Overview
Tetsuya Kumakawa
(b. 1972)
Quick Reference
(b Hokkaido, 5 Mar. 1972)
Japanese-British dancer. He studied locally, then at the Royal Ballet School, graduating into the company in 1989 when he was also promoted soloist, becoming principal (1993–1998). A charismatic demi-caractère dancer with outstanding aerial virtuosity and an extravagant pirouette technique, he dances a wide repertory of classical and modern roles. He has been one of the few dancers permitted to dance the Baryshnikov role in Tharp's Push Comes to Shove and he has created roles in MacMillan's Prince of the Pagodas (1989) and Tharp's Mr Worldly Wise (1995), among others. In 1998 he left the Royal to lead and star in his own company, K Ballet. Based in Tokyo, but touring internationally, the company performs the classical repertory with a few works by Ashton, MacMillan, and Balanchine and some newly commissioned work. It opened its associate school in 2004, Kumakawa enjoys cult status in Japan, though in 2007 injury forced him off the stage for long periods.
http://www.k-ballet.co.jp Website for the K Ballet and its school
