HITOMI NAKAMURA (JAPAN)
For some, the thought of performing live is terrifying but for the admittedly shy Hitomi Nakamura dancing on stage is the perfect place for her to express herself. “I have no hesitation dancing in front of an audience. For me, dance is the most comfortable way to speak.”
A native of Japan, Hitomi has competed around the world including placing first in the Senior Category at Ballet Competition in Tokyo in 2011. She also earned First Place in the Ensemble Category at Youth America Grand Prix NYC final. Hitomi trained at Kaneta Kouno Ballet Academy in Japan and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. Some of her favorite roles include Cinderella in Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella, the Russian Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade and Giselle in Giselle. Last season, she danced the principal role of Daisy Buchanan in Jorden Morris’ The Great Gatsby.
Hitomi says that at the height of the pandemic, dancing was difficult due to contact challenges, especially when partnering. “It seemed impossible to do the job in that situation at first, but the whole organization worked together to bring the arts back.
Orlando Ballet School Alumni ’14. This is Hitomi’s eighth season with Orlando Ballet
Photography by Michael Cairns 2022