ANTI-RACISM TEAM MEMBER

ELEVATE CHICAGO DANCE 2022

NATURAL ENCOUNTERS 2019

LAB ARTISTS PROGRAM MENTOR 2018

ELEVATE CHICAGO DANCE 2018

ELEVATE CHICAGO DANCE 2017

REGIONAL DANCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE 2016

BREAK OUT! 2013

LAB ARTIST 2007

A 2023 United States Artist Fellow, Ayako Kato is a kinetic philosopher/poet who has been described as, “moving everyday sculptures, artfully cast in naturalness” (Luzerner Zeitung, Switzerland). Since 1998, Ayako Kato/Art Union Humanscape has been in deep collaboration with live music and grounded on the principles of fūryū, Japanese for “wind flow,” cyclical transformation and human motion in nature. Ayako creates solo, ensemble pieces, and movement installations for traditional stages and site-specific locations. Continuing her episodic ETHOS project since 2019, ETHOS IV: Degrowth/Cycle Rebirth will be premiered at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago on April 19 and 20, 2024 as part of its Chicago Artist Spotlight Festival commemorating the Dance Center’s 50th Season.

Music & dance trio ensemble Suzuribako with Sebastian Strinning, saxophone and Frantz Loriot, viola toured Japan in 2023 and Europe in 2022 and 2020. Her recent collaboration with cellist Tomeka Reid and dancer Rachel Barnsen toured in Europe in 2022; invitation to 3Klang Tage Festival in Zug, Switzerland in 2022, working with Roland Radim Hanousek, CZE, Saxophone, Roland Dahinden, CH, Posaune, Hildegard Kleeb, CH, Piano, and Marie-Cécile Reber, CH, Electronics; “ENSO,” inspired by Japanese Zen one stroke circle painting, with with Ikebana master Charles Harris, a musician/composer Billie Howard, and video artist Hunter Lewis; “Beath/Carries/Ritual” led by Yvonne Wu, CO, composer/multidisciplinary performer, and in collaboration with Jennifer Trrence, NO, percussion/performer in addition to the long standing AUH duo with double bassist Jason Roebke keep enriching Ayako’s experimental spirit endlessly. Her collaboration with Spectralina: Selina Trepp & Dan Bitney at Elastic in March and curator Amelia Licavoli for Black Air later in the year are awaiting.

She has received Sybil Shearer Fellowship at Ragdale 2024, the 2022 Esteemed Artist Award from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; the 2021 Artist Fellowship Award in Choreography by the Illinois Arts Council; a 3Arts Residency Fellowship at Camargo Foundation, France and Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, CA; a 3Arts Award; Meier Achievement Award, High Concept Labs Fellowships; the Best of Dance by the Chicago Tribune; a Links Hall Co-MISSION Fellowship; the Hall of Fame by Newcity Stage’s 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago; a Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Award, and beyond.