Rena Sangawa (she/her) is a Japanese dance artist based in Melbourne/Naarm and Sydney/Gadigal, holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), University of Melbourne.

She trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance in Sydney while completing Advanced 2 of the Royal Academy of Dance exam. Rena was a member of the Senior Youth Ensemble at Sydney Dance Company 2019-2021. Along with her tertiary studies, she performed for the UoM Master of Music, RISING, MUSE Festival, Science Gallery Melbourne, and the Government House Victoria Ballroom. Through the VCA, Rena collaborated with Melissa Toogood supported by Merce Cunningham Trust, Gregory Lorenzutti, Chimene Steele-Prior and Luke George.

Rena is proud to have directed and choreographed ‘//command_shift^ break’ which premiered in Union Theatre for Mudfest. In 2024, she choreographed and performed a site-specific work ‘transmitting magenta’ for Guild Fringe at the Melbourne Fringe Festival commissioned by the University of Melbourne Student Union. She is also a recipient of the 2025 Leg Up program at Legs On The Wall physical theatre.