Susan Kawashima
believes in infinite possibilities. This belief led to the development of a system of body awareness, movement efficiency and general wellness called fiveflow®
Susan began training in dance at the relatively late age of 19, though she remembers the feeling of transcendence she felt at age 5, dancing and flying around her room by herself, enveloped in music. When she took her first dance class, in spite of being unbelievably uncoordinated and shy, she knew she was born to be a dancer, and needed to let that part of her bloom.
She got her BA in dance from UCLA and performed with Dance/L.A. and other companies before becoming a founding member of Shale: MJ Eisenberg Co. She was an original member of Donna Sternberg and Dancers, dancing with them for 11 years. During that time, she did her first site-specific piece with Collage Dance Theatre, because she could not resist dancing in a fountain in a prom dress. She loved the always-varied concert dancing of Donna’s company as well as the unique challenges of dancing in unexpected sites such as an abandoned jail, subway tunnel and a historic hotel with Collage, so she managed dancing with both companies, all while raising two children. The fun of imagination and sense of pretend required in many of the dance pieces inspired her to take acting classes. She was able to utilize those skills while dancing with Hassan Christopher and the Company of Strangers, and as an actor with Donna Sternberg and Dancers.
Her love of movement and curiosity about the human spirit and body inspired her to become certified in Pilates, GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® and as a personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE). She continues to train extensively in yoga and other therapeutic movement modalities, including Body Harmony®.
She opened Studio Séishin in Santa Monica, California in November, 1998. Here, she works one-on-one with clients whose ages and abilities are as varied as their goals. In the process of helping them realize a healthier, more holistic lifestyle, she developed fiveflow®
