Emiko Nakagawa (she/her) is a professional tap dance artist currently based in NYC. Her early training in Jazz, Tap, and Street Style began at IVY Art Square led by Miyoko Tsuta and SEIYU at the age of 4. Since the young age of 8 she was mentored by Yukiko “Smilie” Misumi, a prominent tap dance educator in Tokyo, Japan. Emiko studied at Smilie’s internationally known school, ARTN TAPDANCE STUDIO, and received superb training that focused on tap dance history, foundations, and master routines.

Through Smilie’s mentorship, Emiko was offered countless opportunities to further develop her tap dance education. In 2014, she was a member of the 8th class of the Japan Tap Dance Scholarship Program, and performed at the stage “JUBA!” as one of the Japanese representatives in 2015.

In 2015, 2016, and 2020, she appeared in the production of “Legends of Tap” by the ARTN Company directed Yukiko “Smilie” Misumi as a dance captain, and performed on the stage at The Big Apple Tap Festival 2017 in NY.

Additionally, she traveled overseas every year and studied with American artists such as Dianne Walker, Michelle Dorrance, Derick Grant, and Jared Grimes. As Emiko went on to further develop her tap artistry, she started performing in major venues across the world. In recent years, she has been active in the media, collaborating with tap sounds in commercials and appearing as dancers in distributed dramas.

Emiko has had success at many international tap dance festivals, especially as an improviser. She was a winner of the Cutting Contest Woodshed Experience in 2019 and won a cutting contest at LA Tap Fest. In the tap dance contest “KAWASAKI TAP FESTIVAL” that she participated in from the Kids category in 2009, she won six prizes and was the champion in 2017.

In 2021, Emiko enrolled at Broadway Dance Center in New York City as an ITP (Independent Training Program) student and eventually being awarded Outstanding Student in 2022.

She is a member of NY Tap Ensemble directed by Derick K Grant, and performed through his mentorship.

She was also an alumni of of The School at Jacob’s Pillow 23’ Tap dance Performance Ensemble in 2023.

She is performance training under the direction of Caleb Teicher.