Nihondatedatte
Ayane NAKAGAWA
In 2023, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels is supporting the Institut Français du Japon for the staging of Nihondatedatte, a program of two shows : my choice, my body, and Anchor by Ayane NAKAGAWA, as part of the 2023 Yokohama Dance Collection.
my choice, my body, features three dancers exploring the identity of the Japanese body while reinterpreting contemporary dance, using symbolic expressions from Japanese dance, such as sliding steps and Noh masks. This creation by Ayane Nakagawa won the Yokohama Dance Collection 2021-DEC Competition I. my choice, my body, is accompanied by the latest version of Endangered Species, performed by Nakagawa’s team ＜Suichu-megane∞＞ in the 2017 Competition II. This piece, entitled Anchor, treats Earth as a “breeding chamber” for species, questioning the meaning of existence. Anchor is a solo performance, choreographed, directed, and performed by Nakagawa herself.
about the artist
Ayane Nakagawa
A director, choreographer, and dancer, Ayane Nakagawa has a diverse background in classical dance, including ballet and Japanese traditional dance, as well as street dance. She majored in theater at the J. F. Oberlin University, where she founded the ＜Suichu-megane∞＞ dance company in 2011 and began presenting choreographed works. Her work has drawn attention for its exploration of the relationship between the individual and society, historical perspectives that have settled deep in the body, and fearless expression of taboos. She was selected as a finalist in the 2017 YDC Competition II and the 2018 Competition I. In December 2021, she performed “my choice, my body,” which earned her both the Jury Prize and the Prize of the French Embassy in Japan – Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, for young choreographers at the Competition I. Ayane Nakagawa is highly regarded for her choreography and direction which encompass a diverse array of dance and theatrical perspectives.
Photo : © DR
