Ryoko Yagyu

Ryoko Yagyu was born in Japan. She began dancing at the age of three and completed her training at the Viennese Conservatory in Austria. During her training, she was invited to perform at the International Festival of World Ballet Stars in the Ukraine. Performances with other companies include principal roles in La Sylphide, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake with Vienna Festival Ballet.

She has made guest appearances in principal roles with the Irish National Youth Ballet and Pasodos Dance Company in Mallorca. She has also worked with New English Ballet Theatre, London, performing a mixed repertoire of new works, and with Peter Schaufuss Ballet where she performed soloist roles in Frederick Ashton’s Romeo and Juliet. She has also performed as a guest artist with the Ballet Festival of Indonesia. Her competition credits include the Kobe Dance Junior and Senior Competitions, the Prix de Lausanne and the Premio Roma. Before joining Joburg Ballet as a principal dancer at the beginning of 2025 she was a principal dancer with Ballet Ireland where she performed in Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Die Fledermaus, Giselle and Bold Moves.