Art Encouragement Newcomer Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 18 (1968) award
Noriko Ohara
おおはら のりこ
Ohara Noriko
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1943-12-08 （Suginami, Tokyo, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Suginami, Tokyo, Japan → Kansai (evacuated during WWII) → Kamakura, Japan → London, United Kingdom → Glasgow / Scotland, United Kingdom → Basel, Switzerland → New York, United States
Career
- Occupations
- Ballet dancer, Ballet instructor, Artistic director
- Active Years
- 1948-
- Affiliations
- Maki Asami Ballet Company, Scottish Ballet, Basel Ballet, New London Ballet, New National Theatre Ballet (Japan)
- Memberships
- Japan Ballet Association
- Influenced By
- Tachibana Akiko, Peter Darrell, Galina Samsova, Jack Carter, Robert Cohan, John Cranko, Kenneth MacMillan
- Influenced
- Successive generations of dancers trained at New National Theatre Ballet and elsewhere, Japanese professional ballet dancers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meisei Gakuen | — | — | — | — | Japan |
Meisei Gakuen
Country:
Japan
Trained as an apprentice at Tachibana Akiko's ballet school (apprenticeship)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Art Encouragement Prize (New Artist) - Minister of Education Award | — | — | Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) | 受賞 |
| 1972 | Critics' Association Prize | — | — | Critics' Association (Japan) | 受賞 |
| 1976 | Tachibana Akiko Prize (Excellence Award) | — | — | Tachibana Akiko Prize Committee | 受賞 |
| 1982 | Art Encouragement Prize - Minister of Education Award | — | — | Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) | 受賞 |
| 1991 | Hattori Chieko Prize | — | — | Japan Ballet Association | 受賞 |
| 1997 | Order of the British Empire (OBE) | — | — | The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (United Kingdom) | 受章 |
| 2004 | Purple Ribbon Medal | — | — | Government of Japan (Cabinet Office) | 受章 |
| 2014 | Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays | — | — | Government of Japan (Cabinet Office) | 受章 |
Art Encouragement Prize (New Artist) - Minister of Education Award
1968
Organization:
Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result:
受賞
Critics' Association Prize
1972
Organization:
Critics' Association (Japan)
Result:
受賞
Tachibana Akiko Prize (Excellence Award)
1976
Organization:
Tachibana Akiko Prize Committee
Result:
受賞
Art Encouragement Prize - Minister of Education Award
1982
Organization:
Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result:
受賞
Hattori Chieko Prize
1991
Organization:
Japan Ballet Association
Result:
受賞
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
1997
Organization:
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (United Kingdom)
Result:
受章
Purple Ribbon Medal
2004
Organization:
Government of Japan (Cabinet Office)
Result:
受章
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays
2014
Organization:
Government of Japan (Cabinet Office)
Result:
受章
Awards & Nominations
Art Encouragement Prize for Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
1 appearances
-
Edition 32 (1982) award
Works
Major Works
Swan Lake
BalletPerformed the lead role in full-length productions at age 18 and earned acclaim for classical repertoire.
LoveBetrayalTragedy
Romeo and Juliet (Cranko)
BalletFavored John Cranko's Juliet; she said she drew on life experience when interpreting the role.
LoveConflictTragedy
Carmen
BalletKnown for dramatic portrayals, including the role of Carmen in Darrell's choreography.
PassionRebellionTragedy
A Midsummer Night's Dream
BalletPerformed roles such as Hippolyta in Robert Cohan's choreography to critical acclaim.
FantasyHuman relationshipsComedy and tragedy intertwined
Cinderella (Prokofiev)
BalletAn example of her wide repertoire spanning classical and contemporary works.
GrowthHopeTrials
La Péri
BalletPerformed as part of her repertoire and praised for delicate expression.
MysteryFantasy
The Tales of Hoffmann
BalletShowcased dramatic expressive power in narrative-driven productions.
FantasyHuman drama
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Technique-based expression grounded in classical balletPerformance style emphasizing dramatic actingMature expression that draws on life experience
- Recurring Motifs
- Humanistic character portrayalsMature female figuresDramatic emotional expression
Health
-
Ankle injuries (surgery)1979Underwent two surgeries; after rehabilitation she returned to the stage.
-
Knee bone injury (surgery)1981Underwent surgeries; doctors estimated 7-8 months recovery, but she returned in about five months.
Legacy
An internationally active prima ballerina representing Japan, who contributed to the training of younger dancers as a teacher and artistic director. She received numerous domestic and international honors and left a significant impact on Japanese ballet.
Academic Societies
- Japan Ballet Association
Archives
- New National Theatre (Japan) Archives
In Popular Culture
- Featured in the photo spreads of girls' magazines and became an idol for young women
Quotes
-
My goal is an 'adult ballet company.' I want to cultivate dancers who can express what they want through dance and satisfy audiences.
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun (Evening edition) (2014) -
Juliet is my favorite role.
Source: Ballerinas' Album (dance magazine) (1998)
Trivia
- Born as the fourth of five siblings.
- Entered Tachibana Akiko's ballet school at age five.
- As a child, her mother made stage costumes and pointe shoes by hand.
- Underwent ankle surgery in 1979 and knee surgery in 1981 but made early returns to the stage.
- Awarded the OBE in 1997 as a Japanese artist (according to sources).
- Received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays in 2014.