Our Town Inagi 2023: Mr. Shunsuke Nomura

Won the International Ballet Competition Preliminary Round (Senior Division)! Runner-up in the National Ballet Competition (Junior High School Boys Division)!

In January, Shunsuke Nomura (then a 3rd year student at Inagi Dai 3 Junior High School) won second place at the NBA National Ballet Competition (Boys Junior High School Division) held in Tokorozawa City.
Subsequently, he won first place at the Youth America Grand Prix 2023 Dallas Classic (Senior Division for ages 15 to 19), the largest ballet competition in the world, held in the United States from February 2 to 5, earning him a spot in the finals of the competition.
When asked about his thoughts on the competition, Nomura reflected, "No matter how wonderful the other dancers are, I was able to challenge the competition believing in the skills I have built up and not losing sight of my own dance."

Studying abroad to aim for greater heights

Mr. Nomura started ballet at the age of 4, inspired by his two older sisters who attended a ballet studio.
Currently, Mr. Nomura is studying abroad at The Dallas Conservatory (a selective ballet school aimed at aspiring professional ballet dancers). The opportunity to study abroad came after he won the JAPAN BALLET COMPETITION in October of his second year of junior high school, which led him to receive a full annual scholarship (waiving tuition and living expenses) from The Dallas Conservatory.
When asked about the rewarding aspects of studying abroad, he said, "I have more opportunities to perform than when I was in Japan, so I can play various roles, which is educational and enjoyable." He goes to the gym within the school almost every day after lessons, and he is experiencing a fulfilling environment for practice that he could not have in Japan.

Aiming to be the ideal dancer

When I asked Mr. Nomura, who is diligently practicing every day, about his future goals, he strongly stated, "I want to become a dancer who can bring joy to the audience watching my dance. And my ultimate goal is to become a professional ballet dancer." Additionally, when I inquired about his enthusiasm for the upcoming competition, he said, "I will dance to make it a wonderful stage, expressing my gratitude to the teachers and everyone involved who gave me this opportunity." Mr. Nomura, who is studying abroad and immersed in ballet every day, is someone to look forward to in the future.