Our highly experienced teachers
for Ballet, Character dance, Pilates, Tap, Modern and Stretch.
MAMI HARIYAMA
Founder,Director,Ballet
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.
She 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. She 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.
AKIKO MAKINO
Ballet
Mat Group Pilates
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. She 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.
She 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.
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 at the school then she became an assistant teacher of Yukari Ballet. She performed title roll "The Sleeping Beauty", "Coppelia"and more. She was casted by the well known choreographers and performed with Tatsue Sata, Hideo Fukagawa ,Vladimir Issaev.
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.
She has ABT® certification pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT National Training Curriculum (American Ballet Theater) and PBT certification (Progressing Ballet Technique).
She is a company member of Benjamin Briones Ballet from 2018. She performed at International Ballet Festival of Union City and Booking Dance Festival at Jazz at Lincoln center and more with this company.
Benjamin Briones Ballet
https://benjaminbrionesballet.org/our-team/meet-yui/
週刊ニューヨーク生活
https://www.nyseikatsu.com/interview/02/2019/24579/
Japan Voice
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 Experiencehttp://thebroadwayexperience.com/ Re:Bournehttp://new-adventures.net/rebourneNew Adventureshttp://new-adventures.net/
TOMO
K-POP
Tomoko Ishikawa was born and raised in Tokyo, where she started her career as a dancer. She then moved to New York to find new inspiration. Tomoko has worked with various teachers and choreographers all over NYC.
She has become busy with her own teaching and work,She performed for various artists such as Cardi B, Missy Elliott, French Montana, Remy ma, Ciara, Madonna, Lil Kim, and Backstreet Boys. Also She featured her self for Fashion brand “Converse” commercial.
Also big studios in Asia has been inviting her for special workshops.
Tomoko will continue to garner attention in both NYC and Japan as an innovative hiphop dancer and choreographer.
Nami
Kim
Contemporary & Jazz
Nami Kim is a NYC / Tokyo based dancer, performer, model, and educator.
She was born and raised in Tokyo and is of Korean heritage. Her training background in Japan varied such as ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, hip hop, locking, house, heels, and voice. She moved to NYC to pursue a BA in dance at Hunter College CUNY in 2017, and in 2019, she got into The Ailey School as a professional division student. After graduation, she joined Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company in 2021. Her performance experiences in NY include works by Blakeley White-McGuire, Larry Keigwin, Peter Cheng, Jessica Castro, Jere Hunt, Rebecca Margolick, Jamie Thompson, Karisma Jay, Drye/Marinaro Dance Company, Yu.S.Artistry Dance Company, Parsons Dance, Monica Bill Barnes & Company, and Doug Varone and Dancers.
She also currently teaches dance/movement classes for autistic kids at Regional Day School in NJ, and she is exploring how to navigate them into the joy of dance and moving their body.
YUKA KAWASAKI
Ballet
Yoga
Yuka Kawasaki graduated Osaka University of Arts with a degree in Ballet at theatrical performing arts division. She is American Ballet Theatre Certified teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT teacher training intensive in pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT National Training Curriculum and affiliated teacher from American Ballet Theater.
She is a certificated pilates teacher by Pilates Academy International. RYT200, RYPT85 yoga teacher. Teaching anatomy and yoga posture for yoga teacher training. Currently teaching ballet, yoga, pilates and body conditioning in NYC and NJ. She has various experience in Ballet performances, events as a dancer and a choreographer.
YUKIKO
MURAI
Pelvic Alignment Core Yoga
Yukiko has moved back and forth 3 times between Japan and the U.S. in the last 15 years. Having given the birth to four children, she knows more than anyone else how Yoga can assist and support women before and after the childbirth and started teaching“Pelvic Alignment Core Yoga”with a wish to help as many mothers as possible. She has earned RYT200,and is a certified trainer of Yoga Ed. Kids Yoga, Maternity Yoga.
Pelvic Alignment Core Yoga？
Pelvic Alignment Core Yoga focuses on strengthening core muscles, their mobility around the pelvis and pelvic floor through simple stretches, massage and easy core exercises. This class is ideal for women with menopausal symptoms, urinary incontinence, back pain or stiff shoulders and there is no need to have prior Yoga experience.
ERIKO
IISAKU
Guest Contemporary
and
Jazz Teacher
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
AYAKA
KAMEI
Guest Contemporary
and
Jazz
Ayaka Kamei is a freelance dancer/teaching artist based in New York. She most recently concluded her two-year contract with the world tour of The Phantom of the Opera as a dancer/singer.
Following her early training at Tatewaki Hiroko Ballet School in Ehime, Japan, she graduated from Northern Ballet School in England as well as SUNY Purchase, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a President Award for Achievement in the Conservatory of Dance. She was selected to study abroad at Codarts in the Netherlands and Springboard Danse Montréal as well.
Ayaka has danced with many companies including The Metropolitan Opera, MorDance, New York Theatre Ballet, AZOTH Dance Theatre and Ayalis In Motion. She has performed works by choreographers such as Balanchine, Cunningham, Tudor, Roy Assaf, Aszure Barton, Dario Dinuzzi, John Heginbotham, Jessica Lang, Austin McCormick, Keith Michael, David Needham, Matthew Neenan, Alexei Ratmansky, Taryn Kaschock Russell and Bettijane Sills, among others.
As a teaching artist, Ayaka has had the pleasure of teaching ballet, contemporary, jazz and yoga in Japan and New York at places such as SUNY Purchase, Gibney Dance, Chen Dance Center, Dance Project of Washington Heights, Artistry Dance Project, Greenwich Dance Studio, Hariyama Ballet, Tatewaki Hiroko Ballet School, Musashino University, and more. She takes a contemporary approach to the traditional forms and emphasizes the importance of musicality and fluidity in the dancing body. Dancing is a source of happiness for her, and she is delighted to share it with everybody.
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