Expertise: Choreography, Performances, Instruction

Stage name: MIKA

Profile: 

Mika Takenaga started dancing at the age of eight. In 1994, 1995 and 1996, she won the Japan “Amateur Latin Championship”. 

Ever since, she has been a favorite artist in the Japanese dance world with numerous performances, TV appearances and choreography assignments. 

After meeting her Cuban dance partner, she made the shift to Salsa. In 2001, she attended special dance seminars in Cuba for several weeks which further perfected her Salsa expertise. 

In the year 2002, she established Dance Studio Casino, Inc. in Roppongi, the heart of Tokyo (www.studio-casino.com). Dance Studio Casino has been instrumental in nurturing the interest for Salsa in Japan’s dance community. This led to a deal with the prestigious “avex entertainment” group through which Mika Takenaga released a 6-volume DVD package titled “Perfect Salsa” and a CD “We love Salsa”. The CD is a compilation of the best Salsa songs individually selected by Mika Takenaga. In 2008, she established Japan Salsa Association and has organized an annual Japan Salsa Festival ever since (http://www.japan-salsa.org/). 

In 2011, she was asked by the MBA faculty of the prestigious Kyoto university to lecture on Salsa Dance as part of their Entertainment Business Management program. Presently, Mika Takenaga spends a lot of her time overseas giving workshops and making performances. Every year at the World Salsa Championship taking place in Hong Kong she is part of the distinguished panel of judges, representing Japan.