Hanayagi Sukekatsumi 花柳輔佳津美 (Michiko Kurata) has been performing traditional Japanese dance since 1981. She studied “Kabuki buyo,” a popular dance form derived from Kabuki, under Hanayagi Sukesaburo, a renowned master of traditional Japanese dance. Ms. Kurata placed first in the junior division of the prestigious National Dance Contest at the age of 15. The same year, she attained the “natori” status and earned her professional name. She has performed solo at major theaters such as the National Theatre and the Kabukiza Theatre in Tokyo before coming to the US. Since then she has performed at cultural events at Brown University, her alma mater, and numerous other institutions. She has a Masters in Teaching degree from Tufts University and has been teaching high school world history, while also giving lectures on traditional Japanese dance and music at Boston area universities. In recent years she has been working on choreographing dances based on traditional Japanese dance and music. She is the choreographer and dancer for Bamboo and Cherry Blossoms (http://bamboocherry.com), a group that performs koto and shakuhachi music. For more information please visit http://michikokurata.com
花柳輔佳津美(はなやぎすけかつみ)
本名 倉田美智子 (くらたみちこ)
神奈川県横浜市に生まれる。3歳で日本舞踊、初舞台。