＜with English subtitles＞

TOMOKAWA Kazuki

Born in Akita Prefecture in 1950. He started singing inspired by Nobuyasu Okabayashi, and debuted with a single “Jokyo no Jokyo (Situation of Going to Tokyo)” in 1974. In 1978, he released an album that collected songs composed for Chuya Nakahara’s poems, “Ore no Uchi de Nariyamanai Uta (Songs that won’t Stop Crying from with Me).” He has been active also as a poet, painter, and cycle race critic, and performed in Takashi Miike’s cult film “Izo” in 2004. His first Europe tour was realized in 2006, and the lyrics that are literarily profound and the intense singing style are enthusiastically praised internationally.

→ TOMOKAWA Kazuki’s Official HP

MIKAMI Kan

Born in Aomori Prefecture in 1950. He began writing poems influenced by beat generation poets and Shuji Terayama, who was born in the same prefecture, in his high school years. After going through various occupations, he debuted as a singer in 1971 with a sensational song “Enka (A Song of Grudge)” that featured tabooed sexual vocabularies and forbidding Japanese customs as its theme. He has also shown his talent as an actor in films such as Shuji Terayama’s “Den-en ni shisu (Pastoral: To Die in the Country)” and Nagisa Oshima’s “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence.” Since 2004, he has been active also overseas touring in France and the UK.

→ MIKAMI Kan’s Official HP（Under Construction!）

KAMIMURA Megumi
"Diagonally"

Born in 1977. She began ballet training in her childhood and studied at Rotterdam Dance Academy in Netherlands from 2000 to 2001. She started to present her solo works at various spaces in Japan and other countries in 2004, and established her own company “kamimura megumi company” in 2006. Her first group work “Mountain Range” was presented in 2007 at Komaba Agora Theater in Tokyo. She created the third company work “The Lower Depths” at BankART 1929 Yokohama in 2008. For her, creating dance pieces means getting rid of unnecessary movements. Her dances, stripped down to the bare necessities, are bound to surprise and awe the audience.

→ KAMIMURA Megumi’s Official HP

SUZUKI Yukio
"The Point of Words"

He started butoh dancing at Asbestos Studio in 1997, and joined in pieces of Ko Murobushi and others. He established his company “Kingyo dance company” in 2000, and its documentaristic choreography that presented earnest bodies drew attention. Recently he has been active in various fields choreographing ballet dancers, participating in ITI 3rd Asian Dance Conference, and holding workshops. He was nominated for Kyoto Art Center Performing Arts Award in 2007, and was given Audience Award in 2005 and Next Age Choreographer Award (Grand Prize) in 2008 both at Toyota Choreography Award.

→ KINGYO (SUZUKI Yukio)’s Official HP

＜with English subtitles＞

TEZUKA Natsuko
"Private Trace 2009"

Began solo works in 1996. “Anatomical Experiment” series, in which she conducts experiments using her body as the material, was launched in 2001. She participated in the final competition of Toyota Choreography Awards in 2002, and started “Dojo Yaburi Kikaku (rivalry between schools project)” in 2005, in which she tries to employ methods of other artists that she is interested in. She has been active also in the US, Australia, Germany, Poland, and has been holding workshops for dancers, actors, musicians, and mentally retarded people.

→ TEZUKA Natsuko’s Official HP

＜with English subtitles＞

sanjoukai
"Sotoba Komachi"
- from "Five Modern Noh Plays" by MISHIMA Yukio

Established in 1997, based in Chiba City, by artistic director Minoru Seki. Utilizing old and new plays and novels of the world and exploring elements of theatre such as time, space, language and the body, the company has been creating strong and humorous works. Since gaining the Best Director Award at Toga Director Concours with its “Hikarigoke,” the company has been performing in China, Korea, and Taiwan. It was given Chiba City New Artist Award in 2005. Its repertory is wide: from Euripides and Shakespeare to Yukio Mishima, Shuji Terayama, and Oriza Hirata.

→ sanjoukai’s Official HP

＜with English subtitles＞

dracom
"Hakarazumo" (40-min version)

Established by students of Osaka University of Arts in 1992. Its annual performance, which is held under the title “Festival,” expresses our contemporary view of the world and life and death in a dense space with humor, combining various elements such as texts, performance, lighting, sound, and stage setting. Its works that capture floating possibilities which already exist in the world are described sometimes as “experimental” and sometimes “adventurous.” Jun Tsutsui, the artistic director, was given Kyoto Art Center Performing Arts Award in 2007.

→ dracom’s Official HP

Rotozaza
"Etiquette"

Rotozaza (core members Anthony Hampton and Silvia Mercuriali) have quietly established themselves as one of UK's most consistently surprising and innovative performance groups. From their early site-specific work in Milan and Paris through to a more recent focus on unrehearsed 'guest' performers, their two aims have always been the same: to identify and celebrate what can only be done live, and to foster international links through an exciting practice which isn't afraid to operate in foreign languages and cultures. At the heart of recent work by ROTOZAZA has been a fascination with people coping with tasks, live and unrehearsed. Recently this has morphed into what Rotozaza calls 'Autoteatro': self-generating performance devices whereby the audience exchanges performer and audience roles.

→ Rotozaza’s Official HP

＜with Japanese and English subtitles＞

Performance Group TUIDA
"The Tale of Haruk"

Tuida have been performing since 2001. Originally formed by eight graduates from the Korean National University of Arts, with the aim of creating open and 'nature-friendly plays', with an emphasis on recycling. 'All that we borrow from nature goes back to nature and there gains a new life.' Tuida combines the acting traditions of both Eastern and Western clowns, using puppets, masks and music. Their aim is to continually experiment and develop ways of performance that will enhance the audience's experience. The company has earned accolades throughout Asia and the US. Tuida were also invited to perform at Japan's ASSITEJ Congress & Performing Arts Festival in 2002 and 2003.

"The Tale of Haruk" won Best Production, Best Playwright, Best Acting and Best Set Design at Seoul Children's Theatre Awards. This beautiful, heartwarming Korean fairy tale explores desire, parental love and the way we communicate, featuring traditional Korean puppets made of paper, unique native masks and recycled-material percussion instruments.

→ TUIDA's Official HP