Yukina Sato
Yukina Sato is a Japanese dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker whose work explores the dynamic interplay of movement and storytelling. Her artistic practice delves into the liminal space of cultural hybridity, capturing the unique experiences of living between two countries and navigating overlapping cultural landscapes.
Yukina has collaborated with acclaimed performing artists and companies, including Abby Zbikowski (Abby Z + New Utilities), Carl Flink (Black Label Movement), Crystal Perkins (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company), Bebe Miller, and Diavolo – Architecture in Motion – among many others. As the co-founder of YY Dance+Media, she is passionate about creating multimedia performances that intersect live dance performance and technology. Her recent work, Motion of Seeing, premiered at the Detroit Dance City Festival and earned the National Exchange Award in 2023, leading to performances at the RAD Festival in 2024.
Yukina holds an MFA in Dance from The Ohio State University and a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Dance at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In this role, she shares her passion for movement, creativity, and choreography with students.
My dance works aim to connect movers and viewers through visceral experiences, creating space for shared questions, stories, and understanding.
Born in Tokyo, Japan, I create dance works that explore identity, relationships, and the spaces between people.
Dance is a tool for understanding myself and visualizing the emotional and social dynamics that shape human connection.
My choreography inspiration draws from everyday movement and blends all of my training in contemporary, floorwork, jazz, and hip-hop to challenge fixed categories and expand movement possibilities. I use partnering to reflect cycles of meeting, separation, and change in our lives. I also integrate photography and camera perspectives into my creative process, using framing and point of view to challenge how audiences experience dance.
My goal as an artist is to create spaces for mutual understanding, respect, and connection beyond cultural and social boundaries.
Yukina Sato 