I’m Yoshi, and I was born with energy! And from almost my earliest memory, dance became a joyful outlet for that energy, opening an entirely new world to inhabit. A love of dance – of music and movement - became the center of my life and before long I was training in Jazz and Ballet which led to  learning Contemporary dance, and even competitive ballroom dance. From the start I was absorbed by the range that dance offers, by the boundaries of genres and equally by where those boundaries blur. To dance was to have freedom and refuge from the self-doubt, obstacles and criticisms of everyday life and academics. Dance gave me permission to cultivate my unique voice, and I knew as much as I cherished that for myself, I also wanted that gift for others. 

At 18 I got my first taste of teaching dance, and my love for it was as immediate and deep as it had been for my own dancing. In my students, each navigating a challenging world, I saw glimpses of my own story and the golden opportunity to share the self-building power of dance. I was proud when a student would master a piece of choreography, but my heart was most full when students found and shared their humanity through dance. Starting my own school was a natural progression, a way to ensure that dance stayed at the center of my life, while recognizing that my soul was equally grounded in teaching.   In 1996 I established the School of Dance Moves in Sri Lanka, which became one of the most renowned of its kind in the country.  And most importantly, I was able to both pass on my deep love and knowledge of dance, and provide validation and example for the pursuit of careers in the arts - something I remain so committed to. 

Dance and travel - dual great loves of mine - have afforded me so many beautiful and challenging experiences, each of which shape who I am as a dancer, a teacher and a person. In Shanghai I opened the international branch of Dance Moves and taught at Dulwich College. Next I traveled to Cambodia with my senior dance team to create a collaborative piece with dancers with disabilities through Epic Arts, an international, inclusive arts organization. That experience was so formative to my core beliefs about dance and teaching - that everyone should be valued, accepted and respected in their pursuit of using the art of dance as a form of self-exploration and expression. 

Singapore was the next pin on the map, to further study the art of dance, graduating with 1st class Honors in Contemporary dance studies from LASALLE College of the Arts. There I also danced and learned more about production and direction with international choreographers including Loretta Livingston, Liz Lea, Roberta Shaw, Ming Poon and Marion De Cruz. I funneled those blossoming skills into the launch of Sri Lanka’s first International Performing Arts Festival, a project that aimed to educate children from all backgrounds through dance, music and theatre. This mission remains vital to me, to bring joy, hope and meaning to children of all ages through the magic of the performing arts. After completing my studies, I was appointed Head of Dance at United World College of South East Asia, where I taught a diverse dance curriculum to K2-12 students as well as the IB diploma program. 

Each experience in teaching, leading, production and direction has expanded my love and knowledge of dance. No matter how much I pour into my work, it is impossible that I don’t get more in return. And even as the scope of my work fostering others in the performing arts widens, my affection for performance remains fully alive. I continued to dance both as a project artist and as a guest with the company I founded, Movement-Collective International. My performance and choreography has whisked me to Dubai, New Delhi, Indonesia and Australia for international dance festivals. 

Currently, I live in the sunny City of Los Angeles, close to my beloved ocean beaches, with my photographer husband, Shawn, and our Australian Shepherd. My time in Los Angeles, like all the places I’ve lived and danced, has led me to amazing connections through the common love of dance, and I train regularly with dance teachers such as Ryan Heffington, Helene Phillips, Melissa Schade and Adam Parson. Always teaching. Always learning. Always dancing.