About me
Natsumi is a performer, rigger, and educator whose work is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and the art of shibari/kinbaku. As a former professional ballerina, she brings a refined understanding of the human body to her rope practice, informed by years of studying movement, balance, and physical discipline. Her background in dance allows her to work intuitively with both the physical and mental aspects of the body, exploring beauty, submission, and presence through rope.
My first shibari experience
My first encounters with shibari were as a model, collaborating with various riggers for performances and photoshoots. These experiences sparked my desire to create rope art myself.
As i continue to study techniques and explore the dynamic relationship between rigger and model, i've been developing a distinctive personal style that emphasizes trust, transformation, and visual impact.
I've attended workshops with Master like Ludvig Rigger and Yagami Ren to develop my technique.
Artistic Influences and inspiration
With my background in theatre, i approache shibari as a performance art that combines rope, movement, and atmosphere. Through my work i aim to make shibari accessible to audiences who may be encountering it for the first time, while hopefully also encouraging those familiar with the practice to see it in new ways.
I draw inspiration from kabuki and noh theatre, the natural world, and contemporary artists such as Nobuyoshi Araki. Through these influences, i create immersive experiences that explore the balance between restraint and expression, discipline and surrender.
Many of my performances include elements of nature and video-based visual art developed together with my partner Peter Diablow, who's a filmmaker and cinematic photographer educated at film academies in Boston and New York. Together we create layered visual environments where rope, movement, and film support the atmosphere and storytelling of each piece.
Location
Currently i'm based in Amsterdam & Haarlem, the Netherlands, travelling internationally for my performances and workshops.
I'm dividing my time between performing, rigging, teaching shibari workshops, and offering one-on-one sessions.
My goal is to share the beauty and depth of rope bondage while challenging common misconceptions surrounding shibari and kinbaku. I do this by creating accessible events, teaching workshops and lectures, and collaborating with artists from diverse backgrounds, encouraging dialogue between disciplines and communities.
If you have any questions or enquiries, please fill in the contact form and Natsumi no Ito will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.