Unlike the stereotype of your average American teen, Miko Fogarty (16) is not talkative or exuberant. In this way she seems somewhat shy and reserved, almost as if she leans toward the Japanese part of her lineage despite being brought up in the United States. Or perhaps she's just sure of herself as a ballerina and sees no need to act demonstratively offstage. But when Miko does speak, it's with sweetness and precision. This is what she had to say in conversation recently with The Japan Times:
Was there a defining point in your life when you decided that ballet was it for you?
There was a defining point but nothing that was really dramatic. I've been dancing ballet since I was 4 years old and at that time I watched a lot of ballet DVDs that were on the table in our living room. They were really inspiring. I loved watching them, and I just loved ballet. I kept going from there, and I guess I never stopped.