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Profile

Masako Dixon Nishikawa
Instructor of the Nishikawa School/ Director of the Nishikawa Foundation/ Traditional Japanese Dancer

Masako Dixon Nishikawa

Masako was born on August 25, 1960. She is the oldest daughter of Ukon Nishikawa, the third Headmaster of the Nishikawa School. She started training as a dancer from the age of two and performed for the first time on stage at the age of three at the 17th Nagoya Odori at Misonoza. Since then she has performed in every one of the Nagoya Odori performances including this year`s 56th performance. She received her license as a Nishikawa Dancer when she was 15. Afterwards she moved toTokyo and studied under her grandfather, Koisaburo Nishikawa II, the second Headmaster of the Nishikawa School. While continuing her dance training she also worked actively in TV dramas, historical plays, and musicals. This experience helped develop her as a performer. In addition she studied Nagauta, Tokiwazu, Kiyomoto, and Narimono (Japanese Traditional Misic) and also took vocal lessons, jazz dance, and pantomime to improve her acting skills

PERFORMANCES OVERSEAS

Masako Dixon Nishikawa
1984
Participated in the Nishikawa Nagoya Odori Performance in North America.
1985
Participated in Traditional Japanese Dance presented by the Monaco Kingdom.
1988
Participated in the Nishikawa Nagoya Odori Performance in the USA.
1991
Choreographed the performance of "The Blue Ghost" performed at the Crescent Theater in Dallas, Texas, USA.
1991
Taught Japanese Traditional Dance lesson for elementary, high school and university student in Dallas, Texas, USA.
1995
Guest instructor for the Children's Theatre Summer Program, Dallas Texas, USA. Participated in Traditional Japanese Dance presented by the Crescent Theatre, Dallas Texas, USA
1996
Guest instructor for the Children's Theatre Summer Program, Dallas Texas, USA.
2001
Performed a Traditional Japanese Dance Workshop in Australia, hosted by the Nishikawa Foundation.
2002年
Performed a Traditional Japanese Dance Workshop in New Zealand, hosted by the Nishikawa Foundation.

PERFORMANCES IN JAPAN

西川まさ子

Masako is instructing several Japanese high schools to introduce traditional dances to the younger generation. She is also an instructor of the Nishikawa Traditional Dance School for foreign beginners. Masako is the instructor of Traditional Dance classes taught in several middle and high schools in the Nagoya area.
Her performance of "Miyabi no Utage" has been staged in several major hotels in Japan and is known as an elegant traditional dance performance.

AWARDS

1999
TARG Award
2002
Toshibunka Shoreisho Prize

OTHER POST

Part time teacher at Seijo High School
Part time teacher at Nagoya Girls University Junior High School
Special instructor at Nagoya Music University
Board of Directors of Nagoya International School

PRIVATE

1989 Married to William Keith Dixon, stage artist in Dallas, Texas, USA and currently a teacher at the Nagoya International School.
Eldest son, Kirk Shigemasa Dixon born.