Hirokazu Tategata's Danceable LIFE Vol.1

I discovered dance and found my place
Hirokazu Tategata (dancer and choreographer)

In this day and age when everything is becoming digitalized, what is the joy of going to the theater? I think it's the "live feeling."
You can only experience the dynamism of a moment on that day, at that time, and in that place. It disappears in an instant. You can record it on video, but it's difficult to convey the atmosphere of that moment.

As for dancing, it is a world of physical expression, so it becomes more difficult to continue dancing in the same style as you get older. But that can't be helped. That's why I want people to feel each fleeting moment with their eyes, ears, skin, and pores, and I think that will remain in the minds of those who watch.
The reason I started dancing wasn't because I wanted to express something or to stand on stage. I was an introvert since I was a child, and my desire to express myself led me to university to study acting, but I was always getting told off by my teachers. I couldn't even do basic lines or act well, and I had completely lost confidence. Then, a senior student half-forcefully took me to a jazz dance studio, and it was a truly eye-opening experience.
I think that's because dance is a "world without words." I couldn't speak my lines well, but I had a lot of fun expressing myself through dance, and for the first time, I felt like I had found the value of my existence. That's right, I found "my place."

By the time I graduated from university, I had made up my mind to make dancing my career, but around the age of 25, like most people, I hit a wall. It wasn't enough to just dance because I liked it. So I went to New York, but there I experienced even greater failure. The level was so different. I took lessons hard, worked many times harder than others, and gradually got better... but I couldn't catch up. I've always been stiff, and I started dancing late. To begin with, I'm Japanese, so my bone structure is different, and I felt that I had limitations in pursuing Western dance.

So what does it take for me to stand shoulder to shoulder with them on stage?

What caught my attention was the world of Japanese culture, including Noh, Kabuki and Butoh.

As the ballet term "en dehors" (outward-looking) suggests, the Western world has an image of expanding. In contrast, the Japanese world has an image of stripping away and condensing. It was a world that resonated with me and was very convincing.
Since then, I have been searching for a stoic expression that combines "stillness and movement" in a style of independent performance. Of course, the world of entertainment with singing, dancing, and acting like THE CONVOY is also my starting point, so I would like to continue to pursue it in the future.

If you have the chance, let's meet at the theater next time!