Description

The two choreographers coincidentally raise the same theme "BOUNDARY". Noism1 presents a new work "Endless Opening" by Un Yamada, a guest choreographer who leads one of Japan’s leading contemporary dance companies. Additionally, the mature dancers of Noism0 presents a world premiere "Near Far Here" by Jo Kanamori, the Artistic Director of Noism Company Niigata.

Giving contours. Separating.
Crossing a boundary.
Jo Kanamori and Un Yamada.
Two works by two choreographers.
A new double-bill performance around the boundary.

Performances

Noism0／Noism1
BOUNDARY

"Endless Opening"
Direction, Choreography: Un Yamada
Costume: Kumiko Iijima
Performer: Noism1

"Near Far Here"
Direction, Choreography: Jo Kanamori
Costume: Kyoko Domoto
Performer: Noism0

"The Last Rose of Summer"　
*Sawako Iseki Award commemoration performance
Direction, Choreography: Jo Kanamori
Music：F.V. Flotow 《Martha》 《Last Rose of Summer》
Costume: Kyoko Domoto
Performer: Noism0

Profile

Noism Company Niigata - RYUTOPIA Residential Dance Company
Noism is Japan’s first dance company to have a residency at a theater, basing its activities at the RYUTOPIA Niigata City Performing Arts Center. The company was founded in 2004, after the director, choreographer, and dancer Jo Kanamori was appointed artistic director of RYUTOPIA’s Dance Division. It is split into two divisions: Noism1, which consists of professional dancers, and Noism2, for apprentices. Based in Niigata, Noism1 has been active in a variety of places both in Japan and abroad, working with Moscow’s Chekhov International Theatre Festival and performing at the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto. Noism2 participates in many events held within the prefecture, and has been increasingly active in the region. With its global outlook, with the dancers’ overpowering bodies and sharp critical minds behind it, the company’s work has been getting attention from all quarters as a new model for Japan’s theater culture in the 21st century.
　
Noism = no-ism
In 20th century, there were so many experimentations; researches and studies are done in all different art forms, and they gave birth to many “ism”. But here in 21 century, our aim will not be to find another new specific “ism” that will make us deny the other “ism” from possibilities. Instate we aim for no-ism. By not having specific “ism”, we accept and re: study those different “ism” that has appeared in the past from our predecessor, and find whatever the tools we have to use in order to create "high quality performance" more than "original performance" in time in space.

Jo Kanamori
Theatre Director, Choreographer and Dancer. He is the artistic director of the RYUTOPIA Niigata City Performing Arts Center Dance Division and its residential dance company Noism. Moved to Europe by himself when he was 17 years old, and he studied under Maurice Béjart and others. He made his debut as director and choreographer aged 20, while enrolled at the Nederlands Dans Theater. After ten years of working for several dance companies in Europe, he returned to Japan and established Noism, Japan's first residential dance company of a public art center in 2004. He has been the advisor in arts policy for the city of Niigata since 2014. He has won many awards including the prestigious Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology Award and the Niigata Nippo Culture Award. He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2021.
www.jokanamori.com

Sawako Iseki
Born in Kochi, Japan, 1978. She started classical ballet training under Sakiko Ichinomiya when she was 3 years old. After studying at Ballet School of Opera House Zurich, she trained under Maurice Béjart at Rudra Béjart Lausanne. In 1999, she joined NDT2 and worked with Jiri Kylian, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot and etc. In 2001, she moved to Cullberg Ballet and worked with Mats Ek, Johan Inger and etc. She became an initial member of Noism in April 2004, and taking main part in most of works by Jo Kanamori. She earns admirations as outstanding dancer in Japan. She had a role of a Ballet-mistress since 2008, and she assumed as Vice-Artistic Director of Noism since 2010. She received the 38th Nimura Dance Prize and the 71st Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology Award.

Un Yamada
Choreographer, Dancer. Yamada was trained in gymnastics and Butoh, and began her choreography career since 1996. In 2000, she won the French Embassy Prize for Young Choreographer at the Yokohama Dance Collection Solo x Duo Competition, and moved to France. She founded her own dance company Co. Un Yamada in Tokyo in 2002, which focuses on her company ensemble creations, aside from choreographing for opera, chorus, drama, rhythmic gymnastics, live performances, and anime. In addition to teaching dancers and choreographers from all over the world, she also performs solo dance pieces, as well as runs dance workshops with great reputation as a facilitator who brings joys to any participants regardless of age, gender, or disability, paying respects to religions, cultures and nationalities, which made her known for its pioneering figure in Japan. She made a debut on directing a play by Koharu Kisaragi "NIPPON・CHA!CHA!CHA!" in 2020 (KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater). She was awarded for the 8th Japan Dance Forum Award (2013), the New Face Award of Minister of Education Awards for Fine Arts (2014), the Takaya Eguchi Award (2019) among others. www.unyamada-co.com