Neneka Yoshida
Principal Artist
#Full Biography
Quick Facts
Born: Kanazawa, Japan
Commenced dancing: 3 years of age
Joined Queensland Ballet: As a Jette Parker Young Artist in 2014, promoted to Company Artist in 2015, followed by promotions to Soloist in 2018, Senior Soloist in 2019 and Principal Artist in 2021.
Fun Fact: Outside of the studio, Yoshida enjoys baking and often creates birthday cakes for her colleagues. Her sister is an artist, and Yoshida proudly displays her sister’s artworks in her dressing room and at home.
Yoshida began her training at 3 years old at the Keiko Miyanishi Ballet Studio in Japan. At 15, she moved to Paris, to commence professional training with Dominique Khalfouni. In 2010, Yoshida moved to Spain and studied under Victor Ullate at the Fundacion Para la Danza.
Yoshida was accepted into the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris in 2011, where she was taught by renowned coaches and former Etoiles of Paris Opera Ballet, Claude de Vulpian and Clairemarie Osta. In 2013, after participating in the finals of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne, Yoshida was offered a position as a Jette Parker Young Artist by former Artistic Director, Li Cunxin AO. In 2014, Yoshida moved to Australia to join Queensland Ballet. In 2015, Yoshida was promoted to Company Artist, Soloist in 2018, and Senior Soloist in 2019. In 2021, she was promoted to Principal Artist with the Company.
From a very young age, Yoshida watched The Sleeping Beauty countless times, completely captivated by its magical, glittering fairytale world. Dreaming of dancing Princess Aurora with a professional ballet company evolved into a deep determination to pursue a career in ballet.
When Yoshida joined Queensland Ballet, she was involved in Romeo and Juliet. Each evening, she watched the balcony pas de deux from the wings, deeply moved by the music, storytelling, choreography, and costumes, and dreamed that one day she would dance the role of Juliet.
Performing and telling the stories of Princess Aurora and Juliet stand among the most meaningful moments of Yoshida’s career. Another especially precious memory was having her mother in the audience on opening night of Coco Chanel: The Life of a Fashion Icon.
Performing in the gala, Ballet Asteras, in 2023 and 2024 at the New National Theatre Tokyo were also particularly memorable occasions.
- Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, title role in Manon and Bethena Waltz in Elite Syncopation by Sir Kenneth McMillan.
- Sugarplum Fairy and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, title role in Cinderella and Odile in Swan Lake by Ben Stevenson
- Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Nikiya in La Bayadére and Swanilda in Coppelia by Greg Horseman
- Title role in Giselle by Ai-Gul Gaisina
- Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, title role in The Firebird, Madame de Tourvel in Dangerous Liaisons by Liam Scarlett.
- Coco Chanel in Coco Chanel: The Life of a Fashion Icon by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
- Russian Girl in Serenade by George Balanchine
- Ballerina in Etudes by Harald Lander
- Strictly Gershwin by Derek Deane.
- Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen by Jiri Kylián
- Plainspoken by Benjamin Millepied
2012: Gold Medal of Concours International de Danse de Biarritz
2012: Gold Medal of Concours International Chausson d’Or in Paris.
2013: Finalist in Prix de Lausanne
2019: Rachael Walsh Artistic Award
Neneka's Advice for Young Dancers
“You can learn from watching other beautiful dancers but try to never compare yourself. We all have different physical abilities and strengths, and it is important to know yourself well and be confident with what you have.”
'Aurora', Greg Horsman's The Sleeping Beauty, 2021, David Kelly
'Kitri', Marius Petipa's Don Quixote, 2021, David Kelly
'Walts Couple', Kenneth MacMillan's Elite Syncopations, 2022, David Kelly
'Nikiya', Greg Horsman's La Bayadère, 2018, David Kelly
'Snow Queen', Ben Stevenson's The Nutcracker, 2021, David Kelly
'Ballerina', Harold Lander's Etudes, 2021, David Kelly
#Related
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