03 Apr (Thu)
Participant will experience some parts from TAMA, Ryu’s newest creation. It focuses on the physicality of kendama, a traditional Japanese skill toy.
There’s a basic trick in kendama called moshikame. It involves continuously moving the ball from one cup to the other, to the rhythm of the children’s song Usagi to Kame (Rabbit and Turtle). It’s simple enough, but the repetition sends you into a trance-like state. Moshikame is the most fundamental of tricks in kendama: when taking the test to achieve a rank, you’re required to repeat this basic maneuver hundreds or thousands of times.
In this workshop, participants will immerse themselves in this hypnotic repetition, surrendering to the sensation of being absorbed into an endless flow of movement.
In addition to experiencing the choreography itself, Ryu will also share insights into his choreographic process, offering participants a deeper understanding of how TAMA was developed.
Ryu Suzuki
Resident Choreographer, Dance Base Yokohama
About Ryu Suzuki
Born and raised in Japan. Suzuki has danced with Phoenix Dance Theatre, Akram Khan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Philippe Decouflé, Tero Saarinen, Inbal Pinto/Avshalom Pollak, Tristan Sharps, Motoko Hirayama, Ryohei Kondo among many others.
As a choreographer, his works have been performed domestically and internationally. He has created works for prestigious institutions including Dance Base Yokohama (Japan), AURA Dance Theatre (Lithuania), Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (India), and others.
Agnus (2013) won the Session Best Prize from Kagurazaka Session House. In Yokohama Dance Collection 2017 Competition1, BU (2015) has won the Prize for young choreographer from French Embassy, the MAZDANSA Prize and the FITS Award from Sibiu International Performing Arts Festival.
In 2023, he created Rain in collaboration with visual artists Shinji Ohmaki and sound artist evala as a collaborative project of the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater×DaBY Dance Project. The piece toured domestically and was also featured at New Vision Arts Festival in Hong Kong the same year.
Suzuki Has been Associate Choreographer as Dance Base Yokohama between 2020-2023, and now is Resident Choreographer.
Registration: https://forms.gle/1Xt9Q23eWpZrW13a8
Photo Credits:
Ryu Suzuki
©Takayuki Abe
TAMA (2024)
Aichi Prefectural Art Theater × Dance Base Yokohama
Performing Arts Selection 2024
©HATORI Naoshi
Acknowledgment:
Developed and Produced by Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, Dance Base Yokohama
As a part of Wings: International Dance Project by Dance Base Yokohama for Emerging Creators