Encounter, Hello NAMU

I met Namu at International Contactimprovisation Dance Festival (organized by C.I.co.) in Kagoshima. We have time to talk sometimes in lunch or dinner time between workshops. One day she showed me a skirt that she made by herself. As that natural haimish skirt, she always smiled softly and modestly. In a showing during the festival, I saw the moment in which she was only passing across the stage, but it was heartbreakingly impressive. It was so light a moment as her weight, but it was something like a core of existence and a strong soul. From that, I have thought that I would like to see her dance someday.

Something like a core of existence—

The chance had come. The Kyoto art center invited her as an artist in residence. While she stayed in Japan, I organized three types of workshops for her. One of them was a performance, and it was my first experience creating. An idea came to my mind that if Ku Minfa, a dancer having a great passion in her mind, could join us, the dance must be more wonderful and very contrasting to Namu. As I considered Drums’s sound was great for them, Wakaba shared his spirit improvised with us.