Shaping today’s changemakers.
Aligning Passion and Purpose
College was a confusing time. I attended a Japanese university as a 4th Generation Japanese American, and though I look Japanese and speak Japanese fluently without accents, I was treated as the “other” and went through an identity crisis. During my college years, I also suffered a stroke that temporarily paralyzed me from the neck down, survived two sexual assaults, and secretly fought my way to find my path as a dancer without much success. I wished I knew how to seek help. I wished I had met a role model who was pursuing a fulfilling unique career authentic to themselves that aligned their passion and purpose. Well, today, I’ve stepped into that role. And because I never felt like I belonged in college and throughout my schooling, it’s also my passion to help create campuses where each student feels they belong and can thrive.
Our young people are our future. We live in a world where we need more creative changemakers and more inclusive leaders who lead with heart and purpose in all sectors of society. I am here to bring a fresh impactful experience to your campus.
My presentations, usually composed of performance, speaking, and audience participation serve two purposes:
To bring awareness on disability inclusion, accessibility, and intersectionality to your campus.
To empower your students to own their identities and discover their hidden potential to be change agents to the world.
Dance Departments: Additionally, I dive deeper into the critical role of dance in social change. Workshops and lectures addressing the integration of people with disabilities in the practice of dance are also possible. Multi-day residencies are available too.
Business Schools: I have a unique path and perspective as a creative social entrepreneur, and am available for guest lectures.
presentation DNA: in-person + Virtual
Dance Performance
Authentic Dialogue + Creative Thought Leadership
Audience Interaction + Student Q&A
** I am available for both solo talks, and presentations with 1-5 Infinite Flow dance artists.
Previous College Engagements
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Irvine
Princeton University
Tulane University
Southern Illinois University
California State University, Channel Islands
California State University, East Bay
California State University, Fullerton
Purdue University
University of Washington, Bothell
California State Polytechnic College, Pomona
Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College
Keio University (Tokyo)
Northwest Missouri State University
Everett College
What colleges Are Saying
“Infinite Flow provided us with an incredibly fun, informational, and inclusive event. Marisa was wonderful to work with and she made the booking and planning processes very easy. Infinite Flow brings new sights and ideas into the community of dance that you've never seen before. Bringing Infinite Flow to your organization is guaranteed to inspire your audience with their moving stories and educational discussions. They are perfect for bringing awareness to those with disabilities and learning how to create inclusive spaces for everyone.”
MAGGIE, Student, Everett College
“Infinite Flow Inclusive Dance Company was an outstanding addition to our events lineup this Fall. Marisa was very open and engaging. Our students and faculty enjoyed every minute with her.”
Robert norwood, cultural events coordinator, Northeastern wisconsin technical college
"Infinite Flow was an entertaining and enlightening performer to have at a college campus. Those in attendance thought they were a hit! I highly encourage any schools or youth organizations who work with students ranging from elementary to university level. Any student can enjoy and experience something new with Infinite Flow! Marisa was also amazing to work with as the founder."
Roger Fang, Student Activities Assistant, California State Polytechnic University Pomona
Featured on
Brands I’ve Worked With Include
The first professional dancer to be named People Magazine “Women Changing the World”, and named InStyle Magazine Badass 50, adidas "women reimagining sport," CBS News “People Making a Difference”, and featured on Good Morning America and NBC Today, Marisa is an award-winning Transformational Movement Artist, Speaker, and Changemaker dedicated to creating a more inclusive just world where we can each feel alive, not just survive.
Marisa’s lived experiences of her body repeatedly not being accepted as a dancer, her Japanese American identity not fitting the box in many spaces, and surviving a stroke that initially paralyzed her from the neck down, eventually led her to create Infinite Flow in 2015, an award-winning nonprofit dance company that advocates for disability inclusion. A few years into devoting her life to disability inclusion advocacy, Marisa was diagnosed with two invisible disabilities: PTSD (2021) and Autism (2022). The diagnoses brought much clarity to challenges she’s coped with throughout her life.
Marisa is passionate about transforming forward-thinking businesses through keynotes, performances, and content that inspire inclusivity and move hearts, bodies, and minds, so that their teams become more connected, purpose-driven, and alive. She has brought unique unforgettable keynote presentations and performances, to some of the biggest enterprises in the world, including Google, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Red Bull, NBCUniversal, Deloitte, PayPal, International Monetary Fund, Farmers Insurance, Kaiser Permanente, Porsche, McKinsey & Co, Clifford Chance, amongst other brands. Marisa made history along with wheelchair dancer Piotr Iwanicki by becoming the first dancer to perform at Apple’s Steve Jobs Theater, sharing the stage with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Since 2015, Marisa has led Infinite Flow to perform at over 200 events, from large global events to local school assemblies & community festivals. Heading the creative & artistic direction, Infinite Flow’s videos have tracked over 100 million views across social media. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Marisa spearheaded Infinite Flow to turn its in-person elementary school assembly program into a virtual program, launching Scoops of Inclusion, a 47-minute short film celebrating diversity and empowering kids to take an active role in creating a more inclusive world where we each feel we belong.
Marisa is bilingual and bicultural. She completed her BA & MA from Keio University, Tokyo. She is an Honorary Member (Distinguished Artist) of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. She is a speaker, thought leader, performing artist, and multi-dimensional creator on the rise, seeking to creatively inspire inclusion, innovation, and transformation through movement, dance, and storytelling.
