Kate Tsuruharatani (she/they) is a movement artist, Dhamma practitioner, and educator originally from Osaka, Japan. She brings a unique blend of artistic expression, mindfulness, and social advocacy to her work with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and Theater from SUNY Empire State University.

Currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Dance at University of Michigan, Kate's life has taken her from Broadway stages to silent meditation retreats in Burma. She has performed on Broadway — Jagged Little Pill, The King and I, and Miss Saigon — and appeared on TV shows such as Good Morning America, Harlem, and the Tonight Show. She has danced at the Metropolitan Opera for 6 seasons and performed with Eastman | Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui in Belgium.

She has found her artistic approach from the oppression she experience in everyday life. It’s rooted in abundance through softness and sensitivity rather than through accumulation through virtuosity and control. Through organic movement, nature unfolds one’s story. Her professional career was uplifted through Feldenkrais, Noguchi Taiso, and mindfulness practice. By embracing softness and sensitivity she has navigated her career with practice of generosity.

Her path into Dhamma and Vipassana (Insight) mindfulness practice is deeply rooted in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. Kate has had the privilege of learning from teachers at Vipassana Hawaii, including Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey, Michele McDonald, Steven Smith, and Jake H Davis. It is through this lineage that she has cultivated a tender connection to nature and a continuous commitment to compassionate understanding. Kate's exploration of the intersection of art, spirituality, and social justice is informed by her rigorous practice and teaching experience with a qualification as a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator through Brown University. She recently completed a month-long retreat at Spirit Rock. She aims to offer space for everyone to practice safely as a mindfulness teacher with an immigrant transgender woman of color experience.