IPSWICH THINGS TO DO
RONiN | Yukiko Masui
DanceEast, Ipswich
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Information - RONiN | Yukiko Masui
Cutting-edge. Precise. Striking.
Inspired by the legacy of Japan’s ronin—masterless samurai who lived by their own code—this performance follows the journey of a fearless woman swordfighter who faces off against powerful adversaries, challenging both herself and those who stand in her path.
Dance, swordplay, and cutting-edge digital projections come together to tell the story of an unlikely hero navigating honour, resilience and survival in a male dominated world.
Through a captivating blend of movement and technology, RONiN takes audiences through Japan’s four seasons, from spring’s cherry blossoms to winter’s silent snowfall, creating an anime-inspired realm that merges ancient traditions with modern visual storytelling.
The making of RONiN
Yukiko Masui crafts an intense physical language that fuses contemporary dance with martial precision, drawing on her own multifaceted journey through dance, martial arts and a lifelong love of anime. During the pandemic, Masui reflected deeply on what she missed most in her practice: a sense of purpose, connection and the supportive strength of community. This reflection led her back to her roots in Kendo, a discipline she once captained in Japan, and to a renewed collaboration with her sword teacher and long-time friend Kashmir Leese, recently a stunt performer in Rings of Power and Wicked, who serves as Sword and Stunt Specialist for the production.
Movement powered by technology
To bring the sensory-rich, anime-inspired world of RONiN to life, Yukiko Masui collaborates with award-winning digital projection artist Barret Hodgson. A specialist in projection mapping, Hodgson brings extensive experience working with dancers and choreographers across theatre, dance, opera and music. His practice centres on close collaboration with composers, visual artists and performers to create work that is both conceptually rigorous and emotionally resonant.
Together, Masui and Hodgson have developed an immersive environment that transforms the stage into a vivid, animated landscape. Dynamic projection mapping enhances each scene, intensifying every movement and duel, and drawing audiences into a world where tradition and technology intersect, creating a powerful, visually striking narrative that resonates across cultures and generations.
About Yukiko Masui
Yukiko Masui is a Tokyo born choreographer and movement director whose work blends contemporary dance with influences from hip hop, ballroom and theatre. After beginning her dance training in Tokyo, she moved to London in 2008 to study at Trinity Laban, later completing an MA with Transitions Dance Company.
Her choreography is known for its clarity, musicality and joyful physicality, moving fluidly between dance and theatre contexts. Her debut solo Unbox was praised by The Guardian for its focus and intensity, and her work has since been commissioned and toured internationally by major dance organisations and venues. Alongside her own choreographic projects, Yukiko regularly collaborates as a movement director across stage and performance, bringing a strong dance sensibility to narrative work. Most recently, Masui was movement director for Romeo and Juliet, starring Tom Holland, at the Duke of York’s Theatre, and The Effect, directed by Jamie Lloyd, at the National Theatre and The Shed, New York.
Yukiko’s connection with DanceEast spans many years. From rehearsals and research to performances, workshops and choreographing for the DanceEast CAT End of Year Show last year. As co-founder of SAY, former Associate Artists at DanceEast, she’s remained closely connected to our creative community, and we’re delighted to welcome her back to DanceEast this spring.
