Mass MoCA Sponsors Residence of US/ Japan Choreographers
Performance of Work in Progress on April 25
By: Ariel Petrova - Apr 17, 2009
In residence at MASS MoCA for a week, two of the United States' most promising young choreographers, Kyle Abraham and Amy O'Neal, will meet with two rising choreographers from Japan, Kitamari and Yukio Suzuki, to work together and share about their processes. An innovative residency program for choreographers, the US/Japan Choreographers Exchange provides opportunities for Japanese and American choreographers to share their visions through a series of classes and workshops, open rehearsals, discussion groups, educational outreach, and public performances in multiple communities throughout both Japan and the United States.
Abraham, O'Neal, Kitamari, and Suzuki will use their time at MASS MoCA to begin the process of sharing, blending, and innovating on the dance floor to create something entirely new. The residency will culminate in a work-in-progress performance on Saturday, April 25, at 8PM in Club B-10.
Kyle Abraham, professional dancer and choreographer, began his training at the Civic Light Opera Academy and the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He continued his dance studies in New York, receiving a BFA from SUNY Purchase and an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has received several awards for choreography including a Thayer Fellowship in 2000 and Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Fellowship in 2002. Abraham's choreography has been presented throughout the United States and abroad, most recently in Emoves 8 at Harlem Stage/HAaron Davis Hall in Harlem, New York, and the 11th Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany, and this year's Fall For Dance Festival at City Center.
As a performer, Abraham has worked with many acclaimed modern dance companies including Nathan Trice/Rituals, Mimi Garrard Dance Theater, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Dance Alloy, and the Kevin Wynn Collection. In addition to performing and developing new works for his company, abraham.in.motion, Abraham also teaches his unique approach to postmodern dance in various schools and studios throughout the United States.
Kitamari first started dancing in 2000 with teacher Masami Yurabe who pushed her to explore highly exaggerated, conceptual Japanese dance known as butoh. Kitamari joined a butoh-based company Sennichimae Blue Sky Dance Club in 2001 and toured on and off both in Japan and internationally until 2006. In 2003, Kitamari founded a dance company KIKIKIKIKIKI, which she directs and choreographs. She has performed at a number of dance venues such as Studio 21 at Kyoto Performing Arts Center and AI Hall (Itami, Osaka), and at festivals We're Gonna Go Dancing!! 2005, 2007 organized by Japan Contemporary Dance Network (JCDN). Kitamari was a finalist for the Toyota Choreography Award 2006 for her work Beehive. She holds a BA in Performing Arts from Kyoto University of Art and Design.
Amy O'Neal is a performer, choreographer, teacher and the co-director (along with Zeke Keeble) of locust (music/dance/video company) based in Seattle. O'Neal teaches contemporary dance technique and funk at Velocity Dance Center and has taught and/or conducted residencies at the University of Washington, University of Idaho, University of Oregon, Lane Community College (Eugene, OR), Northwest Vista College (San Antonio, TX), and Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle, WA). Her work has been commissioned by Spectrum Dance Theater, Moving Current in Tampa, FL, and Seattle Theatre Group's Dance ThisÂ… where she collaborated with Sonia Dawkins and Savion Glover. As a performer, she worked with the Pat Graney Co. for three years, was a member of Scott/Powell Performance for six years and lead singer of the Seattle band Marrow for three years. O'Neal frequently collaborates with musician/comedian Reggie Watts.
Yukio Suzuki started Butoh training at Asubest-Kan in 1997. He joined the dance pieces of Goro Namerikawa (the starting member of Sankaijuku), Kou Murohushi and performance group Sal Vanilla. In 2000, Suzuki, as a choreographer and producer, started his own dance group. His dance pieces do not use established body expression, but maximize the dancers' characters. He has received glowing reviews from the Japanese contemporary dance world. In 2003, he received The Lab Award for his achievement in dance performance. Recently his choreography won the Audience Award from the Toyota Choreography Awards 2005 as an up-and-coming choreographer. As a performer, producer and choreographer, Suzuki teaches workshops based on Butoh method and contributes to young artists' education. He creates his programs not only for experienced dancers but also for students and kindergarten children, and leads them to communicate with each other through their bodies.
The Exchange is produced by Dance Theater Workshop, Japan Society, MASS MoCA, and the Japan Contemporary Dance Network, with funding from the Performing Arts Japan program of the Japan Foundation.
Tickets for the US/Japan Choreographers Exchange are $10. MASS MoCA members receive a 10% discount. Tickets are available through the MASS MoCA Box Office located off Marshall Street in North Adams, open from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. Wednesday through Monday.