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Izumi Ashizawa

Izumi Ashizawa
Izumi Ashizawa

Assistant Professor, Directing and Devising

BA, University of the Sacred Heart of Japan
MA, University of the Sacred Heart in Japan
MFA, Yale University School of Drama

Email:izumi.ashizawa@stonybrook.edu

Izumi Ashizawa an Assistant Professor of Directing and Devising at the State University of New York Stony Brook. Ashizawa is the artistic director of Izumi Ashizawa Performance.Originally founded in 2002, Izumi Ashizawa Performance explores the physical story-telling with unconventional puppetry and object animation. The company values the interdisciplinary collaboration process with dancers, actors, composers, musicians, sculptors. Based on Japanese physical performance techniques, Ashizawa’s movement techniques are taught around the world, including the U.S.A., the U.K., Japan, Norway, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Iran, Australia, the Cayman Islands, and Peru.

The original performances by Izumi Ashizawa Performance were performed in various countries: The Blue Rocks (Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Romania; Fadjr International Theatre Festival in Iran; ManInFest in Romania; Arion Tokyo Summer Music Festival in Japan; International Arts and Ideas Festival, New Haven; and NYC International Fringe Festival in the U.S.A.; Documentary and Excerpt of this show were broadcast in National Public Television of Japan BS "Today's World"), Bakeneko Kyosokyoku (Novo-Siberian Transit, Russia), Gilgamesh (Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and USF, U.S.A.; Excerpt from this show along with Ashizawa's interview was broadcast in PBS's TV series "Invitation to World Literature" Episode 1: Gilgamesh") Le Morte de La Fontaine (Woodford Folk Festival, Australia), Haoma and the Warrior (Iran), Zahak (International Women Theatre Festival, Iran), iKilL (Capital Fringe Festival, U.S.A.), Minotaur (Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, U.S.A., and IIFUT Festival, Iran), Dreams in the Arms of the Binding Lady (Danza Nueva in Peru; Municipal Theatre in Piura, Peru; Municipal Theatre in Trujillo, Peru; the J.F.Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC; Capital Fringe Festival, Washington DC; Iowa and Illinois tour; the Wang Center, Stony Brook).

Director Izumi Ashizawa won numerous awards including the Medal of Honor for Cultural Excellence from the City of Piura in Peru, the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Faculty Achievement Award Excellence in Directing and Technology, Capital Fringe Director’s Award, UNESCO-Aschberg Award, IIFUT Best Performance Award, Tehran Municipality Culture and Arts Organization Award, Australian Government Fund for the Arts, and Norwegian Cultural Fund. Ashizawa is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.