Yoshiko Kamikusa And Luzemberg Santana To Appear As Guest Artists In Alameda Civic Ballet’s THE NUTCRACKER

Alameda Civic Ballet has announced that Yoshiko Kamikusa and Luzemberg Santana, principal dancers of the Indianapolis Ballet, will appear as guest artists in the company’s 2025 production of The Nutcracker. Performances will take place November 22 and 23, 2025 (both matinees) at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts in Castro Valley, California.

About Yoshiko Kamikusa

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Yoshiko Kamikusa began her ballet training at the age of seven in Hawaii before continuing her professional studies in Canada under Vera Solovyeva and Nikolai Levitsky at the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver.

She launched her professional career in 2013 with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, where she performed principal roles including Odile in Swan Lake, Clara in The Nutcracker, Puck in The Faerie Queen, and the Red Girl in Dracula, as well as lead roles in Balanchine’s Serenade and Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude.

Since joining Indianapolis Ballet in 2018 as a founding principal dancer, Kamikusa has expanded her repertoire to include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Aurora and Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, and title roles in Carmen, Snow White, and The Firebird.

Her extensive Balanchine repertoire includes Who Cares?, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Rubies, The Four Temperaments, and Allegro Brillante. Kamikusa has also performed iconic pas de deux from Giselle, Diana and Actaeon, Grand Pas Classique, Esmeralda, Don Quixote, Paquita, and Le Corsaire.

Kamikusa’s artistry has been recognized internationally with numerous awards, including the Bronze Medal at the 2016 Helsinki International Ballet Competition, First Place at the 2013 Japan Grand Prix, and Gold Medal at the 2011 Tanzolymp in Berlin.

About Luzemberg Santana

Born in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, Luzemberg Santana began his dance training at age ten at the Bolshoi Theater School in Brazil, where he received rigorous classical instruction before embarking on a professional career at 18 with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Over five seasons, he performed a wide array of classical and contemporary roles, earning acclaim for his versatility and presence.

In 2017, Santana danced with Tulsa Ballet, followed by a five-year tenure with Houston Ballet, where he was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2019. He joined Indianapolis Ballet as Principal Dancer in 2025, marking a major milestone in his career.

Santana’s repertoire spans the major works of Petipa, Balanchine, Stevenson, Welch, Hynd, Caniparoli, and Jooss, including Don Quixote, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Merry Widow, Jewels, and The Green Table. His stage work has been praised for its athleticism, dramatic nuance, and refined classical technique.

The Performances

The 2025 Nutcracker performances will feature Kamikusa and Santana in principal roles, bringing their international experience and technical mastery to one of the Bay Area’s most beloved holiday traditions.

Performances will take place on Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23, 2025, both matinee performances, at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts, located in Castro Valley, California.

Through this collaboration, Alameda Civic Ballet continues its tradition of presenting exceptional classical dance while fostering artistic exchange between regional and International Artists.