In this work-in-progress, choreographer Takuya Fujisawa invites wooden materials as puppets to interact with dancers. Since ancient times, dolls have been believed to have souls and have been used as substitutes and objects for wishes. But, just like in children’s games, dolls can be used as tools to question human nature.
Bringing together wooden material and dance, Skumitate is an attempt to create a bridge between cultures and art forms. Boundaries are blurred between dolls and humans, between tap and contemporary dance. Fujisawa uses his own experiences as an immigrant in his creative work: through dance, he explores what it is to be human and how we can understand each other beyond language.
Skumitate is based on the Japanese theatrical technique called mitate and mixes the puppeteer’s technique with the dancer’s body. The title consists of two words: SKUM and MITATE. Skum is both the Swedish word foam and a word meaning something strange or fishy. Mitate is a technique of shifting perspective. The Swedish and Japanese combination of the words signifies a peculiar point of view, an alien’s behavior, but also means to be afraid in Japanese.
This work-in-progress is part of a site-specific research project in cooperation with STHLM DANS and Östasiatiska museet. Presented in connection with the exhibition Juxtaposing Craft, which highlights the traditional craft and contemporary making in Japan and the Nordic countries.
This final piece will premiere in March 2024 in Västra Götaland.
Don’t miss to participate in Takuya’s workshop the day before (Saturday May 6th) at Östasiatiska museet.
—————————————————————————
Choreography, Scenography, Lighting Design: Takuya Fujisawa
Dancers: Beda Åsbrink, Gustav Borehed, Jesse Bechard, Takuya Fujisawa
Music (live): Emiliano Sacripanti
Produced by: Possibilitas, Julianna Vidarsdottir, Takuya Fujisawa
With support from The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Swedish Arts Council, Västra Götalandsregionen and Göteborgs stad
Takuya Fujisawa is a contemporary movement artist born in Kumamoto City in Japan and has been based in Göteborg, Sweden, since 2015. During 2008–2014, he worked with the Japanese dance company Noism at the RYUTOPIA City Performing Arts Center in Niigata. After working with The Forsythe Company in Frankfurt, he came to Sweden and GöteborgsOperan’s dance company in the fall of 2015. He participated in several original productions by choreographers such as Marina Mascarell, Marcos Morau and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. In addition, Takuya has participated in several productions by Örjan Andersson, including at Folkteatern in Gothenburg.
