Artist Interview アーティストインタビュー

Photo: Bengt Wanselius
世界のコンテンポラリーダンスを変えた
勅使川原の広がり続ける世界とは?
dance
The continuing expansion of the world of Saburo Teshigawara, an artist who has already left a big footprint in contemporary dance
Saburo Teshigawara made a stunning international debut at the 1986 Bagnolet International Choreography Competition with the work titled Kaze no sentan (La Pointe du vent) based on a motif of collapsing and rising again that won him recognition in the contemporary dance world for his innovative forms of physical expression that don’t rely on conventional stylistic technique. In Japan, his style of dance based on dialogue with one’s own body has become a major movement in contemporary dance. In addition to choreography, he plans the music, lighting and stage art for his productions and succeeds in creating worlds of the five senses that win applause from audiences around the world. As leader of the dance group KARAS, Teshigawara has performed at major festivals around the world and toured widely. In recent years his workshops with young blind people have led to performances titled Luminous, and his workshops with middle school and high school students in Japan have led to the Dance of Air performance series, and he has also presented video installation works. In all of these artistic activities there is an underlying freedom to his creativity that never fails to impress the viewer. In this interview with an artist who has said, “Art must never be inhibited by conservatism,” we ask Teshigawara about the path he has come and his present endeavors.
Interviewer: Maimi Sato