Miki Orihara Solo Concert
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Steven Hitt...Artistic Producing Director Handan Ozbilgin...Associate Director/Artistic Director Rough Draft Festival Carmen Griffin...Theatre Operations Manager/Technical Director Toni Foy...Education Outreach Coordinator Isabelle Marsico...Events Coordinator Caryn Campo...Finance Officer LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Mariah Sanchez...House Manager Scott Davis...Line Producer Juan Zapata...Graphic Designer Luisa Fer Alarcon...Video Editor/Designer Dayana Sanchez...Marketing Coordinator MIKI ORIHARA SOLO CONCERT Production Staff Patrick Anthony Surillo...Resident Stage Manager Cassandra Lynch...Props Master Hollis Duggans…Production Staff Works of American and Japanese Modern Dance Pioneers Winter Muniz…Production Staff Piano by Nora Izumi Bartosik Technical Staff Glenn Wilson...Stage Manager/Assistant Technical Director Melody Beal...Lighting Designer Alex Desir...Master Electrician Ronn Thomas...Sound Engineer Miki Orihara Marland Harrison...Technician Denton Bailey...Technician Giovanni Perez...Technician House Staff Marissa Bacchus Jason Berrera Julio Chabla Rachel Faria Anne Husmann Emily Johnson Martha Graham Doris Humphrey Rebecca Shrestha LaGuardia Community College Dr. Gail O. Mellow...President Dr. Paul Arcario...Provost and Senior Vice President 31-10 Thomson Avenue Long Island City, 11101 Seiko Takata Konami Ishii Yuriko Upper left: Martha Graham in Lamentation(1930) Photo by Soichi Sunami, courtesy of The Sunami Family. Upper middle: Miki Orihara, Photo by Tokio Kuniyoshi. Upper right: Doris Humphrey photo by Soichi Sunami , courtesy of the Sunami Family. Lower left: Seiko Takata(1938) in Mother Photo courtesy of Nanako Yamada. Lower middle: Konami Ishii in Koushou (1938) Photo courtesy of Noriko Sato. Lower right: Yuriko in The Cry (1963) Photo courtesy of the Kikuchi Family. WWW.LPAC.NYC RESONANCE III “Onko chishin” – is a Japanese expression describing an attempt to discover new things by studying the past. The term defines the mission of this concert series, to explore connections between the worlds of Modern Dance and Contemporary Dance. In RESONANCE III, I finally bring together the works of both American and Japanese early modern dance pioneers and my mentor Yuriko’s work to connect the lineage of my personal artistic heritage. Seiko Takata is one of the most important “Grand Ladies” of modern dance in Japan. I studied at Takata Yamada Modern Dance Studio as a young dancer and working with Martha Graham reminded me of Seiko being around in the studio watching us taking Nanako Yamada’s class. I was very excited when ever she was in the studio, not knowing why. Even though she was a modern dancer, she always had a Kimono on. Her trip to Europe and US (NYC in 1922-23) was a big step for her. She performed on Broadway and in Anna Pavlova’s benefit concert for Japan, Asakusa Opera, and the Imperial Theater Opera. During my research, I was fascinated to learn about all that Seiko did. My mentor Yuriko is 99 years of age and is very sharp. She gives me so much inspiration. She studied modern dance in Japan when she was young with Konami Ishii as her teacher. In this concert, I am honored to dance a work of Ishii’s from his “Dance Poem” era. My connection to Martha Graham is obvious in my dance. Almost 40 years of studying Graham technique, 4 years in her Ensemble (Graham 2) and 27 years in her company, informs my career. I love her technique and dances. “Lamentation” is one of the many works I still enjoy dancing and each time I have a different experience. When I arrived to NY in 1979, Doris Humphrey was already gone. I took a lot of Humphrey/Limon classes, not knowing what Humphrey was and what Limon was. But since Martha and Doris both came out from Denishawn, I wanted to dance both women’s works. One of my first encounters of Humphrey work was “Two Ecstatic Themes” danced by my friend and colleague, Sandra Kaufmann, who studied with Earnestine Stodelle. That was shockingly beautiful. Since then I wanted to dance this work. It’s been a long time coming but now I am dancing it!!! Lastly, I am dancing Yuriko’s “The Cry” in this concert. Yuriko, my mentor. Her life is very colorful, with her time in Japan, her time in an internment camp in America, her time in pre Graham, post Graham, her time in Hollywood, Broadway and beyond… Special Thank You To RESONANCE III The Japan Foundation, Takako Asakawa and Paul Richards, Hiroshi Masuyama, Maxine Glorsky, Steven Hitt, LaGuardia Community College, LaGuardia I am following her life a little – a lot of time I was cast in roles that she Performing Arts Center, Rendo Sugimoto, Yoko Iwasaki, Norton Owen, Amy originated. She coached me in a lot of Martha’s roles, and I danced on Harrison, John Deane, Stephen Pier, Michie Yamakawa, Nobue Hirabayashi, Broadway of The King and I which she was very involved in. She is a beautiful Rendo Sugimoto, Yoko Iwasaki, Taeco Ishida, Erico Platt, Karin Fukumi, Amy merge between America and Japan, and since I have this great experience, I Manfredi, The HarttSchool, University of Hartford, Paul Scolieri , Tricia Toliver, want to share what I have learned. The Barnard College, Sumie Yonei, The Sunami Family, The Kikuchi Family, Nanako Yamada, Noriko Sato, Miwako Kanamori, Yasuko Kataoka, Shigeyo I have the vision of five concerts – this is the third one. Two more to go! If you Murayama, Y ki Kobari, The Kivnick Family, Norton Owen, Sandra Kaufmann, are interested to know about the next two, just find me and talk to me!!! I ū The Harvard University, Mr. & Mrs. Kunugi, All Nippon Airway, Joyce Herring, can’t stop talking about this! Pascal Rioult, RIOULT Dance Center, Nick Ishimaru, Theatre of Yugen, Desirér Dunbar, DEZZADANCE, Gregory Cary and Bentley Roton, KAATSBAAN, Lisa I am so grateful of Steven Hitt, the director of the LaGuardia Performing Arts Thurrell and Robert Cleary, Kanopy Dance Company, Martha Graham Center Center and his staff’s support, The Japan Foundation for believe in me for this and Resource, New National Theatre in Japan, Tatsuo Mochizuki, Stephen Pier, project to go forward and to award this production their Tour Grant, Hiroshi and Yuriko. Masuyama for his support, all Nippon Airway’s support for my two guests from Japan so that they could fly to NY comfortably, Barnard College and the Hartt Coverphoto from Left to Right Upper: Martha Graham in Lamentation (1930) School’s support of giving me free space for practicing. Photo by Soichi Sunami, Courtesy of the Sunami Family, Miki Orihara by Tokio Kuniyoshi, Doris Humphrey by Soichi Sunami, courtesy of the Sunami Family For projections, I want to thank the Sunami Family who gave me the Lower: Seiko Takata in Mother (1938) photo courtesy of Nanako Yamada, permission to use beautiful pictures of Soichi Sunami, The Kikuchi family for Konami Ishii in Koushou (1938) photo courtesy of Noriko Sato Yuriko in The Yuriko’s pictures, Noriko Sato for teaching me works, providing me all the Cry (1963) courtesy of the Kikuchi Family Cover Design by Nobue Hirabayashi information and pictures of Konami Ishii, Nanako Yamada for teaching me and - Mt. Design providing me all the information and pictures of Seiko, Norton Owen and Yasuko Kataoka for bringing lectures to find out this beautiful world of modern * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * dance together. More that I learn, more that I feel connections to dance in both LPAC is helping me to gather funds this time using their organization’s tax- countries. exempt status. This means that any contribution you make to this project will be fully tax deductible. Tax deductible contribution made out to I want to thank you my mentor Yuriko and all teachers and dancers who came "FH LaGuardia Community College AUX Corporation”, (memo: Miki Orihara) before me and who will come after me and so much support from my husband, will be gratefully accepted at the following address: Stephen Pier. Miki Orihara Thank you for coming! 405 West 48th Street #4F Miki New York, NY 10036 Friday, May 10, 2019 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Presents Commissioning support for RESONANCE III is provided by LaGuradia Performing Arts Center, LaGuardia Community College, Miki Orihara Solo Concert which receives major support from The Mertz Gilmore Foundation. Additional support provided by the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, NY RESONANCE III Culture Department of Cultural Affairs Ciry of New York. York. Works of American and Japanese Modern Dance Pioneers SEIKO TAKATA 1895-1977 Slideshow: Photos courtesy of Nanako Yamada, Yuki Kobari, and some online source. Music: La Cathédrale Engloutie (1910) Claude Debussy [excerpt] MOTHER (1938) US Premier RESONANCE III is a grantee of the Japan Foundation’s Tour Grant Choreography by Seiko Takata 2018/2019 Music by Frédéric Chopin* Costume Design by Seiko Takata Restage by Nanako Yamada Miki Orihara, Dance Nora Izummi Bartosik, Piano Mother’s love and kindness and prayer for the future Other support from All Nippon Airways, Hiroshi Masuyama – MAM *Frédéric Chopin - Etude Op. 10 No. 3 Foundation The Hartt School (University of Hartford), The Barnard **Reconstruction of Mother for “Dance Archive in JAPAN” by Nanako Yamada College, RIOULT Dance Center, Theatre of Yugen, Vancouver Civic and other pupil of Seiko Takata in 2014 at the New National Theatre, Tokyo Theatres and Dezza Dance. This reconstruction gave a great chance to encounter the pioneer Seiko’s work. Not only the physical technique but also with the dancers understanding of the body expression made the process of making and becoming a work was very important and it appeared if it was Seiko her self was dancing in it. -Nanako Yamada AMANDA WADDELL | INTERPRETER, NY DORIS HUMPHREY 1895-1958 Amanda Waddell, originally from Houston, Texas, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in East Slideshow : Photos courtesy of The Sunami Family and some online source.