Kevin Suzuki began his education in Japanese folk dance at the age of five, learning traditional dance from his mother/founder of the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY (JFDINY), Momo Suzuki. Kevin began performing professionally as a child, appearing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Asia Society, as well as The Japanese American Association of NY.
Mr. Suzuki currently serves as Artistic Director for JFDINY, and is primary instructor for dance and a featured solo/ensemble performer. Annual appearances include New Years Lion Dance performances, as well as Japanese cultural events such as the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Sakura Matsuri. Recent choreography work for JFDINY includes Ronald Richardson’s play “Kamioroshi” (2019, artist-in-residence at Boston University) and dance film “Dancing Joy” (2020, Director Lan Tsubata).
Kevin is an expert in the folk traditions of the Tohoku Region. These dances are rarely performed outside of local villages and represent some of the oldest folk traditions in Japan. He is an expert in the Tsugaru Five Dances (Aomori Prefecture), a technically demanding set of dances requiring the mastery of multiple fans, umbrellas, and cloth. Additionally, he is the only dancer outside of Japan permitted to perform Nameshida Onikenbai (Demon Mask Dance from Iwate Prefecture), a National Intangible Cultural Property.
He has served as Cultural and Movement Advisor to numerous stagings of Madame Butterfly, including productions by Sarasota Opera, Heartbeat Opera, and Portland Opera.