One of the first things Ayako did to prepare for AUAP was to ask her dancer friends if they knew of a good dance studio in Los Angeles, California. Her foresight and research paid off during winter break when she took a hip hop class at the Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood, the same studio Britney Spears had attended. She had dreamed of visiting L.A. since high school, and she wasn’t disappointed, as she made some friends in the class that she still keeps in contact with and enjoyed visiting places like Melrose Avenue, a world-renowned fashion and shopping district.

Returning to CWU in January, Ayako and her friends took the stage at Japan Night and amazed the audience with their precise pop and lock dance moves. Japan Night is a multifaceted event in which AUAP students showcase their talent and culture by decorating the ballroom in a Japanese theme, cooking Japanese food, teaching children Japanese games, putting on a traditional tea ceremony, and performing on stage for campus and community members. “Japan Night is my favorite memory of AUAP so far,” she says. “We practiced every day for a month, and we even used some of the dance moves I learned in my class in L.A.”

This is not the first time Ayako has danced in front of an audience to rave reviews. An MD Crew member at AU, she danced with different partners at the CWU Parade of Nations Fashion Show on campus in October, and was given contact information by an entertainment manager from Seattle. But for now, Ayako just wants to enjoy dancing. A non-dancing friend has asked her to teach him how and plans to join her on stage at the Farewell Pizza Party. And of course, when she returns to Japan, she wants to learn more about International Relations, study Hindi, and visit India. “If I have the chance, I want to see the ancient ruins and also learn how they dance in India.”