Yoko Ichino, renowned dancer and teacher, will be retiring from her role as Associate Director of the Academy of Northern Ballet after more than two decades with the organization.
In 2001, Yoko Ichino joined Northern Ballet, playing a key role in establishing and leading the Academy of Northern Ballet and the Company’s numerous touring productions. As of the end of August, Ichino will transition into a freelance teaching role, while continuing to work with Northern Ballet.
Originally from Los Angeles, Ichino began her professional career in 1972 by joining Joffrey Ballet II as an Apprentice, and she then proceeded to dance with Joffrey Ballet, The Stuttgart Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The National Ballet of Canada, and Ballett der Deutsche Oper Berlin, among other companies. She also partnered some of the greatest dancers in ballet, including Rudolph Nureyev.
Her teaching career began in her teens, and she subsequently honed her skills at Les Ballet de Monte-Carlo, Stuttgart Ballet, and Nederlands Dans Theater.
From 1995 to 2001, Ichino worked with her husband David Nixon CBE to set up BalletMet Dance Academy in Ohio. When Nixon became the Artistic Director of Northern Ballet in 2001, he and Ichino collaborated to develop the Academy of Northern Ballet, which now reaches over 3,000 individuals of all ages and skill levels annually through its professional and public programs.
Through Ichino’s time as Associate Director of the Academy of Northern Ballet, students have gone on to become professional dancers at some of the top ballet companies, such as Miami City Ballet, Ballet Du Capitole, English National Ballet, and Northern Ballet.
The Yoko Ichino Technique
The Ichino Technique, serves as the basis for the Academy of Northern Ballet. This method is designed to help young dancers manage the physical and psychological aspects of dance, including preventive conditioning, understanding individual capabilities, and a comprehensive knowledge of dance technique.
Cara O’Shea, Academy Associate Artistic Director, Federico Bonelli, Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director, and Leanne Kirkham, Director of Learning and Academy Operations, lead the Academy in teaching the Ichino Technique.
Featured Photo of Yoko Ichino by Justin Slee. Courtesy of Northern Ballet.
