Tuesday 6 November 2007

Dance is a lifestyle.

My dance teacher back in Japan, Fujisato-sensei, said "dance is a religion".

My Pilates teacher, Alan Herdman, said "Pilates is a lifestyle".

Last night, websurfing through Facebook groups, I found a group called DANCE is NOT a sport it is a LIFESTYLE!. Although I do not belong this group, this has brought back these words from my teachers.

Since I started teaching Pilates, I have been struggling to understand the value of dance, for myself.

In Pilates world, everything costs with one more extra zero. But (or because?) many people appreciate it so much. Through remedial Pilates, people can sort out backache, joints problems and muscular stain.

I can get regular and permanent jobs and income in Pilates, quite easily.
Whereas in dance, nothing is regular and permanent. We dancers move from one project to another, one audition to another, and then work very hard with their own body and mind, and get paid minimum or even no pay.

This does not make sense as a job.

But what I really appreciate being a dancer is that I can understand better and better about body, human and the society, by sensing, moving and thinking.

Miranda Tufnell, an artist who works with body, space and image, said in a workshop on Sunday two weeks ago, " We dancers are ambassadors of the body". There is lots of essence we see, and they are relevant to all the people.

So dance may be a religion. And definitely, dance is a lifestyle.

This makes me see other dancers in a morning class in a different way. They are no competitors but colleagues.

Perhaps, the same applies to other places too.
A first step towards world peace, or just being hypocritical?

Sunday 4 November 2007

ダンサー的

そんなこんなで、きのうはManchesterで公演でした。作品自体は2年前につくったものでもう変に落ち着いちゃっているので、まあいいとして(本当はいいと思っていないんだけど!)、ほかの作品にでている二人のダンサーとお話しできたのが新鮮でした。

Jurajは月曜からオーストリアのカンパニーでの仕事。2月に私たちがまたちっちゃなツアーを再会するときにまたロンドンに戻ってくる。イギリ スとヨーロッパと行き来しているダンサーってあまり会ったことがないので、ヨーロッパのダンス状況を聞いて、わくわく。ヨーロッパのダンス、イギリスの ちょっとバレエチックにきれいにおさまっちゃっているコンテと比べて、もっと人間!って感じがする。もっとなまの身体があって、感情があって。。。いい なぁ。。。
来年の夏くらいにちょっと行ってみようかな!

Elizabettaはイギリス内で大きな仕事にガンガン恵まれているわりに、いまいちロンドンのダンスにしっくり感じていないらしい。最近マッ サージの資格を取る為のコースを始めたり。私から見れば、ずいぶんと成功している人のようにみえるけど、それでもいろいろ考えてるんだな。ダンサーの収 入って不安定だし、先のことなんて全然わからないし。

二人ともある意味、遊牧民のようにあちらからこちらへとプロジェクトを巡り、それによって住むところもあちらからこちらへと移動して、その自由さ と柔軟さに憧れる反面、わたしはそこまでやらないなぁ。私はプロジェクトは巡るけど、住むところはこの7年間ロンドン内。ほかに移動することなんて考えた ことなかったけど、そうやって自分で自分の限界を作っちゃっていたのかもしれない。

と思う反面、自分の人生もっと責任を持って自分でコントロールしたい!と行く気持ちが最近むくむく大きくなってきている。ダンサーの仕事の機会っ て、振付家に依存している部分が大きくて、いつも「仕事くださーい」って思いながらオーディションに行ったり、振付家に話しかけてみたり。仕事が来るのを 待って、仕事がきたらそれに振り回されて。コントロール不可能。

完全にコントロールされた人生なんてありえないし、あってもつまらないけど、もうちょっと自発的にプロジェクトを起こすことができないのだろうか? むむむ。。。

まあ、機会があったらそのうちに。

Friday 2 November 2007

プロジェクトと満足感

今取り組んでる2つのプロジェクト。
自分で満足感得られないってゆうのは、やっぱ自分のせいなのかな?

一生懸命のめり込んでやったプロジェクトからはすごくたくさんのことを学ぶし、自分の中でも大切なものとしてのこるけど、今回みたいに、周りの人 と環境のせいで自分の60%(以下かも)くらいしか出せないってゆうのは、歯がゆいを通りこして欲求不満。爆発寸前を押さえてる、みたいな。

それでもマイナスをプラスと読み替えてなんとか自分で納得いくようにしようとするんだけど。

無理!

批判的になりすぎてるのかなぁ。

2008年、来年はもっと良いプロジェクトに巡り会えるといいな。

って、先のこと考えてもしかたなくて、今取り組んでいるものをどうにかしろって感じだよね。。。

「しあわせだなぁ」という感覚は、仕事があるかということより、どう仕事に取り組むかということから得られるのだなと思い知らされる。量より質、ともいいますか。

まあ、keep goingですな。。。

Tuesday 30 October 2007

Sixty-five Feet Down, feedbacks

It's already four months ago when I performed my work Sixty-five Feet Down at Clarence Mews. A good thing about this sharing was that I received written feedbacks from the audience, which can be nice but also confusing...and that's why I have kept them so quietly till now. But I want to do something. Something exciting in my dance activity and I thought it might be the time to see them again and see if I can take this work somewhere further.There are seven feedbacks.

1) I saw a woman alone, very troubled but I don't know why she was in this place. Thank you.

2) Isolated, alone, bare, raw, power.
Movements- sharp, fluid, intense, contained.
I enjoyed it.

3) I had a sense of confusion, as if she didn't know which way was up or down, like the sounds where playing or toying with her. If this was the intention then she captured it perfectly... The random echoing of the dunes seducing and then stashing her is quit succession. I enjoyed her quality of movement. Simple forms, but overly complex. Quite pure and clean. I really liked it.

4) I got the feeling of the dancer being very low, as described. The feel of isolation came across well. I would like to see more material, sequences and fluidity.

5) I only read the info on your piece after seeing it, so my impression works in a "funny" way. I definitely had the sense of pursuit/ being pursed, loneliness, being haunted, voice in the head... On empty landscape, lots of FRAGMENTS that get picked up or lost...burying one's head in the "sand"...

6) I have no idea what the dance was about- so that is my comment. If I knew I might be able to offer you some advice/ response. I also must add that abstraction is interesting if I can find what it is abstracted from -

7) 表情、もしくは、あっさりしたdarknessが日本的だったです。侍?墨絵のような。quickな部分と静かな部分のバランスが、というよりtimingの取り方がよかったです。身体がきれいだなと思って見てました。


I just find it very depressing to work on this piece because this woman is depressing. So I don't know if I want to continue to working on this, but it would be a bit shame to throw everything away after showing a work-in-progress only once.

Haw can I take it further???

Saturday 28 July 2007

Interaktionslabor, Germany 2

Two more days.

Now I can see the whole piece.
I know what I am doing in each scene.
The woman I am playing, still I don't like her but I've got her.

The process has been something interesting. We are dealing with interactive technology, and talking something about inter-subjectivity, communication, real or virtual etc. Cool.

OK then. Look at the process we have been going through for these two weeks. Everyone says that this is so precious opportunity to work with the numbers of experts in each art discipline. I would say this is the only occasion that everyone gets together except the actual show. It is true that we are spending quite many hours together to create something, but I doubt if things happened as much as this if we were communicating through the internet or emails.

Here is actual real interaction between people and their ideas. Each of us create something they want to try, put them together, select what works in the performance context. As we do this process, there are other problems on another level coming up. For example, how we can reach an agreement on the treatment of movie we made for a love scene, which contains some nudity that performers do not wish to show (yeah I'm one of them). We have a discussion about it. This is not directly related to the creation itself and maybe the discussion does not reach to a clear conclusion. But what I see is that the activity of discussion makes people communicate and it gives some good affect on the creation of a collaborative work. Lots of try-out and discussion work in that way. They don't bring conclusions most of time but it works as oil or spring board for the creation.

The oil and the spring board make the richness of a performance. I tend to rush into a conclusion, or try to get a result quickly, but I have to remind myself that nothing is waste. They are fertilizer and we don't know what kind of flower is coming out from there, and when.

On the other hand, there is a danger of just thinking anything goes. Like everything, the balance is important. Playing and planning. Planning and playing.

Going back to the interaction, so, the actual meeting and interaction of people bring infinite possibilities. In the chaos of unreasonable humans (yes they are), a sparkling jewel jumps out.

Communication on the internet has different quality. I remember this man, who could tell me so much about his personal things like what happened in the past and what's going on in his life, however, could not tell me anything face-to-face. The personal private intimate communication on emails is also a particular art, that cannot exist in the reality.

I am writing this, and I never talk anything like this to people.

Is this just my lack of ability of talking, or the nature of a blog?

...Probably both.

Wednesday 25 July 2007

Interaktionslabor, Germany

I am here in Gottelborn, Germany for Interaktionslabor. Interaktionslabor is an annual workshop for technology and performance. I came here two years ago too. This time, I am working with a group of 15 people(!) with different expertise such as fashion, textile, animation, motion graphics, music and performance. Suna no Onna is the title of the physical theatre we are making, which is based on a Japanese novel of the same title,the Woman in the Dunes in English. I am playing the role of the woman who lives deep in the dunes.

This novel can be described surreal, but to be honest, quite depressing. There are no one who I feel attracted in the story, and this woman is one of those types who I would avoid. Someone who does not question about their circumstances. She just accept and get on with it. (you probably want to know why she lives in the dunes, which no one knows including herself!).She does not show emotions, and waits and waits to get something she wants, for example a man. I almost disgust this woman. I cannot deny that there is some part of me like her. Is this typical nature of Japanese woman? Maybe ones in older generation? I have felt same irritation towards my mother before- why she cannot change the situation if she does not like it? Why she even does not make any struggle and just accept it?

Olu, a performer who plays the man who gets trapped by the woman, said "this woman is quite Zen, isn't she?". Ah, yes, you can say that. I like Zen generally. There is particular minimalistic beauty of being. I have studied a bit about Zen for my choreography several years ago, and I found that the key of Zen is acceptance. Rather than fighting against things and people you have, just accept them. OK, so this is what the woman is doing. Well, then I saw the negative side of Zen. I may not like it any longer.

But still, I have to work on the character since I have to perform her. This is hard. The project is also hard because there are so many involved, and so many technology and aspects to deal with. Hopefully after this intensive nine day work, I can connect everything and integrate them with the character.

Monday 25 June 2007

Sixty-five Feet Down, my new work

Sixty-five Feet Down is my new solo.
I have been creating this since February, very slowly and quietly. Finally, it's time to show this work to the public. Well, still limited public this time since it is still work-in-progress.


Part of Creative Space @ Clarence Mews

Sunday 1st July, at 7pm

Clarence Mews
40 Clarence Mews
E5 8HL


Sixty-five Feet Down
A work in progress

Inspired by a Japanese novel, The Woman in the Dunes, by Kobo Abe, Sixty-five Feet Down explores a person’s behaviour and rhythm that is specific to the extraordinary environment. Sixty-five feet down in the dunes, a woman alone.


Choreography & performance: Katsura Isobe
Music: Lost Wind, Meredith Monk
Inconsolable Widows In Search Of Distraction, Mike Patton


In case you wish to come the sharing, please let me know since the space is limited.

Tuesday 5 June 2007

コンタクトインプロ

今朝のクラスはコンタクトインプロビゼーション(CI)でした。

パートナーと組になって簡単なシークエンスを練習しだした際の今日の先生、Rick Nodineの指示。

"You have to stand on your own leg to give your weight to the partner."
"Always being supported and supporting."

CI、ダンスを超えて、人生の縮図みたいです。
CIで言えることは、普段の生活でもそのまま言える。

こうやって書いてしまうと、くさいし、言い古された言葉のようだけど、実際にこれを身体のムーブメントとして目の当たりにすると、すごい説得力。

ダンスを通して、
ダンスを超えたものが見えるのが、
ダンスの醍醐味、かな。

Words in Contact Improvisation

I went to a class, and it was contact improvisation (CI) with Rick Nodine.
As we do always in CI, we started working with a partner.

"You have to stand on your own leg to give your weight to the partner."
"Always being supported and supporting."

My mind immediately interpreted these words as something in life generally, beyond dance.

I love feeling something beyond dance through dance.

Dance is more than just dance.

Monday 4 June 2007

オーディション

人が人に見えないダンスってあまり好きでないのです。
コンテンポラリーダンスでもいろいろあるけれど、機械のように身体を動かすことにはあまり興味ないのです。
見る分にはまだいいけれど、踊るのはダメです。そうゆうダンス。

って、普段から思っているのに、やはりもっと大きな機会を!を思って、オーディションにいったりする訳です。たまに。
でも番号のゼッケンつけるようなオーディションはダメですね。そうゆうの通ったことがない。

今回もゼッケンでした。久しぶりにオーディションに行ってみて、初めて感じたことが。
みんな、若い。。。
同じ世代のダンサー、なんかいないなあ。

引け目を感じるというよりは、あらためて違いを感じたかな。動き方が違う。動きの解釈の仕方が違う。味がない。
テクニックはバシバシあってもね。

なんだか自分の行くべき方向、みたいなことを考えさせられました。うーん。オーディションはやっぱ無駄かなあ。地味でも自分に与えられた機会を一つ一つ大切に丁寧にこなして行くのが私のやりかたなのかなあ。

とか。でも、何か大きなびっくりするような機会を手にして、違ったレベルの体験をしてみたい気もします。

Monday 9 April 2007

Monologue on performance with technology

Easter is great. It gave me enough spare time and space in my mind to watch TV and search the internet.

I saw on TV about a multi-disciplinary group called Troika, who creates weird devices with technology that can interact with people and the society.

I am interested in a new way of presenting dance. Well, it does not need to be "dance"(what's dance anyway). Something to do with body, space, movement, people and the society. Something that suggests different ways of seeing, and can communicate with individuals.

One morning as I get up, I will have a super original idea for that!????

And this Troika seems something that feeds me some inspiration.

So I went to the website, and click, click, click... Once you start, you cannot stop following the links.

I have found this article on the magazine Icon.
digital poets

Quotes:

Now people are finally doing work where the expression is more important than the technology behind it.

“Interaction design is an approach – a process of designing relationships rather than things. It emerged from designing for electronic systems, but that thinking can be applied to all sorts of areas.”

As interaction design proliferates, there is also scepticism about some of the work being produced. “A few of these projects come from [a perspective of] ‘here’s a technology, so let’s see what we can do with it’ – rather than having a real question, desire or need,” says Loop.ph’s Mathias Gmachl. Others have pointed out the limits of work that is mostly experimental: “Many of these kind of provocative projects wouldn’t make it through as products,” remarks Jack Mama, creative director of Philips Design. “Elements get taken on and put into something else; the interesting thing is how they get translated, but they can get lost in translation.”

“It’s not really about solving a problem, it’s about solving a psychological need for poetry and inspiration,” he says. And this means thinking laterally about how we use the technology.

By appropriating illusion and narrative, designers are rediscovering modes of communication that have evolved over millennia. Products and buildings are being infused with the power of storytelling and dialogue. “The choice is between the familiar and the abstract; the practical task-based design versus an enjoyment of aesthetics that is closer to art,” says Moggridge. “Any product has to sit somewhere on that scale. It’s happening not because we didn’t always want it, but because it’s now much more possible. Because of the dispersal of technology you can make magic with almost anything.”


I have been working on performance with technology for four years, with five projects including two ongoing and one to come. These comments reflect so well what I have been thinking (Or do I just interpret in a way I wish because I already have some opinions?).

My big question is WHY TECHNOLOGY???
I keep asking this question as I work on a project.
It cannot be there just because it's cool.

What I want for performance with technology is.....
Maybe a unique poetry and inspiration?

Then aren't they anyway what a performance aims at?

Then can technology let a performance engage the audience more direct way?

But is that the way you want to go?

Saturday 7 April 2007

さいくりんぐ

きのうは本当によいお天気で,私もジジも完全なるオフ!の日だったので,お昼頃からサイクリングに出かけることにしました。

近所を通っているカナル(運河)。どこまでも続いていて,カナルをずっと移動して,イギリス中巡れるという話。今まで散歩で1時間半くらいしか 行ったことがなかったけれど、自転車でたらたら1時間半行くと,なんとロンドンの外まで行って,いくつもの湖がある地域に出るのです!カナル沿いからいく つも小道が出ていて,適当にたどっていくと,両側水に挟まれた野道になっちゃったりするんです。すごーいー。
うれしい発見ばかりの小探検でした。

Thursday 5 April 2007

Glow, Woking Dance Festival (and some thoughts on myself)

I have been dancing professionally for 12 years, and for the first time, I have had a FULL TIME contract as a performer.

Such luxury life. Focusing on one project without bothering with other activities like taking classes, teaching etc. No need to rush between a few places either. A day can be as simple as this.

After four weeks of rehearsals, we just finished the performances yesterday.

Glow, Woking Dance Festival 2007
http://www.wokingdancefestival.co.uk/glow.htm

How strange that my fellow dancers who spent four weeks together go completely different ways from today. Or maybe the other way around. How strange that all these different people happen to meet and work together for a project.

It was quite unusual project for me to work with nine other dancers, as I tend to work much smaller numbers of dancers. The group was absolutely intriguing. Everyone has an original nature as a person, and unique way of working as a dancer. I was blown up. I am too quiet. I am too shy. I am too held back. I am thinking too much. I am too serious... All these negative feelings let me down, and anyway these feelings do not help me, so I fought back and kept myself up.

This is somehow familiar place to be. I used to have this struggle always, but since I left a college, I did not have much chance to be there. My mood goes up and down. I like challenging myself though. I make a little challenge like a kid, like "Today I try to say whatever comes up in my mind", or "Today I try to chat with people"...etc.

So on this personal sideway along the main way of the creation of the work, I have experienced a lot. And this is what I needed right now.

The month before this project, I had Pilates teaching 4-5 days a week. Six hours a day. Being a Pilates teacher, I feel like I need to be almost perfect person. We teach people with injuries or problems, and we are dealing with someone's body (and also mind). I am not supposed to be very emotional either. Neutral presence. That's what I am aiming for.

This attitude does not work as a dancer. A dancer needs to have more subjective view, which can bring the one's input in the creation.

How can I balance these two positions?

This is my current question.

A Craniosacral therapy session has given me a good idea for this (and probably this is not a usual reaction to the therapy). If I think the neutral presence in Pilates teaching as zero, it is not an ideal to stay at the zero point all the time though I was probably thinking that way. It is important to come back to zero sometimes to find a ground for myself, but the ground would become harder if I jump up and down or sift side to side widely.

So this is what I want to practise from now on, being back to my less exciting life... No, let's make it more exciting.

Wednesday 28 March 2007

Glow 3週目

ただいまGlowというプロジェクトの3週目。あと1週間。来週の火・水のパフォーマンスに向けて,日々創作活動に励んでいます。

Glowはロンドンから25分ほど電車で行ったWokingという街でのプロジェクト。ここに新しくできる美術館のオープニングのために,プロ フェッショナルダンサー10名と地元のコミュニティーダンサー約30名と、共に,美術館内外でのパフォーマンスをするのです。お客さんは美術館内をツアー しつつ,うちらのパフォーマンスを発見する,という仕組み。いわゆるサイト・スペシフィック、ってやつです。

本番までちょうど1週間。今週から現場でのリハーサルなのですが,,,,案の定、建物が予定通りに進んでない!どうやら本番の日も,お客さんは工事現場を探索するような状況になるのではないかと。

振付家 Carol Brownもストレスたまりまくり。こんなところでパフォーマンスしても,本来の意味がない。リハーサルするのもちょっとしんどい。騒音の中,コンクリの上で,ホコリ,ゴミまみれになってゴロゴロしております。

Sunday 28 January 2007

モロッコへの旅

先週月曜から金曜まで,休暇でモロッコはマラケシュに行ってきました。初のアフリカ,初のイスラム教国,全く違った文化と人々。

旅はいいものですね。違った物の見方を知ることができる。

リラックス,という場所では全くなかったけれど,気分一新,また自分の日常でがんばっていかねば,と思う今日この頃。

よかったらもっと写真見てください!
http://www-us.flickr.com/photos/24064839@N00/

Saturday 13 January 2007

逃がした魚はでかいか?

行ってきましたオーディション。

インドの伝説的な物語に基づいたダンスシアター,ということで,オーディションではインドの伝統舞踊カタックのシンプルな動きを教わりました。動きはまだしも,リズムとカウントが複雑。5,5,5,4,4,4,3,3,3,2,2,2,1,1,1
みたいな。
その後,振付家の口三味線に合わせて,インプロ。このときは今までやってきたカタックは頭の隅において,自分のボキャブラリーでリズムを表現。

おもしろかった!

結局,次の段階(朗読らしい)に進んだのは男性ばかりだったけど,もとからスケジュール上このプロジェクトは無理とわかっていた私にとっては未練 なし(エージェントの手前上行ったのです)。楽しんで1時間のコンテンポラリーダンサー用カタック講座を受けさせてもらって感謝。

しかも、オーディション後に私のところによってきたスペイン男性「あなたの踊り良かったよー」って。どうもありがとー!
この男性,10分後の次段階への通過者発表のときに名前を聞いてびっくり。2年前のマシュー・ボーンのスワンレイクで主役はってた人だった。私はあなたの白鳥好きだったよー,と帰り際に言っといた。

あとから考えてみれば,このビッグプロダクション,ただのウエストエンドのショー以上,上手くいけばすごく斬新な良い作品になるかも。やってみたかったかも。

逃がした魚はでかい,か?

Thursday 11 January 2007

タレント事務所

いわゆるタレント事務所ってあるじゃないですか。こちらではエージェンシーとかエージェントとか言うのですが,コンテンポラリーダンサーのエージェンシーもあるのですよ。いわゆる役者みたいに。

ということが最近はっきりわかって、昨年9月に偶然TVコマーシャルの仕事が舞い込んできたのがきっかけで,とあるエージェントに「所属」するこ とに。「所属」といっても、たまにエージェントから「こんなオーディションあるけど履歴書送りましょうか?」って情報が来るくらいで,それ以外何の束縛も ないんだけど。

今日はいつも通り突然,しかもlast minute、「明日あるこのオーデション、興味ある?」とやってきました。

ってゆうかさ。エージェントというものの性質上仕方がないことなんだけど,いつもとても商業的なTVコマーシャル,宣伝用写真,で舞台。CMはまだしも,舞台には私,こだわりがあるので,ばりばり商業的なのには抵抗があります。

えー、本当はやりたくないなー。
でもいい経験になるかなー?
もっと年取ったらできないしなー。
その期間中は安定した収入だし。
でも、いまやってるピラティスの仕事は?
もっと興味深いプロジェクトがあるかも!

とかとか考えつつ,まあ,先のことは考えずに,明日は暇だし,オーディションに行くのもおもしろいかな。
ってことで、「はい、履歴書送ってください」
と答えちゃいました。

でもこの仕事きっとやらないです。

Tuesday 9 January 2007

初志貫徹。の第一歩

今年はもっとダンスの一年にしよう、と新年の豊富を立てて,今日はその第一歩。スタジオを予約してきました。

今まで、興味深いプロジェクトの仕事をゲットしよう,と試み続けてはいたものの,機会はやってくるときにはまとめてやってくるし,やってこないと きには全くやってこない。しかも,人のプロジェクトの中でやっている時は,「自分だったらこうするのになぁ」とか「えー,こんなのやりたくなーい」とかい ろいろ心の中で葛藤があるので,この際,自分で思う存分,思うようにやってみようかと。

最終的にはソロの作品をつくりたいけれども、特に期限は設けていないので,この1−2月は単にあれこれ調べたり,試したりして,好きなようにやるつもり。

ひとまず1月末−2月末まで、3時間x10リハーサル,スタジオ予約しときました。

もうやるしかないもんねー!

Sunday 7 January 2007

もうお正月終わっちゃったけど

もうお正月気分は過ぎ去っちゃったけど,「あー,完全なオフ日は良かったなー」と懐かしい気分で写真でも掲載しときます。

クリスマス(12/25)、ボクシング・デイ(12/26),元旦と三日間も立て続けに,完璧なオフの日が取れて,なんて贅沢。もうちょっと続いてくれても良かったに。今度ばかりは日本にいたら良かったに,とか思ったさね。

運良く天気の良かった元旦。近所の野原に2時間ばかり散歩に行きました。ど田舎に見えるけど,ロンドン市内,しかもゾーン2ですよー。

今年の年越しはパートナーのジジと,同居人のアルベルト,友人の史さんと,リサの5人で過ごしました。ワイワイ,のんびり,楽しいひとときでした。

またこんな機会があるといいなぁ。。。

Tuesday 2 January 2007

Happy 2007

あけましておめでとうございます

2006年の三大行事は

1)中国は北京,上海でのダンス公演
2)結婚と引っ越し
3)ピラティス教師資格習得と新しい仕事

でした。2007年はもっともっとダンスの1年にしたいです。

今年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

2007年が皆さまにとってハッピーな一年になりますように!

New Year 2007

Happy New Year 2007!
あけましておめでとうございます。

Looking back 2006, my major events were:

March- Performing in Beijing and Shanghai in China.
May and September- Wedding and moving house
August and onwards- Finishing Pilates teachner training course and getting a new job

Yes. It was full of events although I did not feel so. A slight feeling of the regular dance activities being taken over by change of my circumstances, supported by lack of luck for more dance oppotunities.

In the new year, I am going to focus more on dance. To begin with, I want to spend more time for some creative activity and want to be inspired. I need to be inspired constantly so that I can enjoy myself and appreciate the life more. For me, dance is like a window to look at other things happening around me. Probably because I have spent so much time to practise and think about dance, I often realise how things and facts are related by working on dance.

To be honest, having got regular and well-paid job as a Pialtes teacher, I have had a big question about my commitment on dance. How long can I keep going like this? Sometimes no work at all, and other times whip myself for too many works. Always less income than friends in other careers. Anyway what is dance? Why do I dance? Does anyone appreciate it at all? More and more questions.

After several months of this endless questioning, I realised that I miss dance. I can live without dance but my life is not as exciting as with dance. I have more appetite for knowledge or experience, with dance. As a person, I want to keep going forward, so my life is better with dance.

So that's why I want to spend more time on dance this year. I am going to start a personal exploration this month. Not aiming to produce something, just looking at details and finding some dialogs between my thoughts and my body... Step by step...