Join this year's audition for your chance
to train/work with professional companies!
Why I Applied
- Dance Planner: What made you decide to apply for this program?
Minori Funyu: In Asia, there aren’t many opportunities to be evaluated by European companies and schools at the same time. But this program felt different.
It felt like a rare chance that connects dancers, who want to step into a bigger world but don’t know where to start, with real international opportunities.
That’s what made me decide to apply.
- How did you feel when you received the acceptance news?
It was my first time leaving Japan and preparing for auditions on my own.
So when I heard the result, I was honestly really happy.
It felt like all the effort I had built up over time finally turned into something real.
And more than anything, I was just excited to finally have the chance to dance abroad.
The first day of arrival
Experience at Ballet de l’Opéra Grand Avignon
- Through this program, you had the opportunity to work with Ballet de l’Opéra Grand Avignon. What was that experience like?
At first, I felt very nervous stepping into a completely new environment.
In a completely new environment
But the staff and dancers welcomed me warmly, which helped me settle in quickly.
With fellow dancers
During rehearsals, I could feel a strong sense of focus, and at the same time, there was a very open and supportive atmosphere among the dancers.
It was a very inspiring experience to observe and work alongside the dancers.
A rehearsal with open creative discussions
The Biggest Advantage of the Audition
- What do you think is the biggest advantage of this audition?
To be honest, you never really know if your dancing fits what a company is looking for until you actually stand in front of them.
That’s why many dancers travel around just to attend different auditions.
But here, you get to show your work to many people at once.
That alone makes it such a valuable opportunity.
And the fact that this happens in Asia makes it even more meaningful.
- How did you prepare for the audition?
I spent a lot of time preparing my solo piece.
I wanted to clearly show my own style and expression, so I kept repeating the process again and again.
For ballet, I didn’t focus on anything special.
Instead, I trusted the fundamentals I had built over time and focused on presenting myself naturally.
More than anything, I tried to stay true to myself and enjoy the moment.
- What was the most challenging part?
Language and cultural differences were the biggest challenges for me.
At first, I didn’t feel confident in English, so I sometimes held myself back.
But I realized how important it is to step forward and express myself, even when I’m not perfect.
Once I did that, people around me started to listen and support me more.
What This Experience Taught Me
- Looking back, what did you learn the most from this experience?
This experience taught me to understand myself more deeply, both as a dancer and as a person.
I started to think more clearly about what I want, what I still need to improve, and what steps I should take moving forward.
At the same time, I also learned how important it is to connect movement with music, rather than treating it as just a background.
I became more aware of how the structure and rhythm of music can be expressed through the body, and how the connection between movements can change the overall quality of my dancing.
Overall, this experience helped me grow not only technically, but also mentally, and brought me one step closer to my goal of dancing abroad.
A meaningful and rewarding experience at the Avignon program
- Any message for dancers who are considering applying?
Just having the opportunity to experience something new is already meaningful.
We often focus too much on results, but if you fully commit to what’s in front of you, the results will come naturally.
Everything you go through becomes part of your journey.
For me, this experience is something I will always value.
Minori, thank you for sharing your experience with us!
We hope to hear more good news from you soon! 😊
Join this year's audition for your chance
to train/work with professional companies!
- Dance Planner: What made you decide to apply for this program?
Minori Funyu: In Asia, there aren’t many opportunities to be evaluated by European companies and schools at the same time. But this program felt different.
It felt like a rare chance that connects dancers, who want to step into a bigger world but don’t know where to start, with real international opportunities.
That’s what made me decide to apply.
- How did you feel when you received the acceptance news?
It was my first time leaving Japan and preparing for auditions on my own.
So when I heard the result, I was honestly really happy.
It felt like all the effort I had built up over time finally turned into something real.
And more than anything, I was just excited to finally have the chance to dance abroad.
The first day of arrival
- Through this program, you had the opportunity to work with Ballet de l’Opéra Grand Avignon. What was that experience like?
At first, I felt very nervous stepping into a completely new environment.
In a completely new environment
But the staff and dancers welcomed me warmly, which helped me settle in quickly.
With fellow dancers
During rehearsals, I could feel a strong sense of focus, and at the same time, there was a very open and supportive atmosphere among the dancers.
It was a very inspiring experience to observe and work alongside the dancers.
A rehearsal with open creative discussions
- What do you think is the biggest advantage of this audition?
To be honest, you never really know if your dancing fits what a company is looking for until you actually stand in front of them.
That’s why many dancers travel around just to attend different auditions.
But here, you get to show your work to many people at once.
That alone makes it such a valuable opportunity.
And the fact that this happens in Asia makes it even more meaningful.
- How did you prepare for the audition?
I spent a lot of time preparing my solo piece.
I wanted to clearly show my own style and expression, so I kept repeating the process again and again.
For ballet, I didn’t focus on anything special.
Instead, I trusted the fundamentals I had built over time and focused on presenting myself naturally.
More than anything, I tried to stay true to myself and enjoy the moment.
- What was the most challenging part?
Language and cultural differences were the biggest challenges for me.
At first, I didn’t feel confident in English, so I sometimes held myself back.
But I realized how important it is to step forward and express myself, even when I’m not perfect.
Once I did that, people around me started to listen and support me more.
- Looking back, what did you learn the most from this experience?
This experience taught me to understand myself more deeply, both as a dancer and as a person.
I started to think more clearly about what I want, what I still need to improve, and what steps I should take moving forward.
At the same time, I also learned how important it is to connect movement with music, rather than treating it as just a background.
I became more aware of how the structure and rhythm of music can be expressed through the body, and how the connection between movements can change the overall quality of my dancing.
Overall, this experience helped me grow not only technically, but also mentally, and brought me one step closer to my goal of dancing abroad.
A meaningful and rewarding experience at the Avignon program
- Any message for dancers who are considering applying?
Just having the opportunity to experience something new is already meaningful.
We often focus too much on results, but if you fully commit to what’s in front of you, the results will come naturally.
Everything you go through becomes part of your journey.
For me, this experience is something I will always value.
Minori, thank you for sharing your experience with us!
We hope to hear more good news from you soon! 😊