With over ten years of experience in the fields of arts administration and project management, Koto MAESAKA has worked with diverse communities, promoting diversity and inclusion across various programs.
During this fellowship in Japan, she will collaborate with dancer, choreographer, and educator Sylvia SOUMAH, with whom she has worked since 2019 on educational initiatives and the introduction of West African culture, to explore the roles of music and dance in Ainu culture, the cultural significance of wadaiko drumming in Iwate Prefecture and its connection to the Morioka Sansa Odori Festival, as well as the history and impact of Awa Odori in Tokushima. Their research aims to deepen understanding of the challenges in preserving Indigenous cultures, conduct comparative studies across cultures, and examine how traditional festivals shape cultural identity and foster community cohesion.
 

Profile
From 2008 to 2019, she led education and community initiatives at Washington Performing Arts, coordinating more than 400 programs. Since 2019, she has worked independently as a consultant and program manager, supporting local artists and cultural projects like "Finding Rhythm." Maesaka also founded the Japanese Learning Group in Washington, D.C., teaching language and culture since 2014. Her work bridges Japanese and American cultures, promoting diversity, inclusion, and cross-cultural understanding through the arts.