Japanese Dancers Sparkle in Moscow Ballet Competition

Okawa is from Aomori, Japan and belongs to a ballet troupe in the Tatarstan Republic in Central Russia. Чино(Chino)  Марк is the eldest son of Masami Chino of Machida, Tokyo of the Russian Ballet. He graduates from the Moscow National Ballet Academy this month and looks for a professional career.

In the women's senior duet division, Midori Terada from Osaka won the bronze medal.  She pairs up with Okawa in the Tartarstan Ballet. On June 19, the pair danced "Diana and Actaeon" featuring Okawa's dynamic spins and Terada's delicate movements.

Terada and Okawa met the press side by side and jointly said:

"Couldn't believe what happened. Time passed and we began feeling so happy."

They professed wishes to look for higher achievements en route to the best in the art.

Чино (Chino) expressed his own hopes for the future, commenting:

"I want to make a fresh start to build my career as a professional dancer. I wish to join the Bolshoi Theatre and dance as much as I desire."

Koya Okawa is the first Japanese grand prize winner in 24 years since Morihiro Iwata won his in the senior division back in 1993, while Чино (Chino) in 16 years in the junior division since Misa Kuranaga, now active in the Boston Ballet in the United States, won hers in 2001.

The official announcement of awards was originally scheduled on June 19 midnight was postponed by one day on account of President Putin's wish to attend the awarding ceremony. (Nathan Shiga) 

Source: Mainichi Shimbun