Director, Passion du Ballet and Kyoto Competition Japan
Perennial Jury Member, Ballet Grand Prix Vienna
Sawako graduated from Kyoto Ballet Academy with a first-class honors degree, she obtained a teaching certificate in classical ballet education. During her study at the school, she was taught by Mrs. Ryuko Arima, Mr. Kenji Usui, Mr. Goro Arima, Mr. Taneo Ishida and other famous teachers. At the same time, she graduated from University with a teaching certificate in child education. After graduating, she moved to Paris to study with Yvonne Alexander Goube for seeking further dance education.
In 1975 after coming back from Paris, she opened her private ballet school focusing on teaching. Her students have won many awards at national and international ballet competitions.
Accordingly, she was commended for her outstanding achievement in teaching, she received the most Successful Teacher Award in the Austrian Dance Council International Ballet Competition 2007, where her students won a Gold Medal.
Sawako has received several Best Teacher Awards and Most outstanding Teacher Awards in ballet competitions held in Japan from 2007 to 2014. During that time, she has been invited as Judge to many competitions.
She and her students were invited to different countries such as China, Canada. England, Malaysia, Romania and Italy, to performed and take part in many dance competitions.
Since 2007, she became the director of Passion du Ballet and Kyoto Competition. Sawako is a member of the Japan Ballet Association and the Hyogo Ballet Association and the Japanese Ambassador of Dance World Cup.