Miko Fogarty

Miko Fogarty was born in London and began her ballet training at a young age, dedicating her life to the art form from the age of four. By age nine, she was competing in international ballet competitions. Her early career saw significant recognition, including being one of six ballet dancers featured in the critically acclaimed 2011 documentary “First Position: A Ballet Documentary.” She trained at institutions such as the Indiana Ballet Conservatory in the U.S. and Jinushi Kaoru Ecole du Ballet in Japan. Her talent led to numerous accolades; she was awarded the Gold Medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition, a Prize Winner at the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, the Silver Medal from Varna International Ballet Competition, a Bronze Medal from YAGP New York Finals, and two Gold Medals from the World Ballet Competition. Her performances led her to stages across the globe, including countries like Peru, Bulgaria, Russia, Switzerland, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, China, Australia, Indonesia, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, and throughout the United States.

In 2015, at 17, Miko joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet as their youngest artist, touring the United Kingdom in productions such as Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer’s Night Dream, and The Nutcracker. However, after a period of reflection and an injury, she decided to pursue a college education, seeking intellectual challenges beyond her physical attributes. This marked a significant turning point in her career. She first attended Feather River College and Contra Costa College, earning Chemistry and Biology Associate’s Degrees. In 2018, she transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with honors in Integrative Biology in 2020. During her time at Berkeley, she also conducted research on brain cancer therapies at the University of California, San Francisco. Simultaneously, Miko discovered a passion for teaching classical ballet, starting in Thailand in 2016 and subsequently conducting masterclasses in various countries, including New Zealand, Panama, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Currently, Miko Fogarty is a podiatric medical student at the Samuel Merritt University College of Podiatric Medicine, pursuing her goal of becoming a foot and ankle surgeon in California, with an expected graduation in 2025. Her journey and career transitions have been shared on platforms such as National Public Radio in 2018, a TEDxBerkeley talk in 2019, and an Imagine Talks speech in 2020. She maintains an active social media presence with over 230,000 followers on Instagram and 29 million views on YouTube, and was recognized as one of “The Most Influential People of 2011” in Dance Spirit Magazine. Miko aims to inspire students and patients alike to pursue their goals while prioritizing physical and mental health, utilizing lessons learned from her extensive ballet career in her new medical path.