14th [Wed.] 10:00 - 11:30 / Tokyo International Forum, Hall D1 Director : SAKURAI Keisuke [Composer] Japanese contemporary dance has developed in a highly peculiar way in recent years. It has become 'something like dance' with 'misused techniques' and 'clumsy bodies', compared to Western dance with 'skilled technique' and 'impressive bodies' derived from history and training. The latest Japanese dance as 'Child-Body', fresh and vivid like 'children's scribble' or 'scribbling children', will be introduced. Companies © Sato Nobutaka Nibroll Nibroll is a group of artists all of whom have been successful in their own fields including visual arts, music, fashion, artistic lighting, etc., led by a choreographer. Maintaining a open mind free from conventional theater methods, it seeks an expression embodying ‘new art’ and focusing on the ‘human body’. While its production activities are based in Tokyo, the group has also staged its works around the world including Paris, Amsterdam, and New York, along with other Asian cities. In addition, Nibroll has been active in a variety of different fields, such as exhibiting video installations, and launching a fashion brand. Shintai Hyôgen circle Sintai Hyougen circle began its activities in 2002 with JORAKU Yutaka leading the group. Its dance, which was a series of instant party stunts, has developed to pursue a genuine body expression. Always having multiple performers collaborating with each other, it captures the notion of ‘movement = dance’ in physical clashes and entangled bodies as in gymnastic exercises. Their dance is highly physical, yet it is dry, emotionless, and anti-sensual, and hence innovative. The group will be participating in the International Triennale of Contemporary Arts, Yokohama 2005. © Tsukada Yoichi KURODA Ikuyo KURODA began her ballet training at the age of six. While being a member of Momoko Tani Ballet Company, she moved to UK in 1997 to study contemporary dance at Laban Centre. After joining ‘Kim ITOH + The Glorious Future’ in 2000, she founded ‘BATIK’ in 2002, winning the National Advisory Panel Award at the former Rencontres Choreographiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis Yokohama Platform in the same year. Other awards received include the ‘next generation choreographer prize’ at the Toyota Choreography Award 2003, and the KIRIN Special Grant for the Dance at the Asahi Performing Arts Award in 2005. In 2004, she premiered the productions of “Flower Flows Time Congeals” and “SHOKU - full version”, and was also invited to Dance Umbrella, a festival held in UK. © Shikama Takashi BOKUDES BOKUDES is a solo unit featuring KOHAMA Masahiro who has collaborated with Yuenchi Saisei Jigyo-dan as an actor, and with Philippe Decoufle (‘IRIS”) and Nibroll (“No Parking”) as a dancer. With his distinctive works which show a mixture of body, animation and objects, he won the encouragement prize at the Kirin Art Award in 2001. He also has been nominated for the former Rencontres Choreographiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis in 2004, and appeared on stage as a contestant at the Yokohama Platform (the Asian region screening). http://www6.plala.or.jp/BOKUDEATH YASUMOTO Masako As a dancer, YASUMOTO has made the most of any chance to dance, whether on stage, television or runway, and was chosen as the best performer at the Internet Drama Award 2003. Being active as a choreographer, she has been involved in theater productions directed by MATSUO Suzuki, promotion videos of ASA-CHANG & JUNRAY, and Ketsumeishi’s live concerts. YASUMOTO creates her own works once in a while, which has resulted in winning the National Advisory Panel Award at the former Rencontres Choreographiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis, and the outstanding performance award in the dance section at Tokyo Competition, both in 2004. © IIDA Kenki / ST Spot Chelfitsch Chelfitsch is a theater unit run by OKADA Toshiki who writes and directs all its works. Founded in 1997, the unit always has been based in Yokohama. Its hyper-real dialogues in Japanese delivered in a mundane and lazy manner are worth noting. Chelfitsch won the 49th Kishida Kunio Drama Award this February for the play 5 Days in March, and it will also appear in the final review stage at the Toyota Choreography Award 2005 in July. © Inoue Yumiko (D-CORD) KATHY KATHY is a performance unit with three female members, striving to go beyond the border of dance and invade the territory of art! They have left a scandalous impression everywhere they go, breaking into people’s memories with a striking image of dancing with their heads covered by stockings. ‘Three women controlled by the great power KATHY, must execute task after task following its command. Nothing can escape from Kathy’s direction’. This concept of KATHY directly reflects the problems of this society. • Director : SAKURAI Keisuke A composer, SAKURAI has been seeking for an "alternative" approach towards dance through various activities; writing books including 'Dance Seminar at Nishiazabu', organizing lectures to "rediscover dance" or workshops to "invent dance", producing dance performances including 'Azumabashi Dance Crossing', judging dance competitions, and collaborating with choreographers as a musician.