Interview: THE LION KING Broadway Musical's Former Dancer, Aya Yasuda Thriving in Paris

Aya Yasuda: A dancer from Japan with 14 years of experience in Paris. She began ballet at the age of 8 and entered the Ballet National de Marseille in France at 18. She performed as a dancer in the Broadway musical "The King and I" at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris in 2014, in the opening ceremony of "UEFA EURO 2016," and in the opening ceremony of the "Red Sea International Film Festival" in Saudi Arabia in 2023. From 2017 to 2019, she actively participated in opera productions such as "My Fair Lady," "Un bal masqué," and "Les noces de Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)“ at opera theaters in France and the Netherlands. One of her notable works was as the original dancer in the Broadway musical "The Lion King" (2021-2023) at the Paris Mogador Theatre.

What made you start ballet?

Since childhood, I enjoyed playing outdoors, liked moving my body, and even took trampoline lessons. The opportunity to start ballet arose when my childhood friend invited me to watch a ballet lesson. It was enjoyable, and I have been continuing ever since.

Did you decide on your own to go to Paris?

The desire to go abroad existed since my late elementary school years. My ballet coach suggested, "If you want to do ballet, learn the French method because it originated there," so I searched for schools from that point.

Have you been working towards this goal since your elementary school days?

I started participating in competitions around the sixth grade of elementary school, and from that time, I became more serious about pursuing ballet. Also, I had a desire to go abroad. When I returned to Japan at the age of 20 and opened a time capsule, there was a note saying, "I might be living abroad..." which made me realize that the desire to go abroad had been there since that time.

Do you plan to continue your activities in Paris in the future?

For now, that's the plan. I obtained a 10-year visa for Paris, so it's a bit more secure. I don't have to worry about visa renewal every 1-2 years. I want to broaden my horizons this year and work on things I've always wanted to do.

The visa issue seems significant for working abroad. How did you manage your visa and employment after studying in Paris on a student visa?

I got injured soon after arriving in Marseille, and there was a period when I wanted to return. At that time, I discussed with my parents whether to stay or not, applied for an artist visa, and decided to stay if I could get it. I applied once, and miraculously, I got a three-year artist visa.
 

After that, the visa system changed, and I had to renew it for each job contract. There was a time during the COVID-19 pandemic when I could only get a one-year visa. I obtained a two-year visa for "The Lion King" and finally a 10-year visa this year.

Could you tell us about the audition for "The Lion King," how you got cast, and the process?

I auditioned for "The Lion King" three times. The first two were for the one in Spain, quite a while ago. The first audition was right after arriving in Paris, and the second was about seven years ago. I made it to the final selection, but that year there were no openings for female roles, and no one was hired.
 

However, the next year, I received a sudden call from Spain, saying, "There's an opening position, please come." At that time, I was on an opera tour in the Netherlands, so I couldn't make it and had to pass. Later, I happened to find out about the audition for "The Lion King" in Paris and thought, "I have to try this," so I auditioned and finally got accepted after six months of auditions.

How was it when you were finally accepted?

I was genuinely happy because I had never thought I would be involved with "The Lion King." When I first came to Paris, I auditioned for "The Lion King" show at Disneyland Paris and got rejected towards the end. I also auditioned twice in Spain. This time, it was a matter of timing that I passed. 

Although you appeared as part of the ensemble, did you have any singing practice before?

I didn't practice singing much, but for musical auditions, even for dancers, there is a singing evaluation at the end. I had been rejected at that stage in other auditions, so I thought, "I need to polish this." When I decided to audition for "The Lion King," I asked a friend who was studying phonetics in Paris for several lessons and went for the audition with that preparation.

What is the most memorable thing from your time in "The Lion King”?

The most memorable thing is the first-year production period. "The Lion King" has been running in many countries for many years, and it's common for new members to rehearse separately and perform when they are ready. In our case, everyone was in their first year. Rehearsals were delayed by a year due to the impact of the pandemic.
 

After the pandemic subsided, we finally met face-to-face, underwent a two-month rehearsal period, and then the performances began. Due to the pandemic, we couldn't meet people for a long time, and we all were the original cast so there was a strong bond among us.

I’m sure there have been countless challenges leading up to the present, but what was the most challenging thing for you?

Getting injured right after arriving was the most challenging. It was quite serious, causing pain in my lower back, and about three months after arriving, the pain gradually became so intense that I couldn't even take lessons. Due to the tension from entering school and such, my muscles stiffened, and I couldn't move. Without understanding French, I went to the hospital and was told that surgery was needed. Since that was complicated, I returned to Japan once.
 

I underwent rehabilitation and training in Japan, and after a year, I was finally able to participate in classes. It was challenging not only in terms of school classes but also because I couldn't participate in performances and production periods for a year. I fell during the first production period of the year, and for the following year, I couldn't be on stage. It was tough to see my classmates on stage. I couldn't even understand French since it was my first year, and my two years of school life were a shock and a painful memory.

Despite facing hardships, it seems like overcoming those challenges has become a source of strength for you.

Yes, especially the first year in Paris without a job was tough, and negativity persisted. It was the most challenging time, but my parents supported me. My mother said, "You went to school, so it would be a waste! Hang in there." I wanted to go back, but I stayed with their encouragement. Then I got my first job, and things started to turn around.

Can you share your future goals?

Since I got a 10-year visa, I want to challenge things I haven't been able to do so far. I want to get a massage qualification, and I'm interested in trying photography and videography. Even for shooting videos, being a dancer is the biggest asset. Understanding the movement helps, so I often get asked to shoot dance videos, and I want to try it. As a dancer, I want to return to freelancing, mainly doing events and short-term jobs.

If you have any messages or advice for those aspiring to thrive internationally like you, please share.

Having curiosity and challenging everything is essential. Just wanting to do something is not enough; you need the motivation to take action. Try everything, regardless of what it is. When I first came to France, I couldn't speak French. I even considered returning midway, but with my parents' advice, I decided to stay. If you have something you want to do, take a step forward. I may not become a massage therapist, but I want to get a massage qualification, so I plan to take the exam. I feel that my life is connected to many things I wanted to try.

Photo Credit: [Elsa Georgelin]

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