About Us
About Us
Ichi Ni San is dedicated to creating imaginative, interactive, multi-disciplinary dance performances for children and adults. Based in the UK our work is inspired by playfulness, curiosity and the intersection of British and Japanese cultures.
In 2021 we premiered Club Origami, an interactive and immersive dance experience commissioned and produced by Little Big Dance. Since then, the show has toured to 17 countries across Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas including Ireland, Mexico, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Australia and Thailand reaching audiences of all ages with its blend of contemporary dance and paper play.
From 2022 to 2023, supported by What Dance Can Do, we extended our reach beyond traditional theatre spaces touring Club Origami directly to children in hospitals in France, Switzerland, and Italy.
At Ichi Ni San we’re passionate about designing performance experiences that invite everyone to explore, imagine, and connect — wherever they are in the world.
Who We Are
Takeshi Matsumoto
Takeshi Matsumoto is a Japanese dance artist and a dance movement psychotherapist. Growing up in Japan his practice, both in life and the performing arts, is influenced by Wa: harmony, peacefulness, quiet and contented ways of living and balancing with others and the environment.
He has worked across areas of performing arts, education and mental health, nationally and internationally for over 15 years. After obtaining his BA in Dance and Drama in Japan, Takeshi moved to London where he completed further studies in Contemporary Dance at Laban and his MA in Dance Movement Psychotherapy at Roehampton University. He regularly works with children with autism and learning disabilities both in the UK and Japan.
As a performer, he has worked with Darren Johnston, Beatrice Allegranti, Anthea Hamilton, Second Hand Dance and Hagit Yakira.
He collaborated with Makiko Aoyama and Robert Howart to create Club Origami, commissioned and produced by Little Big Dance which premiered in 2021. During 2022 – 2023 he was recipient of an Ideas Fund as a Vital Spark associate artist.
Since 2016, he has been committed to an independent project to create dance performances with stateless refugee children in Thailand, tackling issues around social injustice and the rights of children.
Alongside his choreographic works he is dedicated to sharing his practice of working with/for children to create dance performances with dancers, university students and artists.
Photo by Camilla Greenwell
Makiko Aoyama
Makiko Aoyama was born in Aichi, Japan, and moved to the UK in 2000. She graduated from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds in 2005, and since then she has been a regular collaborator with Lea Anderson (The Cholmondeleys), works include Yippeee!!!, Russian Roulette, Games Time, Hand In Glove, Trying It On, Ladies And Gentlemen.
Other works and collaborations with artists include Requardt and Rosenberg's Electric Hotel, The Simple Things in Life, and Phenomenal People, all produced by Fuel Theatre. Everything That Rises Must Dance directed by Sasha Milavic Davies produced by Complicite, and Clod Ensemble On The High Road.
Photo by Summer Dean
Claire Summerfield: Strategic Producer
Tandem Works is led by award winning Independent Producer Claire Summerfield with a passion for raising the voices of those rarely heard within our mainstream cultural ecology. We support companies/artists developing and presenting performance-based work; from one person shows to site specific multi-disciplinary productions and international tours. We have a particular specialism in dance , and dance for young audiences.
Our current portfolio includes: Second Hand Dance, Rachel Mars, New Art Club, Anatomical, Takeshi Matsumoto and Makers of Imaginary Worlds. In 2019 Claire secured National Portfolio Status for Tom Dale Company and Second Hand Dance in 2023.
Claire sits on the Assitej UK board and is Co-Director of Second Hand Dance.
Photo by Claire Haigh
Robert Howat
Robert Howat is a composer/ arranger and musician based in London. As a performer he works alongside choreographer Beatrice Allegranti, in a project support by the Arts Council, performing bespoke Participatory Dances across London – for people living with young onset dementia. He also runs a monthly night performing improvised soundtracks to films and video games at the Rosemary Branch Theatre and writes and gigs with a funk and soul band.
Photo by Summer Dean
