photo by Jun Ishikawa

　Dance company BATIK celebrates its 10th anniversary. "Otaru" means "become satisfied and your body begins to move", and is also the etymology of "odoru".The director, Ikuyo Kuroda, describes this work as "preparing to die", but at the same time, it shakes the viewer as a "hymn to life".
Please take a look at the spectacular dance that was highly acclaimed at the outdoor performance in Shizuoka, which was the world premiere (SPAC, Shizuoka Performing Arts Center).

=======
★I received a message from Ikuyo Kuroda★
Four months have passed since the outdoor premiere in Shizuoka this June.After performing at Ai Hall (Itami) and Aichi Performing Arts Center, we asked choreographer Ikuyo Kuroda about her thoughts on the upcoming performance in Tokyo.
(K: Ikuyo Kuroda)

○ What did you pay attention to when performing at the theater this time?
K: At the open-air theater for the first performance, I was conscious of creating a piece that was not centripetal, so that the work would become a “phenomenon” just like nature.On the other hand, the wind doesn't blow in the theater, and there are no signs of birds flying around (laughs).In other words, it is a natural place to tell a lie (fiction).Therefore, it was necessary to "make it into a work" so that the work would be believable.Even if the setting is "lie", the body that tries to do it is real.At first, I thought that if it was a XNUMX-hour work, the length would make sense, but I realized that was not the case. It's the same thing to do for XNUMX hour or XNUMX hours.There should be no weak points.It's different whether I'm just weak or whether I have the strength to show my weak points, so I'm trying to eliminate my weak points.I want to spend the time waiting for the development to be an exciting time.

BATIK's 10th anniversary work, and BATIK's first new work in 5 years.
K: The 10th anniversary is a big deal. The “sign” of the 10th anniversary is the growth of the dancers.I honestly feel glad that I continued.This work is a work that the dancer is proud of.For me, it feels like happiness has come.

○ What does “preparation to die” mean to Ikuyo Kuroda?
K: I think it was to say, "I won't die."To live.I don't think people die.change form and live again.So don't give up.Stand still and live.I think it is very important to “know what is enough”.To be filled, that is the prototype of "Otaru".

○ Please give us a message for the Tokyo performance.
K: It's an unusual form of work, and people may like it or hate it.It's rare to see a work where there are so many things scattered on the stage (laughs).But I hope you can meet me.I'm not particularly conscious of performing in Tokyo, but I'm creating in Tokyo, and I was born in Tokyo, and I'm living in Tokyo.That's why I think there are parts that overlap with those who see it.I think there are various kinds of pain in living in the present, but I would be happy if you could see that "the body is packed with this much power to live."I think that there are things that can be handed over with the body in the same way as touching nature.
[2012.11.4.]
=======
★ Media Information ★
●Theater guide Interview with Ikuyo Kuroda in the December issue!
●Preparation to call the Otaru bird facebook page Ticket information, rehearsal scenery, etc. are being updated from time to time!
=======

[Construction/Direction/Choreography] Ikuyo Kuroda
[Music] Jiro Matsumoto

[Cast] BATIK (Chiaki Isa/Minako Ueki/Mamiko Oe/Haruka Kajimoto/Misako Tanaka/Rie Teranishi/Ayaka Nakatsuru/Yayoi Nishida/Kumiko Yajima/Ikuyo Kuroda)

Highwood 03-3320-7217