Our Dancers

Photo and Projection Design: Alexander Waite Mitchell (2024)

Aki began her ballet journey at the age of four, training under the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus and successfully completing her Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced 2 examinations. She later pursued further studies at the London Studio Centre and Rambert Ballet School in England.
In 2000, she was honoured with the Akiko Tachibana Ballet Scholarship. Her professional dance career in Japan included performances as a principal and soloist in major classical works such as Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Coppélia, Le Corsaire, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, La Bayadère, Paquita, and Giselle. She also made notable television appearances, including a flexibility challenge on “Tokoro-san no Megaten” and a feature exploring why ballet dancers don’t get dizzy.
Her versatility extended into contemporary ballet. After being selected through national auditions, she performed in productions such as Carnival of Animals and Mozart Piano Concerto with the Japanese Ballet Association.
As a teacher, Aki has worked with students from age three to adult at Miyaki Ballet Studio in Tokyo. While living in Adelaide, she taught local children ballet in Japanese through private group classes. She later continued teaching in Japan at various schools, including those following RAD and BC syllabus. Since returning to Adelaide, Aki has been an integral part of Adelaide Ballet from its early development.

Elia is an emerging talent in dance. She started ballet when she was 6 years old as a hobby and this has developed into a passion. She has classes at Terry Simpson Studios and is also under the tutelage of Sarah Humeniuk.
Elia was a finalist at the 2023 Australian Classical Grand Prix and the bronze medal in both classical and contemporary dance at the 2023 Asian Ballet Competition. She completed the Royal Academy of Dance Advanced 1 exam with High Distinction and has attained her Certificate IV in Dance.
Elia looks forward to dancing for her home state for many years to come.

Imogen Walters is a classically trained dancer who graduated from the renowned Vaganova Ballet Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. After completing her studies, Imogen worked for the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, and later at the Ballett am Rhein in Düsseldorf, Germany. Imogen has officially joined Adelaide Ballet as a company dancer.

Thomas Jones, born in Melbourne, began dancing at eight and quickly developed a strong passion for ballet. He trained at the Brian Nolan Dance Academy before moving to VCASS, where he continued to grow under dedicated teachers. In 2022, he joined The Australian Ballet School in Level 5, gaining opportunities to work with acclaimed choreographers and perform a wide range of repertoire, including a standout role in Nijinsky alongside members of The Australian Ballet.
In his final year as a Level 8 student, Thomas enjoyed performing on The Australian Ballet’s National Tour, especially in George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante and Paul Knobloch’s The Nutcracker. He remained passionate about ballet’s creativity and expression, and outside the studio, he enjoyed skating, surfing, playing music, and spending time with loved ones.