‘I want to be a dancer who carries the show and who draws an audience in’
– Karina Arimura
Name?
Karina Arimura
Age?
20
Where did you grow up?
Kagoshima, Japan
What age did you start dancing?
At the age of three
What’s your first memory of dance?
When I started baby ballet class at my mother’s ballet studio in Kagoshima.
Favourite ballet/contemporary work?
My best favourites are from Shakespeare’s story! Romeo and Juliet, Ashton’s The Dream, Winter’s Tale.
Favourite dance film/book/podcast?
I will never forget the shock I got when I watched this for the first time, White Night! I also love the iconic Center Stage.
Favourite moment on stage?
I simply love the feeling dancing on stage with big audience and especially when I feel audience is breathing with dancers and orchestra, the moment of all become together!
What repertoire/role do you aspire to perform?
I have so many but, Giselle came up my mind first!
Who is your dance idol or mentor?
I have so many! Dorothée Gilbert and Julie Kent are my forever idols since I started dancing.
Do you prefer the classical or contemporary repertoire?
I love watching both but, if I am the dancer, I prefer Classical!
How have you been keeping busy during lockdown?
Outside of class and training, I spent time watching movies, doing yoga, cooking, learning language, FaceTiming my family and friends!
What are you most looking forward to about being back in the studio?
I cannot wait to start preparing for performance, learning pieces, rehearsals, however, just dancing with live music in a big space having people around me is very exciting after this long time of working from home.
What do you think makes TAB such an incredible company to be a part of?
I think this company has a combination of both sides, historical tradition and new modern creativity like not many other company does and, as a dancer it’s one of the most important things that we can experience variety types of repertoire.
Also, the wonderful health team!!
What is your biggest aspiration for your career?
Firstly, I want to be a dancer who carries the show and who draws an audience in to the story/performance and making an audiences time in the theatre special. Also, as a Japanese dancer, It will be so special if I can go back to perform in Japan for the company’s oversea tour. And hopefully, being a small part of the change that Japans stance towards the theatre art forms because, theatre arts aren’t valued as much and it isn’t as popular as developed countries of theatre arts like Australia.