Ayako Ukawa

Born in Tokyo. Start tapping at the age of 10. She studied under Kuniyasu Kato and has participated in the JAM TAP DANCE COMPANY performance since 1993. Ayako was fascinated by Dr. Jimmy Slide and her dance was awakened to Improvisation and she stepped into the world of jazz. In 2000, the CD "The TAP" was released from King Records. As a jazz musician named Tap Dancer, she energetically performs live activities at jazz clubs all over Japan. In 2003, the m-square label live DVD & CD "Yoshio Suzuki East Bounce +1, Ayako Ukawa" was released. She co-starred with leading Japanese jazz musicians such as Terumasa Hino, Motohiko Hino, Yoshio Suzuki, and Takehiro Honda. She is active as a female jazz tap dancer, which is rare in Japan. Since 2003, she has been engaged in wider music activities. Junichi Takagi (flamenco guitar), Yuichi Otsuka (accordion) and Ukawa's trio "Apionto" (2003-2018), tap dance and the unit "Namahamumero" with the theme of the fusion of flamenco and tap dance and tap dance N" (2005-) Ukawa, MAYU (tap dance), KOTEZ (blues harp), Ryo Kitagawa (guitar), a trio of two people who dance and play strings "Maizuru mugen" (2019-) Junichi Takagi (gu Itar) Hiroshi Yoshino (bass) Ukawa (tap dance) and other music units have worked on many other music units and is engaged in live activities nationwide. While doing live activities, we also provide guidance for a wide range of people, from improvisation specialized classes, which are rare in Japan, workshops all over the country, introductory classes to advanced lessons, and we also focus on developing younger generations. She's doing it!
Since 2006, after studying under Sarah Petronio, she has expanded her field of activity to the world. She has experienced with Sarah Festival De Claque de Barcelona "Jazz in Motion" (Barcelona 2009), "Soul to Sole" (Austin 2012) and she has appeared in "Tap Dance Days" (Dusseldorf 2017). Sarah Petoronio's tribute work "It's about time." performed at the Tap Festival "Tap Dance Days" held in Düsseldorf in May 2022. She has also hosted the Pensacola Tap Jam in Japan that has been going on since 2004, and CD "TAP DANCE STANDARD" Produced vol.1 & vol.2. Since 2005, "Kids meet Jazz!" produced by Gonzales Suzuki. Join us. As a tap dancer and MC, he continues to deliver real jazz to children all over the country. In May 2010, he directed the stage for the first time at the JAM TAP DANCE COMPANY performance. In recent years, she has also been focusing on the production industry, a charity concert for children with Williams syndrome "Colors of Tap" (2014), world-renowned jazz tap dancer Sarah Petronio Invitation concert "Jazz Tap Junction" (2015), Williams syndrome tap dancer YURI and autistic pianist Chihiro's duo unit "YURI♡ & Chihiro☆" (2019-), we produced the presentation "Jubilation" (2016, 2018, 2020), and the multi talents are highly evaluated from home and abroad.