Anna Ishii
Principal Dancer · Assistant Artistic Director
Ballet Mistress · Choreographer
Kanagawa, Japan
Anna Ishii is a Japanese ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher. She is a founding member of Ballet de Barcelona, where she currently serves as Principal Dancer, Assistant Artistic Director and Ballet Mistress.
Born in Kanagawa, Japan, Ishii began ballet at the age of five at Yamada Ballet Studio. She continued her training internationally at the Australian Ballet School and the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp in Belgium, graduating from the latter in 2013. Her training also included programs with American Ballet Theatre and P.A.R.T.S. in Belgium.
After graduating, Ishii returned to Japan and joined Tokyo City Ballet, where she danced for five years. Her repertoire included Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Paquita and other classical and contemporary works.
She later returned to Europe and danced with Ballet de Catalunya before joining Ballet de Barcelona as a founding dancer in 2019.
At Ballet de Barcelona, Giselle has become one of the defining roles of Ishii's career. She has performed the title role extensively in the company's full-length production, as well as excerpts in gala performances. Her performances as Giselle have been central to the development and success of the production, which has become one of Ballet de Barcelona's most successful and frequently presented full-length works.
Her repertoire with Ballet de Barcelona also includes George Balanchine's Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux and Allegro Brillante, staged by Joaquín De Luz, as well as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Swan Lake, Perspectives and Tongues.
As a guest artist, Ishii has performed in galas and special performances in Spain, Japan and the United States. These include Ballet Ensemble Gala in Japan, the Gala de Estrellas de la Danza in Logroño, Girona en Moviment, and ARTS HEAL, the 2022 international benefit performance at Artis—Naples in Southwest Florida supporting artists and cultural organizations affected by Hurricane Ian.
Alongside her performing career, Ishii works as a choreographer. Her credits include Peter and the Wolf, Perspectives and choreographic work for Ballet de Barcelona's Swan Lake. She has also taught and coached dancers through masterclasses and company programs.
As Assistant Artistic Director and Ballet Mistress of Ballet de Barcelona, Ishii works in the preparation and coaching of the company's professional dancers and younger artists while continuing to perform as a Principal Dancer.