[Supervisor Appointment] Lead Dancer to Choreograph and Supervise Act 2 'Swan Lake' at 'Ballet Ensemble Gala 2026 Kansai Performance' Announced!

Ballet Ensemble Gala 2026 Kansai Performance / Introduction of Supervisors

Marty Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: 1F, Mita Keio Bizidence, 2-14-4 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo) has appointed Ms. Kyoko Tomimura and Mr. Nobuo Fujino, both former principals of the Hong Kong Ballet, as the performance supervisors for the 'Ballet Ensemble Gala 2026 Kansai Performance'. Ms. Tomimura and Mr. Fujino are dancers who built illustrious careers as principal dancers of the Hong Kong Ballet over many years. For the 2026 'Ballet Ensemble Gala Kansai Performance', they will serve as lead dancers and supervisors, leveraging their deep understanding and sensibility to further enhance the quality of the stage.

Ms. Kyoko Tomimura

Profile

Kyoko Tomimura

(Former Principal Dancer, Hong Kong Ballet)

Studied under Keiko Kawakami, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Nobuko Egawa, and Hideo Fukagawa. Joined the Hong Kong Ballet in 1998.

Became a Principal Dancer of the same company in 2008.

Performed lead roles in almost all of the ballet's repertoire.

■ Repertoire

Choreography by Stephen Jefferies: 'The Nutcracker'; Choreography by Ronald Hynd: 'The Merry Widow', 'Coppélia'; Choreography by George Balanchine: 'Rubies', 'Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux', 'Concerto Barocco', and others.

Left the company and returned to Japan in 2010.

Began her career as an instructor at Studio Architanz. In 2011, she danced the roles of Mercedes and the Queen of the Forest in 'Don Quixote' for the Tokyo Citizens' Arts Festival, organized by the Japan Ballet Association.

In 2012, she performed as a guest at the 'International Ballet Gala' in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In 2015 and 2018, she made guest appearances at performances of the Kanagawa Prefecture Art Dance Association.

≪Awards≫

1994: 1st Place, Kobe National Western Dance Competition

1995: Prize Winner, Asia Pacific Ballet Competition

≪Teaching Career≫

2010-2013: Ballet Instructor at Studio Architanz

2011-present: Ballet Instructor at Chacott Culture Studio

2019: In charge of female enchaînement choreography for the All Japan Ballet Competition

Mr. Nobuo Fujino

Profile

Nobuo Fujino

(Former Principal Dancer, Hong Kong Ballet)

Born in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture. Started ballet at age 12, studying under Nobuko Egawa and Shosaku Tsumura. In 1995, he received the Idemitsu Scholarship Award at the Asia Pacific Ballet Competition. Studied abroad at The Australian Ballet School. Graduated at the top of his class in 1997 and joined the Hong Kong Ballet.

Promoted to Principal in 2002. His repertoire includes lead roles in numerous classical and contemporary works. During his time with the company, he received the 'Newcomer Award' from the Hong Kong Dance Alliance and the 'Hong Kong Dance Award' from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

He has performed as a guest at galas including the Miami International Ballet Festival, the Shanghai International Ballet Competition exhibition, 'Stars of the 21st Century' at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, and the International Ballet Gala in Malaysia. He was nominated for the 'Benoit de la Danse' award at the Bolshoi Theatre, the first Japanese person to be so, and performed in its gala.

2005-2007: Transferred to The Australian Ballet as a Senior Soloist.

In 2010, he moved his base of activities back to his home country. He performed as the Prince in the Inoue Ballet's 'The Nutcracker'. He was entrusted with roles such as Basilio in 'Don Quixote', Albrecht in 'Giselle', and Vronsky in 'Anna Karenina' at the Tokyo Citizens' Arts Festival organized by the Japan Ballet Association. He made guest appearances as the Prince in the Philippine Ballet's 'The Sleeping Beauty' (2011) and 'The Nutcracker' (2017).

In 2013, he presented his first choreographic work in Japan, 'Beautiful Inside', at the Ballet Création by the Japan Ballet Association.

2015-2017: Choreographed for the Inoue Ballet's 'Annex Theatre' and the Kanagawa Prefecture Art Dance Association's 'Red Brick DanceArt'. He produced and presented 'The Grand Ball for Great Composers and Their Music' (2016) and 'THE Ballet Museum' (2017) under the auspices of Chacott. He currently works as a freelance dancer and as an instructor of ballet pilates.

Details of the supervisors' introduction can be found here.

As Art Directors / Expectations for the Performance

What kind of work will 'Acts 2 & 3 from Swan Lake' envisioned by Ms. Tomimura and Mr. Fujino become? As expectations for the performance rise, we introduce their appeal as lead dancers.

1. Introduction of an International Ballet Perspective
By leveraging their experience, they can incorporate the international ballet perspective cultivated in overseas ballet companies into the performance, offering new viewpoints to participating dancers and audiences. The content is expected to be enjoyable for ballet fans both in Japan and abroad, raising anticipation.

2. Guidance and Development of the Next Generation
Mr. Fujino and Ms. Tomimura are highly regarded not only for their stage experience but also as instructors, providing valuable learning opportunities for the next generation of dancers. Young dancers will be able to enhance their technique and expressiveness, leading to activities on higher-level stages.

3. Providing New Inspiration to the Audience
Their supervision will add new ideas and creativity to the stage direction, choreography, and casting, offering new inspiration to the audience. In particular, their meticulous aesthetic sense and expressiveness will create a performance that remains in the audience's memory.

Scene from Instruction

This will be the 4th year that Ms. Kyoko Tomimura and Mr. Nobuo Fujino serve as performance supervisors.

Last year as well, their skill in uniting professional dancers and general participants shone, creating a stage where all dancers could shine. This was solely the result of their deep love for ballet and for the dancers, and the very rich days they shared despite the short rehearsal period. Expectations for their skill are even higher for this year's performance!

Rehearsal Scene

Performance Details: 'Ballet Ensemble Gala 2026 Kansai Performance'

Performance Date

August 9, 2026 (Sunday)

Venue

Kobe Cultural Hall, Medium Hall

Program

Part 1 / Ballet Gala Concert

- A feast of professional ballet dancers active in Japan and abroad -

Part 2 / Acts 2 & 3 from Swan Lake

- A collaboration between professional ballet dancers and future professional dancers -

Click here for performance details.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Inquiries

Ms. Kyoko Tomimura

Mr. Nobuo Fujino

HP: https://www.ballet-ensemble-gala-concert.com/

Ballet Ensemble Gala Performance Office: ballet.ensemble.dancer@gmail.com