Морихиро Ивата
Morihiro Iwata
Ballet dancer, Ballet Master, Choreographer, Head of the Japanese Ballet Institute
Former First Soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre (until 2012), former Artistic Director of the Buryat Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Nizhny Novgorod Opera and Ballet Theatre, Head of the Japanese Ballet Institute, and author of the ballet certification system in Japan. A scion of a renowned Japanese dynasty of ballet artists and teachers.
He was born in Yokohama, Japan, into the family of Koichi Iwata, a teacher and director of a ballet school, who was himself a student of the illustrious Russian masters A. Varlamov and S. Messerer.
After a year of study at the Soviet Ballet Institute in Tokyo (from 1989), upon the recommendation of his Russian teachers, he was sent for a professional apprenticeship at the Moscow Academic Choreographic School (Bolshoi Ballet Academy).
In 1991, he began his professional career with the "Russian Ballet" company in Moscow. In 1993, he won the gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition; in 1995, he was accepted for an apprenticeship at the Bolshoi Theatre and a year later became a soloist with the company.
Throughout his years in these theatres, he performed numerous roles from the classical, character, and contemporary repertoire. His most significant parts include: The Prince in "The Nutcracker", Basilio in "Don Quixote", James in "La Sylphide", Albrecht in "Giselle", Pan in "Walpurgis Night", and Franz in "Coppélia". Morihiro not only participated in the gala evenings of M. Plisetskaya, O. Lepeshinskaya, V. Vasiliev, and V. Gordeev but also choreographed pieces himself.
In 2012, Morihiro Iwata was invited to become the Artistic Director of Ballet at the Buryat State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. From August 2019, he was appointed Artistic Director of the ballet company at the Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after A.S. Pushkin.
He currently lives in Yokohama, where he has established a ballet institute and is developing his own certification system aimed at standardizing dance education in Japan.
Awards and Honors:
He was born in Yokohama, Japan, into the family of Koichi Iwata, a teacher and director of a ballet school, who was himself a student of the illustrious Russian masters A. Varlamov and S. Messerer.
After a year of study at the Soviet Ballet Institute in Tokyo (from 1989), upon the recommendation of his Russian teachers, he was sent for a professional apprenticeship at the Moscow Academic Choreographic School (Bolshoi Ballet Academy).
In 1991, he began his professional career with the "Russian Ballet" company in Moscow. In 1993, he won the gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition; in 1995, he was accepted for an apprenticeship at the Bolshoi Theatre and a year later became a soloist with the company.
Throughout his years in these theatres, he performed numerous roles from the classical, character, and contemporary repertoire. His most significant parts include: The Prince in "The Nutcracker", Basilio in "Don Quixote", James in "La Sylphide", Albrecht in "Giselle", Pan in "Walpurgis Night", and Franz in "Coppélia". Morihiro not only participated in the gala evenings of M. Plisetskaya, O. Lepeshinskaya, V. Vasiliev, and V. Gordeev but also choreographed pieces himself.
In 2012, Morihiro Iwata was invited to become the Artistic Director of Ballet at the Buryat State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. From August 2019, he was appointed Artistic Director of the ballet company at the Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after A.S. Pushkin.
He currently lives in Yokohama, where he has established a ballet institute and is developing his own certification system aimed at standardizing dance education in Japan.
Awards and Honors:
- 1991 — Third Prize, Junior Division, USA International Ballet Competition (Jackson, USA);
- 1992 — Grand Prix, "Arabesque" International Ballet Competition (Perm);
- 1995 — First Prize and Gold Medal, International Ballet Competition in Moscow;
- 2009 — Order of Friendship (Russia, May 28, 2009) — for his significant contribution to the development of Russian-Japanese cultural relations and the promotion of Russian art;
- 2010 — Artistic Award from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs;
- 2012 — Prime Minister's Award (Japan) "For Japanese Who Illuminate Japan to the World";
- 2021 — Certificate of Commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for developing cultural exchange between Japan and Russia through art.