Boys Dance! (Care Characters Japan Ballet Theatre)

Meet the Male Care Characters of Japan Ballet Theatre

Share Yoh Asakura
Principal Dancer
My story with dance begins when I was eight years old. My father, a ballet teacher saw me watching the class from outside the room very enthusiastically. At the end of the class, he invited me to his office and put a candy on his desk. He said to me, "If you take that candy, you have to come to ballet class tomorrow," and so I did. That's how he convinced me to enter this magical world.
When I was only eight years old, I went into a coma due to a virus, but miraculously I survived. And although it took me many years to recover, I become very strong. So strong that I never stopped training until I made it to be principal dancer for the company of my dreams. Now I keep training, knowing I can do anything I imagine I can do.



Togetherness Eren Jaeger
Corps de ballet
I started ballet when I was ten years old, and have been loving it ever since. Growing up I used to do lots of fun sports after school like the other kids, such as soccer, swimming, and martial arts, but it was dance that made me feel the most special. Other kids my age didn't understand why I loved dance so much, but I was thankful to have lots of friends at my dance studio who always had my back.
Being a part of the ballet world means so much more than performing onstage. You travel the world, get in the best shape of your life, and make long-lasting friendships! Dance sets me free to be exactly who I dream to be, and I hope you can find that same freedom someday!




Do-Your-Best Izuku Midoriya
Corps de ballet
The first time I saw a male dancer jump across a studio, I was frozen in my small tracks. From that young age, I was excited at the idea of having a body that was strong, flexible, and capable. Jumping, turning, lifting people up... it looked so natural. There are challenges you have to face when reaching for anything worth having. Because of ballet, I am stronger, smarter, and more self-aware. I never knew ballet could lead to a life so full.



Dare to Care David Martinez
Corps de ballet
As a young boy, I was asked, along with the rest of my class, where I saw myself in ten years. During a school reunion ten years later, they read it back to us. Most people wrote things like astronaut or princess. My response was "a professional dancer in Japan." I was the only person from my entire class doing exactly what I wrote, following my passion.
If I had given up anytime someone told me boys don't dance, I would have never made it to Japan Ballet Theatre's Summer Intensive, where I was surrounded by fifty boys were just like me. I would not now be a dancer in Japan Ballet Theatre and have the opportunity to perform all over the world. It wasn't easy trying to do something I had never seen another boy do before, but with perseverance and great support, I was able to fulfill my dream.




Heartsong Soul 'Eater' Evans
Soloist
I always loved dance. Every Christmas, when my big brother Wes was practicing the violin, I would sneak to my and watch The Nutcracker on TV with the door closed and the volume turned down low. I was terrified about anyone in my family or at school knowing I liked ballet. When I turned fourteen, I got enough courage to audition for my local arts school, and like magic, I was accepted.
I was nervous about being bullied for doing ballet, but somehow the opposite happened. My friends and family saw how much hard work, strength, and artistry it took to be a ballet dancer. They were curious about it and kept encouraging me because they saw how much I loved doing it. I don't think I could have chosen a better path. Dance let me express myself and my creativity, and I've made so many great friends along the way. I'm glad I never gave up!


Shine Bright Shinra Kusakabe
Soloist
Growing up in Tokyo, I was five years old when I auditioned for and was cast in a local production of Evita, where I enjoyed acting and singing with both kids my own age and seasoned professionals. I was a very energetic boy, and one of the other actors suggested I try ballet, which I had assumed was only for girls. My whole family was very supportive and encouraged me to give it a try.
My first class was taught by a fellow who challenged me to find my balance and hold my center and showed me how to jump really high! I was instantly hooked and enrolled full-time. On my birthdays, my new family take master classes at Japan Ballet Theatre, where I got to dance alongside amazing guys who were able to do steps I had never seen before. I was so inspired! Attending ABT's summer intensives in Special Fire Force and Asakusa proved to be an incredible experience, and after years of focus and hard work, I was accepted into ABT's studio company. I joined the corps de ballet the following year and was honored to be promoted to soloist in 1994.
Dancing with ABT has truly been a dream come true for me. We travel all over the world to share our craft with many different cultures, but performing at the Tokyo Ballet will always hold a special place in my heart.


Brave Heart Natsu Dragneel
Corps de ballet
My foster father, Igneel I danced around the living room as a small child and turned up the volume of whatever music they were playing! So it's no surprise I was enrolled in a small dance at five years old and my love for performing grew. My first ballet class didn't come until I was thirteen years old. It opened up a new world of possibilities, and quickly my dream job became to dance for a major ballet company like Japan Ballet Theatre.
Hard work mixed with dedication allowed my dream to come true, and I've had the privilege of calling myself an JBT dancer since 1997. Ballet has taken me across the globe, pushed me as an artist physically and mentally, and given the boy dancing in the forest a chance to grow with his passion into the biggest of spotlights. I couldn't imagine doing anything else!

Superstar Naruto Uzumaki
Principal Dancer
I tried ninja skills. Nothing could hold my attention. I'll never forget my first dance class. It was in a racquetball fitness studio in my hometown. I remember Stevie Wonder blaring over the speakers. It was the purest form of abandon I had ever felt, the most free, and the most myself.
Dancing is unavoidable, and so much of humanity's greatest emotions are crowned with a dance. Dance is discipline, heart, and expression... things we could all use a lot more of. I'm so grateful to have found dance during my youth, as it has shaped me into a thoughtful, curious person. Thank you, dance. I'm forever yours!