We are pleased to announce that Japanese contemporary dancer – Mr. Takao Kawaguchi has come to India.

The Japan Foundation, New Delhi is co-organizing dance event at Manipur with Nachom Arts of Contemporary Movement, Manipur. This is an event cum workshop programme mainly led by Takao Kawaguchi, along with Surjit Singh Nongmeikapam, another greatly appreciated dancer from Manipur.

 

Schedule
Date : 5th June, 2015
Time : 17:00
Venue: Manipur State Film Development Society, Palace Compound
Entry Free

A range of workshops and a cultural exchange with the local artists of Laihui Ensemble has also been conducted. As an expert for the workshop, Takao K.  helped the new generation dancers who were interested in contemporary dance form, and gave them his share of knowledge and expertise. This workshop  therefore helped our youth in understanding contemporary dance in a better way and also gaining a new perspective. Through Takao K. our youth and the local artists got a glimpse of contemporary dance in Japan.  Apart from the workshop, there had also been a session for cultural exchange. During the cultural exchange, our local artists from Laihui Ensemble came together with Takao K. and Surjit on same platform where they shared about their cultures. The cultural exchange session also served as a platform for the local artist with Takao K. and Surjit bringing out their ideas and concepts from which they can create something new – a blend of both the cultures and ideas.

Takao Kawaguchi will also serve as a mentor at Gati Summer Dance Residency 2015 in Delhi, from 6th ~ 19th June, 2015. Check more information about the festival at http://gatidance.com/?page_id=118.

 

About Takao Kawaguchi

Takao Kawagachi was previously associated with the Japanese multimedia performance company Dumb Type from 1996 to 2008, where he independently did a number of collaboration projects, with sound/visual artists combining the elements of light and sound, and video such as: DiQueNoVes (Say You Don’t See) (2003),  D.D.D.- How Many Times Will My Heart Beat Before It Stops? (2004),  Good Luck (2008) and  TABLEMIND (2011). 

Since 2008 he has been working on his solo, site-specific performance series called a perfect life until today. The most recent one “From Okinawa to Tokyo” was presented in February 2013 at the Ebisu Moving Image Festival at Tokyo Metropolitan Photography Museum. In recent years he has also created Butoh-related works such as: The Ailing Dance Mistress– based on the texts of Tatsumi Hijikata (2012), and  About Kazuo Ohno – Reliving the Butoh Diva’s Masterpieces (2013).

Kawaguchi has participated in a number of collaboration projects including: true (2007) and Node – The Old Man of the Desert (2013) with Takayuki Fujimoto (dumb type) and Tsuyoshi Shirai; and Tri-K (2010) with Dick Wong (Hong Kong) and Koichi Imaizumi. Besides, Kawaguchi was the director of the Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival from 1996 to 1999; translated British experimental filmmaker Derek Jarman’s book Chroma into Japanese (2003, Uplink); and starred in Edmund Yeo’s short film Kingyo which was invited to Venice Film Festival in 2009.

 

About Surjit Singh Nongmeikapam

The founder of Nachom ACM, Surjit Singh Nongmeikapam, who is also the Artistic Director, himself, is a well-developed contemporary dancer whose love for this art form has taken him to new boundaries. Hailing from the North-eastern state of Manipur, India, Surjit (Bonbon) is among the young contemporary dancer/ choreographer, is a pioneering dance soloist from this region.  Surjit is well trained in Kathak, Kalaripayattu, Manipuri Classical and Contemporary Dance. He has also gained the knowledge of Thang-ta, a form of Manipuri martial arts. Even with all his skills he thrives to learn for more and is doing so by learning from different Gurus and mentors. Surjit has performed collaborations with other artistic directors and choreographers, by doing so he believes to expand his knowledge and gain more perspective on the dance form and its movements. He has toured nationally and internationally giving solo performances and joining residencies. To mention some he has travelled to Switzerland, France, Belgium, Japan etc. One of his works named “One Voice” was nominated in Zurich for a solo performance. Recently, Surjit also won the PECDA awards 2014 in Chennai for his extraordinary piece “Nerves”.

Press Release (in Japanese)

Article by Takao Kawaguchi (in Japanese)

Article by Takao Kawaguchi (in English)

Photo: Takao Kawaguchi