Photo: Luciano Romano

He was born in Casale Monferrato, Italy. He trained there and, from the age of 12, at the ballet school of La Scala, Milan. He graduated into the company and was promoted to principal in 1996. He was made an Étoile in the season 2003/04. In 2009, he was made a principal of American Ballet Theater in addition to his position with La Scala. He has also danced with companies around the world, with great artists including Carla Fracci, Alessandra Ferri, Sylvie Guillem and Svetlana Zakharova. In 2015, he performed as Des Grieux in L'Histoire de Manon at the farewell performance of Aurélie Dupont. With The Tokyo Ballet, he danced in Swan Lake in 2014 and Giselle in 2015.

She joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2004. Ueno's repertoire includes leading roles of Don Quixote, Boléro, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, and solo roles in Kabuki, In the Night and Maurice Béjart's The Ninth Symphony.

She joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2006 and was promoted to Principal in 2016. Kawashima's repertoire includes leading roles of Études, Spring and Fall, Vladimir Malakhov's The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, La Bayadère and In the Night.

He joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2008. Tsukamoto's repertoire includes leading roles of La Sylphide, The Kabuki, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, and Maurice Béjart's The Ninth Symphony. He also danced as Escamillo of Mats Ek's Carmen with Sylvie Guilleme.

She joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2001. Nara's repertoire includes the leading and solo roles of The Kabuki, Le Sacre du printemps, Études, Paquita, Don Quixote and Giselle and dances the Spanish dance and Mazurka in Swan Lake. She has been dancing Gamzatti in La Bayadère since its premiere by the Company.

She joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2008. Denda's repertoire includes solo roles such as Carabosse of The Sleeping Beauty (The Tokyo Ballet's adapted version for children), Ursula in John Neumeier's Romeo and Juliet, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, and dances the Spanish Dance and Mazurka in Swan Lake.

She joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2004 and was promoted to Principal in 2016. Watanabe's repertoire includes leading roles of La Sylphide, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, The Kabuki and Theme and Variations.

He joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2011. Kishimoto's repertoire includes the leading roles of The Sleeping Beauty, Tam-tam et percussion, Le Sacre du printemps, Vladimir Bourmeister's Swan Lake, and Bronze Idol of La Bayadere and Maurice Béjart's The Ninth Symphony.

He joined The Tokyo Ballet in 2013. Nittono's repertoire includes the solo roles of Tam-tam et percussion, Mats Ek's Carmen, Giselle, Bronze Idol of La Bayadere, Études, The Kabuki, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated and Maurice Béjart's The Ninth Symphony.