With more than 20 years of Japanese language study, Cameron McKinney founded Kizuna Dance to create dance works that connect the American and Japanese cultures. He has received fellowships from the U.S.-Japan Friendship Commission, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, Princeton University, the Alvin Ailey New Directions Lab, and the Asian Cultural Council. He has presented work and taught in over 20 states and in Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Japan, France, Ireland, and the UK. In 2020, Cameron performed his original choreography alongside Sayo Homma (Dance Barbizon) in Tokyo, Japan in the U.S. Ambassador's Residence. In 2024, his company Kizuna Dance celebrated its 10th anniversary season with the world premiere of the evening-length work FATHER ABSENCE | MOTHER MA. He also co-choreographed SAFE HARBOR, a performance collaboration between five American dancers, Toru Shimazaki, and five Japanese dancers from Kobe College in Japan. He has received over 30 commissions from institutions across the U.S. and abroad, including The Ailey School, Princeton University, Montclair University, three times from the Let’s Dance International Frontiers Festival (UK), and Vivo Center (Italy), among numerous others. He currently teaches on faculty at NYU Tisch.