R. Sumi Matsumoto

R. Sumi Matsumoto is originally from Andover, Massachusetts. She received a BFA in Dance with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She has also spent a year and a half at the José Limón Institute where she studied the technique, repertory, and legacy of Limón in depth. Sumi has performed in works choreographed by Mark Morris, Doris Humphrey, Martha Graham, José Limón, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, and Lucinda Childs. She has also performed at the Joyce Theater (NYC), Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Scotland), MoMA (NYC), and ICA (Boston).

As a freelance dancer in New York, Sumi worked with Janet Aisawa on her project Them: a performance of stories of Japanese Americans interned in camps during World War II. The work utilized her experience as both a modern dancer and lindy hopper. Sumi was also a soloist at the 35th Anniversary Peridance Gala.

Sumi holds a master's degree in Information and Library Science from Pratt Institute's School of Information. She specializes in dance-related archives and libraries. She has worked in the archives at the Merce Cunningham Trust, the Dance Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Jacob's Pillow, José Limón Institute, and World Arts West. Sumi was a 2020/21 Dance/USA Fellow in Dance Archiving and Preservation. Currently, Sumi is the Digital Archivist for Jacob's Pillow in Becket, MA.

Sumi is also a former coffee professional, with about four years of experience in specialty coffee preparation and education. Additionally, Sumi is a three-time winner of NaNoWriMo.