In recent years, the contemporary dance scene in Japan has grown both in audience size and in the diversity of high-quality, small dance companies. Thirty-one year-old Jo Kanamori, artistic director at the Niigata Ryutopia arts center, is widely considered a trigger for the movement. Kanamori's dance company, Noism -- which means "no restrictions" -- is starting a nationwide tour with "Triple Vision," a three-act program that follows last year's acclaimed trilogy, "Triple Bill."
For "Triple Vision," Kanamori, Shintaro Oue and Yoshifumi Inao will each choreograph one act. Oue has been based in Europe since 1992, working mainly in Sweden and Israel. Inao moved at age 18 to Lausanne in Switzerland to apprentice himself to the revered Maurice Bejart. He then joined the experimental Cult Blanche dance company in Norway before moving to Israel, where he resides with his Norwegian wife, dancer Kristin Hjort Inao, and works with the Batsheva dance company. The Japan Times spoke with Kanamori, Oue and Inao, in the midst of rehearsals last week at Ryutopia.
I saw "Triple Bill" last year and enjoyed each program separately and the contrasts between the three. Is there a common theme in "Triple Vision"?