Water and Tears

Kaori Seki Co. PUNCTUMUN

From choreographer Kaori Seki: The title of this new piece in Japanese is “midu tsu namita”. In the ancient Japanese language “midu” means water, “namita” means “tears,” and the two words are connected with “tsu,” meaning “belonging to.”

I think of the time when the borders between oneself and others were vague. I imagine the time when there wasn’t an awareness of the self being divided from the other, or even the identification of the self as “one”.

In the way when two glasses of water are blended, you could not tell anymore which part of the water comes from which glass. Even in the present time I recognize myself as a separate being, but know my body contains the same water that all other living creatures have.

The question is, whether or not I regard what lies in front of my eyes as also “me,” or “an extension of me.” 振付家・関かおりより 日本語のタイトルは「midu tsu namita」。 水」と「涙」の上代日本語での発音「みどぅ」「なみた」を日本祖語の所属格、“つ” でそれぞれをつないでつけました。 すべての生き物や、そこに在るものと自分との境界線が曖昧だったころ。 自分と他者を隔てる意識、そもそも自分をひとつの ”もの” としての認識がなかったであろう時代の時間の認識。自然や自分ではない生き物を丸ごと、またその一部を身体に取り込むことやそれに溶け込むこと。 二杯の水と水が混じり合った時、元はどちらにあった水だったかの区別がつかなくなるように、私という概念のある今も、他の多くの生き物と同じ水を含んだ身体を持つように。 目の前に在るものを「私でもある」「自分と連続しているものでもある」と捉えるか否か。

From Fusebox A contemporary choreographer based in Japan, Kaori Seki explores the possibilities of the live encounter, engaging the audience’s senses and evoking nostalgia and memories that are difficult to record. Previous dances have incorporated stimuli such as fragrances or fabric in order to awaken the minds and bodies of the audience. Like her company name “PUNCTUMUN”— a portmanteau that describes “a small, distinct point”— Seki, who is trained in classical ballet and modern dance forms such as Butoh, creates work that is meticulous, sensuous, and subtle. Seki is in the process of creating a new work that will premiere at Fusebox Festival 2018.

CREATIVE TEAM Choreography & Direction: Kaori Seki Performers: Masashi Koyama, Kaori Seki Choreographic Assistance: Yui Yabuki Under study: Kozue Takamiya Lighting design: Kiyotoshi Endo Sound direction: Yuji Tsutsumida Sound operation: Masahide Ando Technical direction: Chikage Yuyama Costumes: Midori Hagino Company management: Kumi Hiraoka, Yoko Kawasaki Production: Dantai Seki Kaori

The U.S. tour of water and tears is funded in part by The Japan Foundation Performing Arts Japan (PAJ); and Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture); and supported by National Performance Network and Visual Artists Network (NPN/VAN) and the U.S.-Japan Cultural Trade Network (CTN).

The creation of water and tears was funded in part NPN/VAN and supported by CTN. water and tears was created as part of the U.S.-Japan Connection, an international program of NPN/VAN, supported by Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) and The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership. Fusebox, Links Hall and Flynn Center for the Performing Arts have participated in the bi-national initiative since 2014 and collaborated throughout the planning and implementation of the development and tour of water and tears.

Creative residencies were hosted by the three presenters in the U.S. and by Dance Box Kobe in Japan.