Seiko Takata

Seiko Takata (September 13, 1895 – March 19, 1977; in Japanese, 高田せい子, or kana, たかた せいこ ), born Sawano Sei, was a Japanese dancer and dance educator. She is considered a pioneer of modern dance in Japan.

Early life and education Sawano Sei was born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. She moved to Tokyo as a young woman, to attend music school. She trained as a dancer with Enrico Cecchetti, Giovanni Vittorio Rosi, Mary Wigman, Doris Humphrey, Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis. and toured and studied in Europe and the United States. Their duo dancing act was sometimes billed as "Seiko and Takata" on variety bills. She was a member of the Imperial Theatre, the Negishi Kabukikan and the Asakusa Opera. and taught dance at the Takatas' school and in other settings. After World War II she co-founded the Takata/Yamada Dance Company with Yamada Goro, and was president of the All-Japan Art Dance Association. She is considered one of the founders of modern dance in Japan, alongside Baku Ishii and Eguchi Takaya.

Takata's students included Japanese dancer Erika Akoh Choreographer Tatsumi Hijikata trained with a student of Takata's.

Personal life and legacy Sawano married fellow dancer in 1918. Her husband died from tuberculosis in 1929. She died in 1977, at the age of 81, in Tokyo.