Rika Kinoshita was born in Takasaki, Japan and raised in Torrance, CA. She received her early dance training at the Lauridsen Ballet Centre under the direction of Diane Lauridsen. At 18, she moved to Atlanta, GA to continue her pre-professional training at the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education. The following year, she joined Philadelphia Ballet as a trainee and worked with Angel Corella and Davit Karapetyan. During her season there, she performed various works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Ben Stevenson, Eddy Tovar, and Samantha Dunster. She joined Richmond Ballet’s Studio Company in 2023 and was promoted to Company Apprentice two years later. She has had the opportunity to perform Ma Cong’s Calling and Ershter Vals, George Balanchine’s Mozartiana and Apollo, Trey McIntyre’s Wild Sweet Love, and Val Caniparoli’s Goat Rodeo. Rika is looking forward to her first season as a Company Artist!