Rikako Shibamoto
Rikako Shibamoto is a Japanese First Soloist with the Royal Swedish Ballet, born on 23 December 1998. She began her dance training at the Megumi Ballet School in Japan before continuing her studies internationally, including at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in Canada and the Vienna State Ballet School under the guidance of Bella Rachinskaya.
Rikako joined the Vienna State Ballet Company in 2016, where she was promoted to demi-soloist in 2018. She later danced with the Royal Danish Ballet before joining the Royal Swedish Ballet as a First Soloist in 2022.
Her repertoire spans both classical and contemporary works, with notable roles including Medora in Le Corsaire, the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, and featured roles in Don Quixote, Giselle, and Balanchine's Symphony in C and Theme and Variations. She has also performed in works by leading choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe, JiÅ™í Kylián, Alexander Ekman, and Mats Ek.
In addition to her performing career, Rikako is a choreographer. Her recent works include In the Mood for Tea (2025) and Songs from the Third Floor (2026), both created for the Royal Swedish Opera. In the mood for tea has been performed in confidencen in Stockholm as well.