About JUNKO

Meditative Art Dancer

Born in Asakusa, Tokyo, Junko Currently resides in Cologne, Germany. She has 8 years of teaching and 35 years of dance experience.
Junko has studied classical ballet in Japan since she was a child, and has also danced hip-hop, jazz, and Japanese dance. She has performed at many hip-hop and reggae (dance hall) events in Roppongi, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and other clubs. before discovering belly dance.

She moved to Germany in 2010 long-term, to study Oriental Belly Dance, Dance Pedagogy, and Tribal Fusion Belly Dance. Here Junko consolidated her own style and spent her days researching, using her love of history in Japanese fusion to create a unique artistic dance choreography

Junko’s concept for dancing is to go into a trance and dance in another dimension, focusing on her world, herself, and the universe, expressing herself through choreography, improvisation, or group performances.

The dance style is mainly Tribal Fusion, with elements of oriental belly dance, traditional Japanese dance, Butoh, and hip-hop.

Junko’s influences

Junko’s Oriental Dance style was influenced by Leyla Jouvana, Raqia Hassan, Khalida Bech, Ranya Renee and WS amongst others. Tribal fusion was taught by Cristina Zegarra, who also acted as my substitute. Other influences and WS were Kami Liddle, Sabrina Fox, and Michelle Sorensen of BBSD.

Japanese Traditional Performing Arts

Japanese dance (Mizuo school), Noh/shimai (Hosho school), Iai (Hayashizaki Muso Jikiden Eishin school), 3dan, Japanese modern dance (Buto dance), Dairakudakan, Emiko Agatsuma, Ono-ha Marusuka Ronchi, amongst others.

Junko’s track record

  • 2009 Belly Queen Dance Shimmy Contest Winner
  • 2012 Dance Petagorgen, Germany (Dance Therapist and Educator)
  • 2013 Düsseldorf bellydance School open
  • 2015 Won 3rd prize at the Hanover Solo Contest.
  • 2015,2016 Two-time winner of the Belly Dance of the World Contest in the Formation TF division.
  • 2017~2018 Wrote articles as a reporter in Germany for Belly Dance Japan Magazine.
  • March 2017 Workshop at Togane Studio Antinour, Togane, Chiba.
  • September 2017 Bürgerhaus Salzmannbau (Community Center Salzmannbau) Düsseldorf, Germany Performing with students at the Sommer Festival.
  • January 2018 – Enrollment in Dance Therapy DGT Ausbildung (vocational education).
  • December 2018 Danced ”Daichi” at the opening ceremony of Cologne Tenri Kobo fiber artist Nobuko Tsuruta.
  • from the spring 2019 issue through the early summer issue.Writing articles as a German reporter for Belly Dance Japan Magazine.
  • April 2019 Cologne Tenri Workshop Meditative Concert Groove, Klang & Tanz (Groove, Klang & Tanz)
  • May 2019 Bonn BONN Alte Kirche (Alte Church) meditative concert Groove, Klang & Tanz (Groove, Klang & Tanz)
  • December 2019 Workshop on Noh and Shimai, traditional Japanese performing arts, at the Institute of Ethnomusicology, University of Cologne
  • December 2019 Groove, Klang & Tanz (Groove, Klang & Tanz), a recitative concert at Christuskirche, Köln, Cologne
  • December 2019 Bürgerhaus Salzmannbau, Düsseldorf, organized by the non-profit organization Komma, meditative concert Groove, Klang & Tanz (Groove, Klang & Tanz)
  • January 2020 VHS Cologne, Japan: Japanese fusion workshop
  • September 2020 Academie Fitness Fitness Instructor C License, Germany
  • July 2021 Graduated from Dance Therapy DGT Ausbildung (vocational education).
  • November 2021 Started working as a regular dance and fitness instructor at online yoga fitness Soelu
  • January 2022 Butoh Dance Demonstration Lecture at the Institute of Asian and Islamic Art History, University of Bonn, Germany
  • April 2024 Butoh dance workshop at Tanz-Fabrik Köln Dance School
  • April 2024 Butoh dance performance ”LEERE und Stille” at Friedenskirche-Ehrenfeld
  • April 2024 Butoh dance performance with tribal fusion at Herne ”Im Zeichen des Orients”
In Japan 
  • Shibuya club asia, club VIETTI, Roppongi Rhall ⇒ Kuaile.
  • Shibuya cafe BOHEMIA, Nishi-Nippori Spanish restaurant Alhambra, and restaurant bar Roma Rakuda.
  • Belly dance workshops in Chiba and Tokyo.

Junko has performed at countless clubs, event venues, and live houses more than 1,000 times.

In Germany

She is a member of the group Coaldust, a tribal fusion group directed by Cristina Zegarra. She has since collaborated with a German painter, a N.Y. fabric artist, a musician, and various artists in improvisational productions and collaborations in Germany and Europe. She gives lessons in her studio in Düsseldorf and online via Skype,Zoom and YouTube.

  • Concert Hall Duisburg Rheinhausenhalle
  • Oriental Restaurant Cologne Köln Yadaary, Church
  • Düsseldorf Community Center, Art gallery
  • Churches in Bonn and Cologne

Media2016

  • Spring 2016 Issue German Belly Dance Magazine Halima Performance Introduction
  • November 2016 Interview with Hagalla, German online magazine
  • July 2022 issue of Japan Fashion Magazine Non-No Belly Dance Class Guide
  • 2016 Die beste Show der Welt mit Joko und klaas tv ProSieben

As a teacher

Junko has been an early adopter with her 8 years of online lessons, and has been a regular contributer to YouTube and countless online one-on-one and group lessons.

JUNKO’s Belly Dance Japan User Testimonials

It’s so much easier to understand when you can see your feet, your hands, the whole picture! The costumes for the show are beautiful, but it really helps me to study them!It really helps!

Ms. AK

I often get explanations for things I can’t see (like my toes). Thank you very much☆.

Ms.KIKI

The video lessons with explanations made it very easy to understand, even for a beginner!

Ms. Tami

Thank you very much for teaching Dr. JUNKO. It was explained very clearly and really helped me.

Ms. Tomoko