She has spent thirteeen years with our company, treating the audience to compelling renditions of the leading parts of our ballet repertoire. She arrived in Warsaw in 2011, having completed subsequent levels of education in Beijing, Tokyo, and Vancouver and danced equipped with considerable stage experience which she had gained in Canada, England, Norway, France, the USA, and Croatia. The Polish National Ballet was where she blossomed artistically. Here, she went through all the ranks of the company from the corps de ballet, to first soloist, to primaballerina. Here, she also met her now husband, the Spanish soloist Carlos Martín Pérez and gave birth to the couple's daughter, who has already won the hearts of the whole company during her frequent visits to our ballet studios accompanied by her mum or dad.
Over the years, Yuka Ebihara has become an integral part of our theatre and a beloved member of the Polish National Ballet. Her decision to retire came as a great surprise to all of us. We are both saddened and full of respect and admiration for Yuka's courage to take this bold step at the peak of her form and artistic career. We will long remember her exemplary self-discipline, professional responsibility, humility, natural charm, and—above all—her phenomenal performances. And there were many ...
The great artist says goodbye to our theatre at the end of the year, yet she will remain in Warsaw. We do not know what her professional plans are at this point, but knowing her passion and resolve, she will undoubtedly soon reinvent herself in a new role—it is just a shame that she will perform it beyond our stage. (pch)
Pictured: Yuka Ebihara as Marguerite Gautier in John Neumeier's The Lady of the Camellias, photo: Ewa Krasucka
