Keiko Nakajima has the cool girl energy
A-Team crew, one-half of duo Move Ta Death, fashion-savvy dancer Keiko Nakajima is a woman that never sits still
Thirteen years ago, the dance movie Step Up came out in theaters, exciting fans of similar films like You Got Served or Dirty Dancing. It was one of the few motion pictures of its kind that inspired many viewers to put on their dancing shoes and get moving. The drama was kept on a light-hearted note, but the choreography? Mind-blowing.
What is it with dancing that never fails to capture everybody’s attention? Some say it’s the dope clothes, some say it’s the effortless swagger each dancer exudes. But what happens when you have both? FilipinoJapanese Keiko Nakajima has been shaking up both dance and film worlds gracefully. A member of the super-charged crew A-Team, who notoriously bagged awards at competitions locally and internationally, she slowly started making moves of her own. Keiko isn’t one to shy away from the spotlight, having played supporting roles in commercials, TV shows and movies— most recently in the popular local dance film Indak, co-starring Nadine Lustre and Sam Concepcion. “I’d say I’m blessed to be surrounded by people who love what they do and encourage me to be the best,” she says of her closest friends Issa and Yassi Pressman, who she grew up with after she moved from Japan as a child. “[Dancing] is all I ever want to do. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else,” she says, revealing that it’s also the reason how she and the love of her life’s paths crossed. “That’s where I met him, when I became part of the crew.”
Dabbling between dancing and acting is no easy feat, but Keiko doesn’t mind getting her grind on. “I want do more acting in the future. Right now, my husband and I are developing our jewelry business,” she says. Taking her passions further, she and Issa formed dance duo Move Ta Death. The duo start with doing covers on YouTube, but quickly rose to fame; they now travel to different countries to perform. With all these amazing experiences being presented to Keiko and the hard work she immerses herself in, how can one not be moved to step up?
“I’D
SAY I’M BLESSED TO BE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO LOVE WHAT THEY DO AND ENCOURAGE ME TO
BEST”
BE THE