Nao Yamada is from Chiba, Japan, where she trained in Ballet with Takane Koisumi, and studied at the Alvin Ailey School in New York.

She also studied Bahia el  Salvador,   Brazil.  She has toured to Edinburgh, UK with Michael Mao Dance. In 2013 Nao will tour with Michael Mao Dance to Alaska where she will be featured in Lorca Libre and Written On the Wind.