In the uncertain realm between life and death dwell mystical creatures ¡ª tengu demons, ²â¨°ì²¹¾± folklore monsters and spirits of the dead. It¡¯s these shadows that choreographer and director Kaiji Moriyama explores in K-Ballet Opto¡¯s ¡°A Dance Remembered in Tohno,¡± premiering Dec. 26 at Tatemono Brillia Hall in Tokyo.
The story follows a kamikaze pilot in Tono, Iwate Prefecture, as he pens his final letter to his fiancee (Shoya Ishibashi and Saya Okubo, respectively, both of K-Ballet Tokyo). The pilot is guided by the mysterious Boy K (13-year-old kabuki actor Onoe Maholo) as they navigate uncertain spaces and encounter fantastical creatures, including the dead.
An initiative to produce works exploring the intersections of choreography with other art forms beyond classical ballet, K-Ballet Opto has made this year¡¯s production a multilayered show combining ballet with modern dance, kabuki and butoh. It¡¯s a particularly rare meeting of ballet and butoh, often dubbed ¡°antiballet¡± for its focus on grotesque movement and dark themes.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.