Kawamata began ballet training in Tokyo, Japan and moved to New York to continue her training with the Joffrey Ballet, Jan Miller, Finis Jhung, and Maggie Black. Kawamata performed with Huntington Ballet, Ballet Long Island, Red Bank Ballet, and Hudson Repertory Theater. She choreographed and danced with her own company, Dance De NY. She also participated in international competitions in NYC and Japan.

After moving to North Carolina, she taught at Duke University, NC State University, and conducted adult classes at Ninth Street Dance in Durham, NC. She was also a member of 15-501 Ballet Company. Her experiences include ballet, contemporary, and choreography for Duke University’s dance program.

After moving to Baltimore, she began teaching at Sudbrook Arts Center and joined Peabody in 2016.