Sayako Toku

Born in Hyogo, Japan, Sayako Toku began her ballet training at Jinushi Kaoru Ecole de Ballet. She quickly distinguished herself in international competitions, winning first place in the Junior 1 Division of the Kobe Dance Competition in 2018 and a gold medal in the Junior B Division of the Korea International Ballet Competition in 2019. In 2023, Toku made history as the gold medalist in the Senior Women's Division and Best Senior Couple at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. That same year, she joined Houston Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet.

Since joining the company, Toku has performed in a variety of productions, including Stanton Welch’s Cinderella, Velocity, and Bespoke, as well as Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling and John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid. In Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker, she has danced the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara, Arabian Woman, Danish Woman, and Chinese Woman. She was also featured as the Daughter in the world premiere of Silas Farley’s Four Loves. She was promoted to Soloist in 2025.