Hiroichi Tatekata's Danceable LIFE Vol. 6

Choreography is a job that allows you to see a world different from your own.
Hirokazu Tatekata (Actor, Dancer, Choreographer)

At some point, I started getting more involved in choreography as part of my job. It began with staging for dramatic readings, and I've since ventured into musicals. Last year, I even had the opportunity to choreograph for "Kiki's Delivery Service."
When I provide choreography to others, I sometimes discover a world different from what I had imagined. Seeing a different body take shape from the world I envisioned creates a landscape I never could have imagined. It's a very fascinating experience.
Conversely, I find it quite difficult to choreograph for myself. Because I know my own limitations, everything ends up being predictable and boring. I find it more enjoyable to think about how to arrange the choreography given to me by others and dance it in my own style. That's why, even for small scenes, I often ask someone I trust to choreograph for me.

For about four years now, I've been involved in choreographing artistic swimming (formerly known as synchronized swimming). Of course, I don't actually get in the water to coach. I think about the overall structure and theme, choose the music, and choreograph the land movements and the upper body movements in the water. Head coach Masayo Imura comes up with the leg movements, so it's essentially a collaborative effort.
You might think we have "dancing" as a common thread, but for me, it's a completely different industry, so I was confused when I first heard about it. But Mr. Imura said, "It's interesting precisely because you're not from the industry and have absolutely no knowledge of it." He said that if you're bound by common sense, you won't be able to come up with anything that breaks through it, so he told me to "say something completely outrageous." I was really impressed by his creativity.

Artistic swimming, as the name suggests, is a sport that demands a high level of artistry. What was expected of me was mainly to teach "cunning expressiveness." Overseas athletes have a strong ability to appeal to the audience, and from the moment they appear on stage, they exude an aura that says, "I'm the best in the world." I was asked to teach Japanese athletes that kind of expressiveness and "cunningness." I'm not a particularly skillful dancer, but that's precisely why I've prided myself on honing my passion for the work, my ability to immerse myself in it, and my concentration. I think Ms. Imura noticed that.

I believe the most important thing in choreography is to bring out the best in each individual. Since I've been commissioned, I could develop my own "Tatekata world," but it's a different body that will actually be expressing it. Rather than unilaterally imposing my own vision, I think it's important to imagine what it would be like if that person embodied my world.
However, at first, we didn't have a common language, so I think we all struggled. To get them to understand my idea of "expression," I tried various methods, styles, and words to communicate it. There are many abstract expressions, so a wide range of experiences are necessary for mutual understanding. Ms. Imura recommends that the athletes watch various things, such as dance and theater performances, Kabuki, music, and art. In fact, Ms. Imura has a wide range of experience in art, so it was a wonderful experience for me to choreograph while exchanging ideas with her.
After four years, the players have become interested in a variety of worlds and have started going to see a variety of things. I feel like we are starting to have a common language.
At the French Open held this past March, Yukiko Inui, whose choreography I created, won the solo free skate. I feel that this has created good momentum heading into the 2020 Tokyo Games.