Asian-American dancer Marisa Hamamoto, who founded dance company for disabled and able-bodied, talks about her pain and why she’s dismantling stereotypes

When she was 19, Marisa Hamamoto was sexually assaulted. Not long after that, she suffered a stroke, triggering ‘years of trauma’ for the dancer

Her determination to overcome both these events have resulted in her setting up a dance company open to anyone who wants to take part, able-bodied or disabled

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Marisa Hamamoto founded a dance company for anyone, disabled or able-bodied, six years ago. She is pictured with Piotr Iwanicki, a member of the company, Infinite Flow. Photo: Infinite Flow

Published: 12:15am, 26 Sep 2021

Marisa Hamamoto wants to make sure that anyone, regardless of physical ability, feels like they can join a dance class or take part in discussions about race, gender and diversity.

Hamamoto knows she has a long way to go to accomplish these goals – but the Japanese-American (earlier this year named one of People magazine’s Women Changing the World) is not one to shy away from a challenge.

Her determination has been something that has previously helped her overcome her own trauma. At the age of 19, Hamamoto was sexually assaulted. Not long after that, she suffered a spinal stroke.

“The stroke triggered years of trauma from racism, body shaming, rejection as a ballet dancer and sexual assault from a dance teacher who did not believe in me,” says the dancer, entrepreneur and social activist in the US state of California, who began dancing when she was six.

Hamamoto wants to make sure that anyone, regardless of physical ability, feels like they can join a dance class. Photo: Infinite Flow

“In 2010, I returned to dancing after discovering ballroom dancing. In 2012, I moved to Los Angeles for a fresh start on my dance career – but I found myself not fitting the ‘Hollywood dancer’ box.”