Chime Yanagida

🪔 About

Kimiko Yanagida is a veteran Odissi artiste and teacher based in Japan, known for her dedication to promoting Indian classical dance and culture. She received extensive training in Odissi, studying for five years under the late Guru Hare Krishna Behera in Delhi and for almost three decades under Guru Subash Chandra Swain in Odisha, India. Her foundational dance education included 12 years of classical ballet from a young age and four years of contemporary dance and choreography at the National Nara Women's University, where she also researched dance philosophy and aesthetics. Yanagida began teaching Odissi to the public in 1995 and currently heads her own dance troupe, "Chandrika," which means "Moonlight." She also teaches "Rhythmic Dance Expression" at her alma mater, National Nara Women's University, and Osaka Health and Welfare Junior College. Her career includes numerous performances in Japan at esteemed venues like the Ise Jingu Shrine and Todaiji Temple, as well as international performances in India, the USA, and Germany. Yanagida also worked for the Science and Technology Department of Odisha, India, from 1993 to 1995, and actively assists the Indian Consulate, facilitating performances for overseas dancers in Japan, including Padmashri Astad Deboo.