The Kanagawa Prefectural Arts Dance Association was founded in 1958 when nine dancers active in Kanagawa Prefecture gathered to hold a joint dance performance. Currently, the number of members exceeds 250, and we continue our activities to make even more people familiar with art dance.
Among the various performance activities including competitions, one that attracts attention is the "Red Brick Dance Art" held at Yokohama Red Brick Building No. 1.
*From Naka Morimoto's work "Dance with Oden"
This year's performance, which is in its 10th year, aims to foster young dancers and choreographers, with 14 groups participating. Each performer will perform their own unique dance in a unique space where you can directly feel the audience's reaction.
We visited the rehearsal held before the performance on Saturday, June 8th, and asked the up-and-coming dancers about their thoughts on dance.
Tomomi Fujii has been dancing since she was a child, partly because of the influence of her mother who is a dancer. This time, she will be dancing a new piece, ``Drawing the Sky,'' which she choreographed herself.
``I feel that the red brick stage is a unique space where you can feel the ships moored outside and the endless sky and sea.I am the type of person who choreographs according to an image that I have thought out in my head, This work was created with the image of ``the sky'' in mind. It's up to the viewer to decide how they feel about it, but I'd be happy if you could feel some kind of image when you watch my dance and think about something else."
Yuko Ishihara and Yuya Yoshizaki will appear as the top batters in the second half. Both are up-and-coming dancers who were active in the dance troupe "Noism" based at Ryutopia (Niigata Civic Arts Center). This time, I will be participating in the new work ``UMU'' choreographed by Mr. Yoshizaki.
The idea for Ishihara to wear a mask came to Yoshizaki the night before the rehearsal.
"A white mask gives an image of an 'innocent existence'. When I think of an accident in which a defenseless young life is suddenly taken away, something rises inside me. Wearing a mask adds anonymity. I thought that this would be a work that many people could relate to."
``It's interesting when people who look at my work get a sense of things that I didn't intend and say, ``That's how it looked.'' That's what I do as a choreographer, because I'm communicating with the audience through my work. That's what I'm interested in.
I believe that there are no ``don'ts'' or ``mistakes'' in contemporary dance. What the person feels after viewing it is the “correct answer” for that person. It is natural that your impression will change depending on your physical condition and mood at the time. I hope people can just watch the performance without thinking about it and accept what they feel."
A glimpse of the “UMU” rehearsal scene!
Red Brick Dance Art 2019
[Date and time] June 8, 2019 (Saturday) 14:00 start / 18:00 start
[Venue] Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building 1 3F Hall
[Fee] ¥ 3,000
[Sponsored by] Kanagawa Prefectural Arts and Dance Association
https://dancekanagawa.jp/
