Bryan Tanaka is half-Japanese and half-American. His father, Bruce Tanaka, is of Japanese descent, and his mother is of American and Hawaiian ancestry, per NewsUnzip’s biography. The American dancer and choreographer was born on April 11, 1983, in Lacey, Washington, and is best known as Mariah Carey’s former backup dancer and creative director.
By 23, Tanaka was already dancing in Nelly Furtado’s 2006 “Maneater” video; that same year he joined Mariah Carey’s Adventures of Mimi tour as a backup dancer. The professional relationship turned romantic in 2016, and for seven years he was one of pop culture’s most photographed partners, until the pair confirmed their split in December 2023. Here is what is actually documented about his background and career.
Ethnicity and Family Background
Bryan Tanaka’s father, Bruce Tanaka, is of Japanese descent, and his mother is of American and Hawaiian ancestry, per NewsUnzip’s biography. His ethnicity is therefore best described as half-Japanese and half-American, a mixed Japanese-American heritage. His nationality is American.
He has a younger brother, Danny Storey Tanaka, who is also a dancer and choreographer, per NewsUnzip and The News God. Beyond that, Tanaka has kept his family life largely private. His parents’ names and occupations are not widely documented, and Tanaka himself rarely discusses his upbringing in interviews.
Growing Up in Washington: Dance, Martial Arts, and Discipline
Tanaka developed an interest in dance at a young age and trained in multiple styles, including hip-hop, jazz, ballet, and tap, per NewsUnzip. He also trained in martial arts, earning a black belt in Taekwondo at age 12, per NewsUnzip. The discipline from martial arts training is a biographical detail that recurs across profiles, and it helps explain the precision and athleticism that later defined his dance career.
He attended high school in Washington and graduated in 2001, per NewsUnzip, then moved to Los Angeles to pursue dance professionally. His first credited music video appearance came in 2006, in Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater,” per CelebsAges.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Bryan Kekoa Tanaka
- Born: April 11, 1983, Lacey, Washington
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Half-Japanese, half-American (father of Japanese descent; mother of American and Hawaiian ancestry, per NewsUnzip)
- Height: 5 feet 11 inches (per NewsUnzip)
- Sibling: Danny Storey Tanaka, dancer and choreographer
- Profession: Dancer, choreographer, creative director
Career: From Backup Dancer to Creative Director
The Breakthrough Years
Tanaka began his professional dance career at 18, per CelebsAges. After the “Maneater” video in 2006, his television credits included an appearance on the HBO series Entourage in 2006, per CelebsAges.
His work as a dancer and choreographer spans some of the biggest names in pop and R&B. Profiles from NewsUnzip and Who’s Dated Who credit him with work alongside Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna, Usher, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Chris Brown. He is also recognized for appearing in The LXD (The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers), a web series built around elite dancers, per Revicihweb.
Mariah Carey: Dancer, Creative Director, Partner
The defining professional relationship of Tanaka’s career is with Mariah Carey. He joined her 2006 The Adventures of Mimi tour as a backup dancer, per the Associated Press (via Internewscast and Bury Times). He went on to work with Carey for years, eventually becoming her creative director, per the AP.
The relationship turned romantic in 2016, per the AP and CNN (via Eurweb). Carey confirmed the relationship to the Associated Press in 2017, while declining to discuss it further. The couple’s romance was featured on Carey’s 2016 E! reality series “Mariah’s World,” per Marathi TV’s biography, which documented the end of her engagement to billionaire James Packer and the beginning of her relationship with Tanaka.
The couple briefly split in April 2017, per TMZ (via Marathi TV), then reunited. They stayed together for seven years. In December 2023, Tanaka confirmed their split with a statement posted to Instagram, per the AP: “With mixed emotions, I share this personal update regarding my amicable separation from Mariah Carey after seven extraordinary years together.”
Page Six reported at the time that the split stemmed from Tanaka wanting children while Carey, then 54 and already a mother of twins, did not, per MadameNoire’s summary of the Page Six reporting.
Career After the Split
Since the 2023 breakup, Tanaka has continued working as a dancer, choreographer, and creative director. His estimated net worth is variously reported between $500,000 and $5 million across biography aggregators.
See also: Kip Campbell Net Worth
What His Heritage Means to His Work
Unlike many celebrity profiles that speculate about how a performer’s background “influenced their art,” the documented facts about Tanaka are simpler. He is a Japanese-American dancer from Washington state whose father is of Japanese descent and whose mother is of American and Hawaiian ancestry, per NewsUnzip. His younger brother dances too. He trained rigorously from childhood, earned a black belt at 12, and built a career on the precision and work ethic those years produced.
The multicultural label fits, but the substance is the resume: nearly two decades of work with the biggest touring acts in pop music, a creative-director credit with one of the best-selling artists of all time, and a seven-year relationship that made him a fixture of celebrity media.
Related: Ian Verdun: The Multifaceted Actor and Writer
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bryan Tanaka’s ethnicity?
He is half-Japanese and half-American. His father, Bruce Tanaka, is of Japanese descent, and his mother is of American and Hawaiian ancestry, per NewsUnzip.
Where was Bryan Tanaka born?
Lacey, Washington, on April 11, 1983, per NewsUnzip, CelebsAges, and The News God.
How did Bryan Tanaka meet Mariah Carey?
He joined her 2006 The Adventures of Mimi tour as a backup dancer, per the Associated Press. They began dating in 2016.
When did Bryan Tanaka and Mariah Carey break up?
Tanaka confirmed their split in December 2023 after seven years together, in a statement shared with the Associated Press.
What is Bryan Tanaka known for besides Mariah Carey?
His dance and choreography work with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna, Usher, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Chris Brown; his 2006 appearance in Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater” video; a 2006 appearance on HBO’s Entourage; and the web series The LXD.
Sources
- NewsUnzip, “Who Is Bryan Tanaka? Age, Wiki, Net Worth, Girlfriend, Family & BIO” (birth date, Lacey WA, father Bruce Tanaka of Japanese descent, mother American/Hawaiian ancestry, black belt at 12, 2001 high school graduation, artist list): https://www.newsunzip.com/wiki/bryan-tanaka/
- The News God, “Who Is Bryan Tanaka? His Net Worth, Wiki, Age, Career, Girlfriend & More” (birth date, Lacey WA, brother Danny Storey Tanaka): https://thenewsgod.com/who-is-bryan-tanaka-his-net-worth-wiki-age-career-girlfriend-more/
- CelebsAges, “Bryan Tanaka, Age, Bio, Personal Life, Family & Stats” (“Maneater” 2006, Entourage 2006, professional start at 18): https://www.celebsages.com/bryan-tanaka/
- Internewscast, “Mariah Carey and boyfriend, Bryan Tanaka, break up after seven years together, dancer confirms” (AP statement text, met on 2006 Adventures of Mimi tour, relationship confirmed to AP in 2017): https://internewscast.com/news/us/mariah-carey-and-boyfriend-bryan-tanaka-break-up-after-seven-years-together/
- Eurweb/CNN, “Mariah Carey’s Now Ex Bryan Tanaka Confirms Separation” (dating began 2016, brief 2017 split, reunion, Mariah’s World): https://eurweb.com/mariah-careys-now-ex-bryan-tanaka-confirms-amicable-separation/
- Bury Times, “Mariah Carey and Bryan Tanaka split after seven years together, dancer confirms” (AP-sourced timeline): https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/national/24012071.mariah-carey-bryan-tanaka-split-seven-years-together-dancer-confirms/
- Marathi TV, “Bryan Tanaka Wikipedia, Net Worth, Age, Parents, Biography (Bio) Height” (Mariah’s World, James Packer engagement ending, TMZ April 2017 split report): https://www.marathi.tv/celebrity-spouses/bryan-tanaka/
- Who’s Dated Who, “Who is Bryan Tanaka dating?” (dating history, Mariah Carey 2016-2023): https://www.whosdatedwho.com/dating/bryan-tanaka
- Revicihweb, “Bryan Tanaka” (The LXD, artist collaborations, net worth range): https://revicihweb.pages.dev/bryan-tanaka
- MadameNoire, “Mariah Carey And Boyfriend Bryan Tanaka Reportedly Split” (Page Six reporting on split reasons): https://madamenoire.com/1357979/mariah-carey-bryan-tanaka-split/
