Ayako Kato
Called “compelling to behold” by Jack Anderson of the New York Times, Ayako Kato is a dancer and choreographer who hails from Yokohama, Japan, currently living in Chicago. She established Art Union Humanscape (AUH) with a double bassist Jason Roebke in 1998. Kato performs extensively in the U.S., Japan and Europe. Her works has been presented at Dance Theater Workshop, NYC; Joyce Soho, NYC; Die Pratze Dance Festival, Tokyo; Musée d'Art moderne et contemporain, Strasbourg, France; The Other Dance Festival, Chicago and other festivals and venues. In 2007, Kato has received the Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Award 2007 and Crosscut sound and movement grant by Experimental Sound Studio and Links Hall as AUH with Josh Berman (cornet). Her works also have supported by Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and Japan Foundation. In 2009, her recent video collaboration, Maria's List, with film maker Masahiro Sugano has featured at WTTW Image Union and she was also selected for "People to Watch" in dance in Chicago Reader's Fall Arts Preview. Having classical ballet background in Japan, Kato started to receive her modern dance training since 1996 in the United States and received MFA in dance from the University of Michigan in 1998. Kato has also trained herself in Tai-Chi, Noh Theater dance, and butoh. Kato's experimental dance aims at unfolding space of furyu (wind flow), being as it is.
Visit Ayako's website: Art Union Humanscape www.artunionhumanscape.net
Updated April 2010
Stories from This Author
Will
May 7, 2010 • Ayako Kato
You never know your fate or your path in life, yet somehow I feel we cannot avoid reflecting upon our own lives and making some decisions that are influenced by our ancestors’ bitter memories in their lives, trying not to repeat their mistakes, or else following their will, even unconsciously. My grandmother, Asano, was born in California in 1914. According to my mother, Masumi, it was in Gurendora (グレンドラ), presumably Glendale, near Los Angeles. Her parents were Yoshinosuke and Yoshie …
