A flexible optical ribbon and associated method is provided. The ribbon includes a plurality of optical transmission elements and a polymeric ribbon body surrounding the plurality of optical transmission elements. The ribbon body includes a plurality of recesses formed in the ribbon body, and each recess has a depth extending from the first major surface toward the plurality of optical transmission elements and a length extending along the ribbon body between a first recess end and a second recess end. The first recess end is defined by a concave curved surface of the polymeric ribbon body.