Hiroichi Tatekata's Danceable LIFE Vol. 9
A time to slowly reflect on myself
Hirokazu Tatekata (Actor, Dancer, Choreographer)
Since March, all performances I was scheduled to appear in or choreograph have been cancelled. I'm still feeling my way around to see what kind of conditions will allow me to resume my activities, but for now, I'd like to reflect on the past three months or so.
To be honest, those days of not being able to go anywhere or see anyone were tough. But if I kept thinking about it, I'd just become negative. So I decided to make good use of the time I had been given.
The first thing I tackled was decluttering!
I've been so busy lately that I've been ignoring all sorts of things, but I finally got around to tackling them all at a furious pace. I even came across some nostalgic photos like this, so let me share a little bit with you.
This is one of the early solo performances I started doing independently. I rented a black tent studio in Kagurazaka for the performance, and it was a solo dance based on "The Star of the Nightjar" (by Kenji Miyazawa).
In addition, I found many nostalgic items such as videos of plays I appeared in and work-related documents, but I decided to get rid of anything I felt I no longer needed.
When everyone around you is busy and you stop moving forward, you tend to feel guilty, as if you're being lazy, but this time, it's as if time has stopped for people all over the world... I offer my heartfelt respect to those who are working hard in these difficult circumstances. On the other hand, I feel that this has given me time to really reflect on myself. It might sound a little dramatic, but I feel like I've been cleansed and lightened, and I think I can start walking towards the next thing with a renewed spirit.
Another thing we tackled was remote learning.
I've been a lecturer at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music for five years now. This academic year's classes have started remotely.
I managed to get through the first week's guidance. The problem is the practical training that started in the second week. I've always told students to "use your body a lot" and "move a lot," but it's difficult to practice that in your living room at home. I've been managing by borrowing a friend's studio and having part of the campus opened up, but some students have poor Wi-Fi connections or are taking classes in a single room in their apartment, so it's quite a difficult situation. I can't say that this situation is "only temporary," so I think I need to change my mindset and start thinking about online lessons.
Of course, there's an atmosphere that can't be conveyed through a camera, and a certain "heat" and "vibration" that can only be felt live. My belief remains unchanged that the charm of performing arts lies in sharing the same space and feeling the clash of energies.
What do I want to do most right now? I guess it would be to meet up with close friends, eat delicious food, and drink delicious wine (laughs). I've been staying home alone all this time, but I feel a strange tension, and I think I've been accumulating stress without realizing it. I just want to relax, so I'd like to go to a hot spring (laughs).
In that sense, I'm starting to miss the atmosphere of the rehearsal studio.
The first step in resuming activities is "Super Mythological Musical Dramatic Kojiki 2020," which opens at the end of July. It's a revival of the play that was staged in 2013, and I'll be playing Amaterasu again this time. Rehearsals are scheduled to start in July, so I'm really looking forward to it.
I hope we can slowly start moving forward while taking precautions to avoid the "three Cs" (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings).
