Hirokazu Tategata's Danceable LIFE Vol.3
A dancer's body is their capital!
Hirokazu Tategata (dancer and choreographer)
I had to withdraw from "Stardust Pump," which began in September, due to an injury. I sincerely apologize for causing you all so much worry and inconvenience.
Thanks to my dedication to rehabilitation, I am recovering well from my injury. I will do my best to be able to stand in front of you all in good health on the stage of THE CONVOY SHOW in December, so please look forward to it!
I took this opportunity to reflect on how I build my body as a dancer.
I currently train with a personal trainer twice a week. However, this is a habit I only developed in my late 30s; I didn't put in much effort when I was younger. I was very skinny, and even though it was something I felt self-conscious about, I just assumed it couldn't be helped because I wasn't built to build muscle. I had little muscle mass for my height, so I suffered a lot of injuries, but in my 20s, even if I was tired, a good night's sleep would rejuvenate me, and injuries healed quickly. A dancer's body is their greatest asset, so this is a bad idea.
I met my current trainer when I was 37 years old.
"The engine is too small in its current state, meaning there is not enough muscle mass in play to achieve good performance."
I remember him saying that. Just like in a car, if you make the engine bigger and move your body in a more relaxed position, you can perform more delicately. I was convinced by this way of thinking, so I had him create a training menu for me right away and started training.
That said, it was tough at first. Just doing boring training over and over again didn't really bring any visible results or changes. But that situation started to change after about three months. As I could see my body shape changing visibly, I started to enjoy it, and I was relieved from the back pain and numbness in my fingers that I had been suffering from on a daily basis, so my life became easier.
And most importantly, I stopped getting injured. I really felt that this is what it means to train your body.
Since then, I have been doing detailed training regimens, always thinking about the strength and stamina required for the next production. The demands vary depending on whether it's hard dancing or acting.
Also, when you suffer an injury like this, it's important to approach it with a schedule for recovery in mind. Believe it or not, in this case, I started rehabilitation the day after surgery. Of course, I won't be moving my injured right leg right away, but by stimulating the muscles in my left leg, I can prevent the muscles in my right leg from weakening to some extent. This is apparently because we instinctively try to maintain balance between both legs, but the human body is a strange thing, isn't it?
By finding a trainer who understands my body and whom I can trust, I've been able to go on stage with more confidence and my performance has improved. We often hear that the mind and body are connected, and this is absolutely true. For example, when I sprain my ankle, if my trainer says, "I'll tape it up properly, so it'll be fine," I can relax and concentrate on dancing.
My goal is to continue to perform on stage as a performer with a strong presence, with a body and mind full of tension, no matter how old I get. To achieve this, I believe I need to keep on maintaining my body and take good care of it.
Photography assistance: Don Giovanni
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1317/A131705/13154500/
