan, Taryn Kaschock Russell, Dario Dinuzzi, Austin McCormick, Keith Michael, Roy Assaf, and Jessica Lang, to name a few. She also presented her own choreography at Newsteps Series and Shapeshifter Lab with NY Japanese Women Jazz Composers. She currently performs with the Metropolitan Opera, New York Theater Ballet, CBGDance (Rehearsal Director), and AZOTH Dance Theater, teaches at Chen Dance Center and at her own company, AKDance, and helps wardrobe at New York Theatre Ballet.
ERIKO IISAKU: CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ
Eriko began her dance training with her mother ,Yoshimi Iisaku.
In 2006, She moved to New York and entered The Ailey School as a Fellowship student for 4years , Jacob's Pillow Contemporary Tradition and ADF(American Dance Festival)
She has had the opportunity to perform works choreograph by Francesca Harper , Sonia Dawkins, Iquiail Shaheed , Edger Zendejas , Helen Pickett , Willy Laury , Maleek Washington and Performed in Alvin Ailey's "Memoria" at New York city center in 2007-2009.
She has performed with Dallas Black Dance Theater , New Ballet Ensemble , New Jersey Symphony Orchestra , Danz Gala in Graz , The Metropolitan Museum of Art , Bryant Park Presents Modern Dance , ITE Dance Festival , Holland Dance Festival , ImPulsTanz International Dance Festival , MASS MoCA , EXILE TRIBE Concert Tour in Osaka Stadium (Guest Artist) ) and Eikichi Yazawa ''Still Rockin'' concert tour as a featured dancer in 2011 and Guest Dancer / Choreographer in 2015.
Eriko is a Rehearsal director / Company member of The Francesca Harper Project.
Website : erikoiisaku.com
TAMII SAKURAI : TAP
Tamii Sakurai is a tap dancer based in New York City. She is an Artist in Residence at the American Tap Dance Foundation, and she has had the privilege of working with numerous leading tap companies such as Brenda Bufalino’s “New”American Tap Dance Orchestra and Michelle Dorrance’s Dorrance Dance. She studied Mathematics and Dance at Hunter College, where she has developed her style of teaching tap dance incorporating numbers and visuals. In 2016, she has made her debut on Off Broadway on STOMP. For Tamii’s new works and teaching/ performing schedule, please visit tamiisakurai.com