Yumino Seki (b.1961) is a U.K based independent dance artist, Butoh practitioner and qualified somatic movement educator who performs, teaches and collaborates to make performances. She was born in Japan and has trained in both classical and contemporary dance. Moving to the UK she has expanded her dance and movement practices and she has been exploring somatic based movements since 1990.
She has been interested in authenticity of the transformative nature of the temporal body, exploring complex visceral expressions in particular drawn from a Butoh perspective. Collaborating with artists from diverse discipline has given her a broad approach to her dance practice. From solo improvisation to site-specific choreographic ensemble her work crosses between dance, installation and performance art. Many of her works are improvised in nature. Since the completion of the somatic training in 2013 she has further developed her unique practice combining Butoh and somatic approach which aims to embody action, sensation and concept in dance.
Between 1999-2009 she performed extensively in Europe in Butoh predominantly with Mamu Dance Theatre (Tadashi Endo), TEN PEN CHii (Yumiko Yoshioka) both in Germany and Ariadone (Carlotta Ikeda) in France. Between 2007-2012 she trained in VMI (Voice Movement Integration) Somatic Practice with Patricia Bardi in Amsterdam, Netherlands and gained a qualification.
She is a director at SEKI DANCE PROJECT, co-organiser at Butoh Brighton and a member of Chisenhale Dance Space.
Seki’s work is informed by the cultural depth and diversity of both the UK and Japan. Her development in her dance has been a gradual exploration of both her collective and self-identity.
📎 More info: yuminoseki.com