dance_japan_nyc

dance_japan_nyc Founded in 1981 to create bridge between USA and Japan through classical Japanese dance performances, educational programs, and community workshops.

Since 2022, Sachiyo Ito and Company has proudly marched in New York City’s Japan Parade, held each spring along the brea...
03/24/2026

Since 2022, Sachiyo Ito and Company has proudly marched in New York City’s Japan Parade, held each spring along the breathtaking stretch of Central Park West. This year’s parade will take place on Saturday, May 9, beginning at 1:00 PM.

03/23/2026

Odori-zome:
Sachiyo Ito and Company Japanese Dance School Celebrating Spring

The annual “Odori-zome” (First Dance of the Year) presented by the Sachiyo Ito and Company Dance School was held on Sund...
03/07/2026

The annual “Odori-zome” (First Dance of the Year) presented by the Sachiyo Ito and Company Dance School was held on Sunday, March 1 at 3:00 PM at the Gibney Dance Center in Manhattan. The event had originally been scheduled for January 25 but was postponed due to snow.

In addition to performances of classical Japanese dance by students from diverse cultural backgrounds and multiple generations, guest artists also appeared, including the New York Taiko Aiko Kai (NYTAK) and singer Yoko Yamash*ta. A book-signing event was also held to celebrate the publication of Sachiyo Ito’s book Memoirs of Memories.

The program featured 15 dances, including an original work based on Chinese poetry, as well as kabuki-style dances choreographed and directed by Ito, and dance works celebrating the arrival of spring.

In the finale, the theme “Love” was expressed through the song “Heal the World,” performed with guitar by TOMOYA OGAWA and vocal by Asu-mi. The audience joined in the chorus, creating a warm and moving moment. All 116 seats in the venue were filled, and the event concluded with great success.

CulturalExchange SpringDance

Dear Friends, it is with deep appreciation that we share the final installment of Sachiyo Sensei’s inspiring memoir - he...
09/15/2025

Dear Friends, it is with deep appreciation that we share the final installment of Sachiyo Sensei’s inspiring memoir - her heartfelt Postscript that brings the story of her extraordinary 53-year journey in America to a close.

In this reflective conclusion, Sachiyo Sensei looks back on her path “swift as an arrow,” acknowledging both her artistic limitations and her unwavering devotion to sharing authentic Japanese dance with the world.

She traces her evolution from traditional performances to universal themes, from her Dojoji series to her community work and the transformative Salon Series. With characteristic humility, she embraces her identity as “Kawara Kojiki” (riverbank beggar) - a term once used dismissively for wandering performers, but which she wears with honor alongside legendary artists like Okuni, the founder of Kabuki.

Most poignantly, Sachiyo Sensei reflects on how this memoir became not just a record of performances and travels, but “a quest of self” - a profound meditation on life, identity, and what it means to be human.

Her closing message, echoing her mother’s loving words to “not catch cold,” extends that same care to all of us, reminding us that we are surrounded by love in countless forms. This beautiful conclusion celebrates both the end of an incredible artistic journey and the timeless wisdom gained along the way.

Thank you for joining us on this remarkable literary journey with Sachiyo Sensei.

https://www.dancejapan.com/s/Clsoing-Statement.pdf

Join us for the Japan Parade on May 10th!We would love to have you, our supporters and friends, join us to march in the ...
04/14/2025

Join us for the Japan Parade on May 10th!

We would love to have you, our supporters and friends, join us to march in the Japan Parade on Saturday, May 10th, along Central Park West. We will teach you simple gestures to use with dance fans for parading. If needed, we are happy to arrange a yukata for you.

Please email us at [email protected] for more information.

Dear Friends, we here at Sachiyo Ito and Company can’t wait to see the first flowers of Spring! We have several perform...
03/24/2025

Dear Friends, we here at Sachiyo Ito and Company can’t wait to see the first flowers of Spring! We have several performances and events planned, and we hope you can join us!

Japanese Classical Dance Performances

Saturday, March 29
National Cherry Blossom Festival
Tidal Basin ANA Stage, Washington D.C.
3:25pm - 3:55pm
Info: https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/tidal-basin

Sunday, April 13
Bloomfest!
Main Stage, Branch Brook Park, Newark N.J.
4:00pm - 4:45pm
Info: https://essexcountyparks.org/parks/branch-brook-park/calendar/bloomfest

Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27
Weekends In Bloom
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn N.Y.
Saturday April 26: 2:30pm and 3:30pm
Sunday April 27: 12pm and 1:30pm
Info: https://www.bbg.org/visit/event/weekends_in_bloom

Learn about dance and poetry of Japan, Japanese culture, including how to dress in kimono, and create a communal art of ...
02/28/2025

Learn about dance and poetry of Japan, Japanese culture, including how to dress in kimono, and create a communal art of dance and poetry (haiku and Waka) inspired by the Japanese tradition.

Dear Friends,We are delighted to share Chapter 13 of Sachiyo Sensei’s memoir, titled “New Year Greeting,” which opens 20...
02/24/2025

Dear Friends,

We are delighted to share Chapter 13 of Sachiyo Sensei’s memoir, titled “New Year Greeting,” which opens 2025 with a profound exploration of dance as a mirror of culture. In this illuminating chapter, Sachiyo Sensei reflects on her 55-year journey of using Japanese dance as a bridge between cultures, particularly through her “Japanese Culture through Dance” program. She shares heartwarming stories about teaching diverse students - from young Broadway aspirants to seniors rediscovering their cultural memories. The chapter offers special insight into the tradition of Odori-zome (New Year’s Dance), where her international students celebrate their progress. She also explores the deeper meaning of the bow in Japanese dance, revealing how this seemingly simple gesture creates a sacred space for learning and mutual respect. As we navigate our increasingly digital world, her reflections on the importance of human connection through traditional arts feel particularly timely and valuable.

https://www.dancejapan.com/s/Chapter-13.pdf

Also available here:
https://www.japanculture-nyc.com/sachiyo-ito-memoir

Stay tuned for more chapters as Sachiyo Sensei continues to share her wisdom and experiences!

All the best,

Sachiyo Ito and Company

Dear Friends, we are pleased to share Chapter 12 of Sachiyo Ito’s memoir, titled “Reflections.” In this contemplative fi...
12/16/2024

Dear Friends, we are pleased to share Chapter 12 of Sachiyo Ito’s memoir, titled “Reflections.” In this contemplative final chapter of 2024, Ito explores different types of reflection - from mirrors in dance to the deeper philosophical questions of self-awareness in performance. She shares her fascinating journey from her early training without mirrors to her later creation of “Tsuki no Akari wa Shimiwatari” (The Moonlight Penetrates Through), where reflection became central to the choreography. Through her meditation on Zeami’s concept of “Riken no Ken” (Viewing Oneself as Distant View), she invites us to consider our place in the universe and how we might view ourselves from this cosmic perspective. The chapter serves as a thoughtful bridge to her upcoming 2025 memoir installments, which will explore dance as a mirror reflecting culture. Join us in this profound reflection on art, existence, and the universe that contains us all.

https://www.dancejapan.com/memoir

Stay tuned for more chapters in the new year!

All the best wishes for 2025!

Sachiyo Ito and Company

Dear Friends, we are delighted to share the latest chapter of Sachiyo Ito’s memoir, which explores her profound connecti...
12/03/2024

Dear Friends, we are delighted to share the latest chapter of Sachiyo Ito’s memoir, which explores her profound connection to poetry and movement through her encounters with Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and various accomplished poets. In this touching chapter, Ito reveals how meeting Thich Nhat Hanh in 1990 inspired her to begin choreographing dances to poetry, leading to her memorable piece “Dedicated to World Peace.” She takes us through her innovative work, her fascinating journey of combining dance to linking Japanese dance with Haiku and Renku poetry. The chapter culminates with her heartwarming experiences teaching poetry and dance workshops at senior centers, where she continues to discover how these art forms can bridge cultural divides and tell life stories. Sachiyo Sensei’s exploration of the ephemeral qualities shared by poetry and Japanese dance offers a beautiful meditation on art’s power to connect hearts across boundaries.

We look forward to reading more from Sachiyo Ito about how iconic aspects of Japanese culture have shaped her creative spirit and life’s work. Please stay tuned for updates on future memoir chapter releases, and enjoy her journey of over 50 years spreading the arts and culture of Japan, and learn about this pioneering artist’s inspirational story.

Link to the Chapter 11 on our website:
https://www.dancejapan.com/s/Chapter-11.pdf

This can also be read at
https://www.japanculture-nyc.com/sachiyo-ito-memoir/sachiyo-itos-memoir-chapter-11

Thank you!

Best wishes,

Sachiyo Ito & Company

Dear Friends, we are delighted to share with you the latest chapter of Sachiyo Ito’s captivating memoir, which explores ...
10/16/2024

Dear Friends, we are delighted to share with you the latest chapter of Sachiyo Ito’s captivating memoir, which explores the enchanting theme of transformation through dance.

While previous chapters delved into darker transformations, this new installment takes flight with more ethereal and beautiful metamorphoses. Ito reflects on the symbolism of birds in Japanese culture, particularly the grace and purity embodied by cranes and herons. As we enter the autumn season of bird migrations, this chapter offers a poignant meditation on the power of dance to evoke the freedom, beauty, and spiritual transcendence associated with our feathered friends. Ito’s insights promise to elevate your perspective on the intersection of nature, culture, and art.

We look forward to reading more from Sachiyo Ito about how iconic aspects of Japanese culture have shaped her creative spirit and life’s work. Please stay tuned for updates on future memoir chapter releases, and enjoy her journey of over 50 years spreading the arts and culture of Japan, and learn about this pioneering artist’s inspirational story.

Link to the Chapter 10 on our website:
https://www.dancejapan.com/s/Chapter-10.pdf

Also at:
https://www.japanculture-ny.com/sachiyo-ito-memoir/sachiyo-itos-memoir-chapter-10

Thank you!

Best wishes,
Sachiyo Ito & Company

Image by Kathy Sturgen

Address

New York, NY

Opening Hours

11am - 12pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when dance_japan_nyc posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to dance_japan_nyc:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category