Born in Tokyo, Japan, Yuko Katsumi began her ballet training in Berlin, West Germany with Lily Stanke. She continued training in Japan with The Tokyo Ballet and Komaki Ballet school. She then moved to Harare, Zimbabwe where she started studying the Cecchetti technique with Dawn Saunders. The high marks she received in the Cecchetti Exams enabled her to gain entrance to the Royal Ballet School in London, England.
After graduating from the Royal Ballet School, Yuko moved back to Japan and joined the Matsuyama Ballet. From there she joined the Tampa Ballet and Colorado Ballet under the direction of Martin Fredmann. During her 14 years at Colorado Ballet she danced most of the major Principal roles in the classical repertoire. Her repertoire includes leading roles in full length of Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, La Bayadére, Raymonda, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet, and works by various choreographers.
At the Royal Ballet some of the teachers who were most influential for Yuko were Barbara Fewster, Nancy Kilgour, Lynn Wallis, and Diane Gray Cullert. As a professional Yuko had the honor to work closely with Marina Stavitskaya, Larissa Sklyanskaya, Andris Liepa, and Kaleria Fedicheva. Each of these masters were an important part of Yuko’s development as an artist and teacher and gave her a deep respect for the passing of information from one generation to the next.
“Yuko has taught and coached at San Francisco Ballet, Marin Ballet, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Smuin Ballet and City Ballet in SF.”
Since retiring from her professional dancing career Yuko has developed into a well respected teacher and coach of ballet. In 2011, she joined the faculty of San Francisco Ballet under the leadership of Lola de Avila, and later Patrick Armand where she taught all levels. She has also taught extensively at Marin Ballet, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Smuin Ballet and City Ballet in SF. The Harid Conservatory has invited Yuko to teach the Tour Audition classes in SF. Guest teaching includes Tokyo City Ballet, Eri Majima Ballet in Tokyo, Jean M. Wong School in HongKong, and Crown Theater in Taiwan. She has been invited to be a judge at Taiwan Grand Prix, California Dance Classics in LA, San Diego and SF, Tokyo City Ballet competition in Japan, and Juror for the RAD Solo Seal Exam in SF.
From May 2020 to March 2021 Yuko undertook the position of ballet teacher at Kobe University, Music and Dance Department in Japan which is headed by Toru Shimazaki.
She is currently freelance teaching, coaching and setting Ballets at various schools.