An Inspired Chat with Ikumi Makino of Torrance

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Ikumi Makino. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Ikumi, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
Not having confidence in yourself —
it’s something we don’t usually say out loud.
It can feel embarrassing, or sometimes our pride gets in the way.
But I think many people secretly feel that way.
Of course, I’m one of them too.

With social media, it’s so easy to compare ourselves to others.
No matter what age we are,
it feels like it’s getting easier to fall into negative thoughts these days.

In Japanese, the word “confidence” is written with the characters that mean “to believe in yourself.”
It sounds simple, but I think it’s actually one of the hardest things to do.
Confidence isn’t something you’re just born with —
it’s something you gain over time,
through experiences, through growth,
and through the people you meet along the way.

Even in dance —
you practice, you fall, you get back up,
you keep going —
and little by little,
you start to truly believe in yourself.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
AI Vibration is not just a place to learn dance — it’s a community where children and adults can feel truly themselves.
Here, each dancer’s growth becomes inspiration for the others. The kids learn from one another, support one another, and lift each other up.

Those small moments of “I did it” and the joy of sharing progress with peers help build real confidence in a world where comparison is constant.

AI Vibration is a place where dance builds heart, confidence, and connection.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was 24, I somehow managed to take two weeks off work and went to New York to take as many dance classes as I could.
Until then, I had almost only taken classes at the studios I was used to. My world was very small.

In New York, I realized how many incredible dancers existed.
They didn’t even feel like the same kind of human as me — their long limbs, the way their bodies moved, the power, the presence. I was completely overwhelmed, and honestly, I felt like I hit rock bottom.

Even just watching people walking down the street shocked me.
One person had mismatched socks.
Another wore their T-shirt and pants inside out.
A kid with an afro pulled a pencil and eraser out of their hair like it was nothing.
Everything was so free.
Everything was expression.

All the unspoken rules of “how you’re supposed to be” that I carried from Japan — they were all shattered in an instant.

Three years later, I quit my job at the university hospital I was working at and went back to New York. That experience changed the way I see the world — and the way I live my life.

Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
Yes, I do.
When I was about to graduate from university, I was struggling with what to do next. I didn’t really know what I wanted, and I didn’t believe I had anything I was truly good at. During that time, I applied to become a staff member at an entertainment agency in Tokyo. I passed the first screening, and the interview was going to be in Tokyo.

When I told my teacher, Atsuko-sensei, about it, she asked me,
“Ikumi, is that really what you want to do? I don’t think so.”

That one sentence stopped me.

Until that moment, I hadn’t realized I was hiding my real desire.
Deep down, I wanted to dance.
But I didn’t think I was good enough, so I convinced myself to choose something “safer.”

She saw what I couldn’t see in myself yet.

Sometimes I think about how different my life would be if she hadn’t said those words.
That moment was the first time I felt truly seen and heard.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
In today’s world, with social media everywhere, children compare themselves to others far more than when I was growing up. It’s easy for them to feel like they are not enough.

Through dance—through performing, facing challenges, and finding teammates who grow alongside them—I want them to experience even the smallest moments of “I did it.”
Because those small moments, repeated again and again, become real confidence.

I want to create a space where children don’t just learn how to dance, but learn how to believe in themselves. And I will continue that work for as long as it takes.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Yes, I am doing what I was born to do.

I know why I am here.
Through teaching dance, I can connect with children and adults and create a place where they can feel happy and comfortable being themselves — even for a moment.

I didn’t do this because someone told me to.
I chose this path myself.
And I feel grateful and lucky that I found work that matches my purpose and that I can continue doing it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ai-vibration.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ai_vibration/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6N-sRppnIpu2KHZE2LMO5A