OUR STORY

Artistic Director / Dancer

Aya Takeno is a passionate and accomplished dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Japan. She began her dance training at the age of five and has since gone on to win numerous awards in competitions in Japan. Aya also performed in many national treasure temples in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka. However, she felt that she was not dancing how she wanted to express her feelings. She wanted to create her own passion and love of dance that would allow her to connect with her audience on a deeper level.

In search of her passion, Aya moved to New York City. Since she came to NYC she was falling in love with Latin dance and started to take lessons. In 2016, she came in second place at the Manhattan Dance Championships, and in 2018, she won first place at the World Dance O-Rama.

Aya is a versatile dancer with a strong foundation in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and Latin dance. She is also a skilled choreographer with a unique and creative vision. Her choreography has been featured in performances at the Japan Parade 2023, the Asia-American Pacific Islander Heritage Cultural Parade, and other prestigious events in NYC.

In 2019, Aya held her first showcase, QUEENTET in New York City. Aya's journey from professional dancer to artistic director is a testament to her dedication and passion for dance. Aya is excited to continue to share her love of dance with the world, and she is looking forward to seeing what the future holds for her dance company, A.T. Dance Company.

Dancer

Maiko Harada, a native of Japan, holds a BFA in Dance Education from Ochanomizu National University of Japan. Falling in love with the diversity of dance in NYC, she relocated shortly after her graduation. Starting as a Latin Ballroom dancer, she was reintroduced and trained in Ballet, Modern techniques, and Theatre Jazz in Steps On Broadway as a part of their International Student Independent Study Program.

She is currently a seasonal dancer with Carolyn Dorfman Dance and General Mischief Dance Theatre and worked with choreographers such as Carolyn Dorfman, Juel Lane, Karen Gayle, Richard Pierlon, and Marijke Eliasburg to name a few. Maiko is thrilled to be back on stage with A.T. Dance Company!

Dancer

Mayu Yamashita is originally from Tokyo, Japan. She was a long-term learning “Kendo” Japanese Martial Arts and began her dance training at the age of 20 after being inspired by several dance musical films. In 2015, she moved to New York City to major in the International Independent Study Program (IISP) at Steps on Broadway. She trained in theater jazz, contemporary, lyrical, ballet, hip hop, and street jazz under the tutelage of Richard Pierlon, Al Blackstone, Max Stone, Derek Mitchell, and more.

After graduating, Mayu gained experience as a dancer, singer, choreographer, and Japanese drum performer in New York City, including performances at the Beacon Theater, the JAZZ at Lincoln Center, the United Nations, the Rainbow Room of Rockefeller Center, the Javits Center, and the Theater for both NYC and overseas.

Recently, Mayu has been interested in collaborating with artists, not only dancers, through her project DISSODANCE. It is a platform for artists to come together and create new and innovative work. Mayu believes that dance can be a powerful tool for communication and expression. She is excited to share her experience and perform with A.T. Dance Company!

Dancer

Tsubasa Nishioka was born in Japan. He began his dance training at the age of 7 with classical ballet and then added modern dance and contemporary dance. He has won several awards, including 1st place in the Chiba Selected Junior and New Comer Performance, and 2nd place in the NBA National Ballet Competition.

Tsubasa has performed as a soloist in Japan and the USA in "Water Flow," a choreography by Fumihito Shimizu. He has also performed "Director Selection" with the NBA Ballet Dance Company in Japan. In 2017, Tsubasa was accepted to The Ailey School for a year program, and he received a scholarship in 2018. He performed "Battlefield," choreographed by Robert Battle and Elisa Clark, at Ailey Spirit Gala 2018 with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Lincoln Center.

Tsubasa has worked with various choreographers, including Jiemin Yang, Matthew Westerby, Winston Brown, Manuel Vignoulle, Mitzi Adams, Darshan Bhuller, Omar Roman de Jesus, and Marcus Jarrell Wills. He is currently a member of i KADA Dance Company, Yu.S Artistry, Accent Dance, AP Dance, and J CHEN PROJECT. He is grateful for the opportunities to work with talented choreographer Aya Takeno and A.T. Dance Company.

Dancer

Kisara Nonaka is a jazz-based dancer originally from Osaka, Japan. She began her dance training at the age of three, and she explored a variety of dances including modern, contemporary, and jazz since then. She was inspired to move to NYC by her dance teacher, who worked at the dance company in NYC. In 2018, she moved to NYC and graduated from Peridance Center in 2022 in dance performance.

In 2018, Kisara was awarded a scholarship to work with Jennifer Muller/The Works. She spent a year as an apprentice with the company. She has also worked with Barkin/Selissen Project, The Next Stage Project, and the 32nd Pack dance company.

This is Kisara's first time working with A.T. dance company, and she is excited to be a part of the team. She is looking forward to sharing her beauty of dance with the audience.

Dancer

Yuliya Chitose grew up in Yamagata, Japan. She has participated in Gagalab NYC winter intensive and the Fadi J Khoury Dance, where she performed in the works of choreographer Fadi J Khoury. Additionally, she has been the opportunity to work with Dance space company, Takeshi Ohashi director of "Two Man" and Benjamin Briones Ballet company.

She trained under some incredible ballet mentors such as Hidemi Abe, and Noriko Koyama, and has had the pleasure of performing in roles such as Sugar Plum, Odetto, a Soloist from "Don Quixote"

Yuliya is thrilled to be joining A.T.Dance Company and Dancers this year and can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Dancer

Sara Horiuchi is a ballet-based dancer originally from Tokyo, Japan. She began her ballet and dance training at the age of 3 at Horimoto Ballet School and continued her studies at Tokyo Ballet School in 2015. In junior high school, she joined a musical club and became interested in musical theater. In 2017, she attended a musical audition for the first time and discovered her love of jazz dance. She then began studying jazz, theater, and theme park dance at HatsuNe Studio.

Sara attended a summer workshop with Broadway Theater, where she fell in love with Broadway musicals. Before moving to NYC, she was a student at Western Wyoming Community College, where she took classes with Stephen Cramer, Michelle McConnell, and Rebecca Mayer. She performed in "Footloose" and "Once Upon A Mattress" as an ensemble member.

She moves to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer in NYC. She recently performed as Swanhilda's friend in "Coppelia" with CityDance NY. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with A.T. Dance Company.

Singer

Aya Nakamura was born in Hiroshima, Japan, and her father is a blues lover who taught her to play the piano at the age of three. She started singing at the age of 15, and after she started her carrier as a singer-songwriter in Hiroshima, she moved to Tokyo.

In Tokyo, Aya graduated from the jazz vocal department of the Music School MESAR HAUS. She sang at clubs and bars as a jazz singer, and she also sold CDs with her own original songs. In 2015, she moved to New York to learn more about jazz vocals. She enrolled in the City College jazz vocal department, and she is currently taking lessons, participating in events, and composing.

Aya Nakamura's favorite singers are Jane Monheit, Claudia Acuña, and John Legend. She is inspired by their unique voices and their ability to express emotions through their music. She is passionate about music, and she is always looking for new ways to express herself through her voice. She is excited to collaborate with A.T. Dance Company.

Singer

Showji Kumamoto, a singer from Fukuoka, Japan, has been based in New York since 2010. He has performed at impressive venues such as the Apollo Theater and the McDonald's Gospel Festival, where he was a solo finalist. He has also had a lead role in an Off-Broadway show and was a section leader in a Gospel choir. When he started releasing his original music, he flew around the country to perform in places such as Las Vegas, LA, San Francisco, and Colorado. He even sang the national anthem at a festival in Las Vegas.

Showji sings everywhere, whether it's on the streets of NYC, at subway stations, or in front of the clothing store Rag&Bone in Soho. He was even asked by a fashion show designer to perform one of his original songs at New York fashion week after they heard him singing there. One of his Tiktok videos, featuring him chatting with the store manager at Rag&Bone, recently went viral with over 500k views. He is excited to share his passion and talents with the A.T. Dance company.