We recently connected with Manatsu Aminaga and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Manatsu thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I want to make the world richer and more peaceful by conveying, sharing, and presenting messages by transporting people to different worlds through the power of art. Art has great power. Art has existed since the birth of humans until today, and it will never disappear. It has the meaning of existence as a human being.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Manatsu Aminaga was born and raised in Japan. She started her Classical Ballet training at Yoshimura Dance Center. She has participated in international dance competitions including Japan International Ballet Festival Conteporary (1st Place) and Seoul International Dance Carnival Solo Grand Prix. She received a scholarship for the Peridance Center Certificate Program Contemporary and Ballet Track in 2021. She has trained with Igal Perry, Nikki Holck, Richard Chen See and has worked with Nathan Trice, Jesse Obremski, Cesar Brodermann, Gregory Dolbashian and more.
She joined Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company, Marie-Christine Giordano Dance and Fadi J Khoury Dance in 2023.
She is currently working with Preston Mui and Stephanie Jae Park for a new sexy version of “I Enjoy Being a Girl” (Playbill), in addition to a Pre-Production Work for White Rose, The Musical Off-Broadway with Jordan Ryder.
She joined new musical Ice Queen – The 92nd Street Y, New York with Megan Doyle from 2024.

I strongly feel that the human connection, culture, tradition, and history of a region are closely related to art, and I work every day to become a person who can present art in today’s complexly intertwined society.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I was two years old, my mother took me to ballet class. She hated dancing. For some reason, I started immersing myself in dancing when I was in middle school, but I realized that I couldn’t become a ballerina because I was too short. It’s hard to give up on your dreams…I couldn’t do anything for a while, then I discovered contemporary dance and fell in love with being able to express myself freely with my body.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This means that the things that are evaluated in different fields are completely different. I especially felt that since I came to the United States from Japan, there are cultural differences and the standards for being evaluated are different. Whenever I take on a new job, I always keep this in mind and try to look at everything from various perspectives: what should be my top priority, what is expected of me, and what I want to do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: manatsu1210
• Facebook: Manatsu Aminaga

Image Credits
@paul.sokoloff @kuo.image