Don't miss the new work "WOLF"! This summer, OrganWorks/Shintaro Hirahara presents the latest dance theater performance at the Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center.
I once read somewhere that the longest journey a human being can take is the inner journey.
These words have been echoing in my head ever since I finished my interview with Hirahara Shintaro.
Hirahara is the director of a dance company called "Yokohama Dance Company," which focuses on Japanese contemporary dance.
He is the head of "OrganWorks" and the person responsible for the composition, direction, and choreography of the new work "WOLF" that we are introducing this time.
OrganWorks (©yixtape)
"WOLF" is a new work created amid the coronavirus pandemic.
About the theme of the play: "wolves"
Hirahara said he was inspired by the Hokkaido wolf of his hometown, Hokkaido.
The Hokkaido wolf was once worshipped as a god by the Ainu people.
It is believed that over time they were driven to extinction.
"It starts with the idea that humans have a very rough attitude towards animals that are becoming extinct. Even though there was a time when wolves were worshipped as gods, at a certain point they were suddenly categorized as pests. The sudden change in people's way of thinking and values is extremely violent, and I think there are many parts of it that can be likened to society today.
I had a strong desire to incorporate it well into the work."
"WOLF" image ©OrganWorks
In addition to the main theme of the film, the wolf, another important key point is "vinyl."
It seems like a subject that is hard to associate with wolves, so I wonder what kind of thoughts are behind it.
"Vinyl separates things, but you can still see what's inside.
It's a mysterious material that is ambiguous yet definitely disconnected.
Also, I like going to see stuffed animals, and I feel like they also represent the separation between life and death.
It makes it seem alive, but there's no living thing there.
I wonder if just the lack of soul can make people's views so cold and careless.
It just didn't feel right.
And this "disconnection" can be expressed through vinyl.
The meaning of this work is contemporary, what we should think about in the time of COVID-19,
It just seemed like a great fit, which is what led me to this decision."
"diss_olv_e" performance photo (2020) ©igaki photo studio
The words "becoming sloppy" sent a chill down my spine because I knew what it was like.
I have never had the experience of reaching out and petting a stuffed animal like I would a living creature.
In this world, all the "disconnections" that unconsciously separate us
The work is expressed using vinyl, something that we use every day and take for granted.
Every word that Hirahara spoke made me feel more and more excited for the performance that I have yet to see.
The boundary created by "disconnection" in "WOLF"
How is it actually being handled?
"You shouldn't just go and see things you already know, and I want to remain an irregular generator.
In today's world, we can choose to watch only what we like,
I think it’s important to get away from that.
I think unexpected things are sure to be interesting, and I hope to convey the importance of coming to see such things."
Dancers Taeko Machida (left) and Shintaro Hirahara (right)
Speaking of which, recently, maybe it's because social media can read my tastes and preferences.
I realized I was being bombarded with similar information.
It felt like I had been put into a box that was gradually getting smaller and smaller.
In this day and age where many people are trapped in the same box, it is not just one stone but four or five stones that are being thrown.
I think his name is Hirahara Shintaro.
Perhaps it is Hirahara Shintaro, the irregularity generator, who will break this box.
Shintaro Hirahara's world is a reflection of the existing world that he has seen through his own filter.
It lets you see it from a new angle.
It will give you an opportunity to reexamine your own thoughts and values.
The message is primarily conveyed through physical expression in contemporary dance.
A story and a message told through dance.
This summer, I too will embark on an inner journey through the world of Hirahara Shintaro.
I have a feeling that this journey will be much farther and deeper than ever before.
Shintaro Hirahara (©️Hajime Kato)
【profile】
Born in Hokkaido in 1981. After a career in classical ballet and hip-hop, he specializes in contemporary dance and works as a dancer, choreographer, stage composer, and dance instructor. He also presides over the dance company "OrganWorks" and engages in creative activities. He has participated in dance productions both in Japan and abroad, including "Condors" led by Kondo Ryohei and "C/Ompany" led by Oue Shintaro. He actively interacts with artists in other fields, collaborating with Noh actor Tsumura Reijiro, providing choreography for the theater company Ikiume, Kobayashi Kentaro, Kobayashi Kensaku, and Shirai Akira, and collaborating with visual artists Shiota Chiharu and Harima Midori. He was selected in the performing arts category of the magazine "BRUTUS" in its special feature "The Next Person: A Catalog of People Who Will Change Tomorrow."
OrganWorks New Performance "WOLF"
[Date and Time]
July 2, 2021 (Friday) 19:00~
July 3, 2021 (Sat) 11:00- (children aged 3 and over allowed), 15:00-
Sunday, July 4, 2021, 11:00- (children aged 3 and over allowed), 15:00-
[Written, directed and choreographed by] Shintaro Hirahara
[Cast] Taeko Machida, Takkun Ikegami, Ayae Onishi, Reimi Murai, Jun Aoyagi, Rin Takagi
[Location] Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center Studio HIKARI
(9-1 Momijigaoka, Nishi-ku, Yokohama)
[Ticket price]
All seats are unreserved (preschool children not allowed)
General advance tickets: 3,500 yen Same-day tickets: 500 yen extra for each ticket
■U-24: 3,000 yen
■High school students and younger: 1,000 yen
(Please show your ID upon entry.)
△Discount for people with disabilities: Present your disability certificate when you visit and receive a discount on the ticket price.
You will receive a cashback of ￥1,000.
[Ticket sales]
□Peatix https://organworks-wolf.peatix.com
*Credit card payment, convenience store/ATM payment
□Google form https://forms.gle/ktqckGuHEqhz9VpGA
*Cash payment on the day
[inquiry]
Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center Hall Management Division: 045-263-4475
OrganWorks: office@theorganworks.com
[Organizers] Kanagawa Prefecture, CRANEO Co., Ltd.
[Cooperation] The Saison Foundation
[Planning and Production] OrganWorks, CRANEO Co., Ltd.
[Production] Rayon Veil
