Cincinnati Dayton Taiko
Cincinnati Dayton Taiko is dedicated to promoting Japanese-style taiko drumming through performance and education. Taiko drums are large drums played in an ensemble format that allows for thundering sounds and exciting rhythms. Cincinnati Dayton Taiko performs traditional and contemporary songs.
For 26 years, Cincinnati Dayton Taiko has performed around the Tri-State area at festivals, libraries, schools and private events, emphasizing the fun and community spirit of taiko. Cincinnati Dayton Taiko was founded as an all-volunteer non-profit arts organization in 1999 with the support of the Japanese-Americans Citizens Leagues (JACL) of Cincinnati and Dayton.
Ming Ke
Ming Ke is a classically trained pipa player whose career spans over four decades and three continents. Born in Nanjing, China, she studied music and dance from an early age before graduating with distinction from the Nanjing Arts Institute. She has performed with orchestras in China, Japan, Spain, and the United States, including collaborations with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras. In addition to the pipa, she plays the zhongruan, guzheng, and liuqin, enriching her performances with a wide range of traditional sounds. Ke’s work bridges tradition and innovation, from early premieres like Suicide at Wujiang to recent digital collaborations with composer YiQun. Her performances reflect a long-standing commitment to cultural exchange, education, and artistic growth. She currently shares her music and projects through her online platform, Ming Ke Pipa World.
Sirui Liu
Sirui Liu began her ballet training at the Shanghai Dance School in 2000. After seven years of foundational training, she continued her studies at the Shanghai Dance College of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors. In 2011, Siru launched her professional career in the United States, joining the Cincinnati Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet. Demonstrating exceptional artistry and technique, she was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2017.
Throughout her career, Ms. Liu has earned numerous accolades. She received the gold medal at the Ninth Taolibei National Dance Competition in China in 2009, followed by another gold medal at the Beijing International Ballet Competition in 2010. In 2017, she was named one of Dance Magazine’s "Top 25 to Watch.”
Ms. Liu’s career has taken her across the globe. In 2011, she performed in Hong Kong Ballet's Swan Lake. In 2016, she was featured in the “Night of Ballet” Gala in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. She appeared as a Guest Principal in Los Angeles Ballet’s Bloom in 2022, danced in the Glory Ballet Gala in Shanghai in 2024 & 2025, and was invited to perform Lady White Snake as a Guest Star at the Shanghai Grand Theatre and subsequent tour at Lincoln Center in New York City in 2025.
Sirui’s extensive repertoire includes classical pas de deux such as Don Quixote, Esmeralda, Diana and Acteon, Le Corsaire, Paquita, and Coppelia. She has also performed principal roles including Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, Giselle, Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in Nutcracker, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Waltz girl in Balanchine’s Serenade, First Principal in Emerald, Tall girl in Balanchine’s Rubies, Cinderella, “In the middle, somewhat elevated”, The Chosen One in Rite of Spring, Minus 16, Carmina Burana, amongst many other ballets.
Ms. Liu has collaborated with world-renowned choreographers, including William Forsythe, Annabelle Lope Ochoa, Helen Pickett, Val Caniparoli, Justin Peck, Alejandro Cerrudo, Nicolo Fonte, Garrett Smith, Septime Webre, Yuri Possokhov, Kirk Peterson, Trey McIntyre, Ohad Naharin, Alexander Ekman, Jennifer Archibald, Edwaard Liang, Ma Cong, Travis Wall, etc.
She has served as an adjudicator for The World Ballet Art Competition Grand Prix (Indiana region, 2019) and The Grand Jeté – South Carolina Student Ballet and Modern/Contemporary Dance Competition (2023). Ms. Liu is currently the Associate Principal of the Student Performance Ensemble and has taught at numerous schools in the U.S. and China, including the Cincinnati Ballet Academy, Shanghai Dance College, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, and the Pennsylvania Ballet Conservatory.
