Yumiko Takeshima, Part 1: Adventures of a Global Dancewear Family

Yumiko’s global fame and a discussion of travel and bringing our kids with us when we travel (1:52) Cher and Yumiko reminisce traveling with Yumiko’s husband Mark through Spain, and how Yumiko’s and Mark’s child enjoys life with the YUMIKO business (8:02)   Yumiko shares about her transition from being a prima ballerina to having the worldwide YUMIKO brand (13:08).

 

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson  

Guest: Yumiko Takeshima

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

 

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Instagram @yumiko

Costume Design at Nationale Opera & Ballet https://www.operaballet.nl/en/yumiko-takeshima

Youth America Grand Prix https://yagp.org/yumiko-takeshima/

 

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Extended  Summary : 

In this inspiring conversation, Che sits down with dancer, designer, and entrepreneur Yumiko Takeshima to explore the delicate balance between motherhood, creativity, and career longevity. Yumiko shares her journey of building a global dancewear brand while raising a family, reflecting on the importance of setting healthy boundaries, carving out time for self-care, and learning to say no without guilt. Together, they dive into the evolving definitions of success, the courage it takes to slow down in a fast-paced world, and the power of community in sustaining both artistic and personal growth. This honest and heart-centered discussion offers wisdom for anyone navigating the complexities of motherhood, creative life, and self-preservation

Born in Asahikawa, Japan, to parents who owned a small Kimono business, Takeshima began dancing at the age of four in Sapporo, Japan. At the age of 14 she left home to study ballet with Miharu Ishikawa and the San Francisco Ballet. She was a solo dancer with Universal Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Feld Ballet NY, Dutch National Ballet and the Dresden Semperoper Ballet. Yumiko Takeshima was awarded the gold medal at the Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition in 1996. 

In early 2002 she launched YUMIKO dancewear and the YumiGirl Network. Her dancewear was also used in the 2010 film "Black Swan", among others. 

Since 2002, Takeshima has continued to develop her made-to-order line, as well as a ready-to-wear line, of high quality, great fitting, and beautifully designed dance and fitness wear for women and men. In addition, since moving to Amsterdam, Netherlands, Takeshima has designed costumes for numerous choreographers, most notably David Dawson and William Forsythe and has been praised in the press not only as a dancer, but also for designing some of the most elegant, simple, and aesthetically beautiful dance costumes in the European dance world.

Costumes designed for:

The Human Seasons (2013) David Dawson for the Royal Ballet Opus.11 (2013) David Dawson f