Maiko Nishino

Maiko Nishino won The Norwegian Critics' Award (dance) 2004/2005 for her role as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake.

Fredrik Rütter said the following, among other things, in his award ceremony speech on behalf of Norwegian Critics' Association:

"Even at her young age the award winner of the year has had to take a number of serious decisions related to her choice of profession, choices leading her to Norway and The Norwegian National Ballet. Her meeting with classical ballet at the age of then was fateful.

Kenneth Macmillan's Romeo & Juliet, danced by The Royal Ballet, hit her in the heart. She says that from that moment on she was willing to quit basketball and everything else she was doing, just to be able to dance the ballet. The award winner was born in Osaka in Japan 25 years ago."

Sources:

Norwegian Critics'Association, kritikerlaget.no, 29.09.2011, http://www.kritikerlaget.no/pages/nor/169-maiko_nishino_mottok_dansekritikerprisen

Kulturspeilet, www.pluto.no, 20.11.2013, http://www.pluto.no/kulturspeilet/faste/dno/svanesjoen05.html

The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, www.operaen.no, 20.11.2013, http://www.operaen.no/Om-DNOB/Nasjonalballetten/Maiko-Nishino/

• Tom Wilhelmsens Opera og Ballettpris 2009 - Tom Wilhelmsens Opera og Ballettpris
• Norwegian Critics' Award 2004/05 - Norwegian Critics' Award (dance)