Ota Ward Cultural Arts Information Paper "ART bee HIVE" vol.22 + bee!

Issued April 2025, 4

Vol.22 Spring Issue

The Ota Ward Cultural Arts Information Paper "ART bee HIVE" is a quarterly information paper that contains information on local culture and arts, newly published by the Ota Ward Cultural Promotion Association from the fall of 2019.
"BEE HIVE" means a beehive.
Together with the ward reporter "Mitsubachi Corps" gathered by open recruitment, we will collect artistic information and deliver it to everyone!
In "+ bee!", We will post information that could not be introduced on paper.

Artistic people: Dancers SAM + bee!

Artistic person: Musical actress Rina Mori + bee!

Future attention EVENT + bee!

Dancing makes anyone feel brighter and more positive.
"Dancer SAM"

SAM has always been a leader in the Japanese street dance scene, and as a member of the dance vocal unit "TRF" that was formed in 1992, he sparked a huge dance boom. Since 2007, he has been the total producer of the dance performance department at Nippon Engineering College Music College, where he is passionate about nurturing young dancers. We spoke to SAM about the appeal of dance, dance education, and the future of the dance scene, while looking back on his own career.

ⒸKAZNIKI

The dance movements, which are not seen in everyday life, were cool.

Please tell us about your encounter with dance.

"When I was a high school freshman, I had a friend who would often go to discos. I was fascinated when I saw him dancing a little during recess at school. We decided to all go together the next time, so we went to a disco in Center Street, Shibuya. We were dancing normally, but when a regular customer in a white suit came in, a circle formed and he started dancing in the middle. It was so cool, and I became obsessed with it, wanting to be like him."

What attracted you to dance?

"I played sports, and I've always loved moving my body. It was 77, so it wasn't the era of acrobatic movements like today's dance. We were doing simple movements, but they were not part of everyday life. I thought they were really cool."

I discovered dance when I was asking myself if I really wanted to be a doctor.

SAM comes from a family of doctors that has been in the business since the Meiji era, and I understand that all of your family members are doctors.

"From a young age, I was told to become a doctor, to become a doctor. But when I was 15, I began to have doubts about whether I wanted to continue like that. I was asking myself if I really wanted to become a doctor, when I discovered dance. It was a shock. At first, I would lie and say I was going to stay over at a friend's house from school, and go dancing with friends about once a month, but I started to feel that it wasn't enough. There were lots of discos in Omiya, the town next to my parents' house. It was about a 15-minute motorbike ride away. I started sneaking out of my room and going dancing alone every night. I even became friends with the staff at the clubs.
After a while, my parents found me sneaking out in the middle of the night, so I ran away from home. I was working part-time at a disco I knew, but my friends from school also knew the place, so my parents came looking for me. In the end, they brought me back after about two weeks.

It's been a short while since I first discovered dance, and yet things have changed rapidly.

"That was the first time I had a heart-to-heart talk with my parents. When they asked me, 'Why did you do this?' I answered, 'I want to be free.' My father said, 'You're still in high school, so if anything happens, it's your parents' responsibility.' When I asked them, 'So what should I do?' they told me, 'Just let them know where you are, and go to school regularly. As long as you follow these two rules, you can do as you like.' From then on, I never went home again, but went to the disco every night, and then went to school from the disco."

ⒸKAZNIKI

The dance I do is just so cool, so I want to show it to others and spread the word.

There were no disco dance schools back then, so how did you improve your skills?

"If I see someone cool dancing at a disco, I'll just copy them. If I learn a new move, I'll practice it all night in front of the disco mirror."

Will you be a professional dancer after graduating from high school?

"At the time, I was in a four-person dance team called 'Space Craft' and added a friend who was a good singer from my days hanging out in Kabukicho to make my debut. The group was called 'Champ'. Our debut ended about a year later, but we debuted again with the same members under the name 'Rif Raff'. 'Rif Raff' lasted for about three years. We were a so-called idol group, but the dance I did, like disco dancing and break dancing, was really cool, so I wanted to show it to people and spread it, and I thought the only way to do that was to appear on TV. This was back when the term 'street dance' didn't even exist yet."

In New York, thinking became worldwide.

Why did you then go to New York to study dance?

"At the time, I was 23 and a breakdancer, but for some reason I thought that I couldn't make a living from dancing unless I learned how to dance properly. I love disco dancing and breakdancing, so I was willing to put in as much effort as I could. But I thought that I'd never be able to become a full-fledged dancer unless I went through some tough times."

What kind of dance did you study in New York?

"Jazz dance and classical ballet. I did quite a lot of it. I would dance in the studio during the day and in clubs or on the street at night. It was 1984, so New York was still a really rough place. Times Square was full of porn shops, and it was even worse than Kabukicho at the time. There were lots of pimps on the streets. But at night, I would go to places that were even rougher than Times Square. I was a breakdancer, and I always wore tracksuits, so I didn't look Japanese. So it wasn't dangerous at all (laughs)."

America is the home of street dance. What did you feel and learn there?

"My dancing is accepted in America. I've had battles with various dancers I've met at discos. I even did a street dance in front of Cats Theater on Broadway, targeting the audience coming out after a show. Everyone stopped and applauded. I felt that Japanese dancers were not at all inferior.
Of course, what I learned in New York was dance, but my way of thinking became more global. The biggest thing was that I was able to see the world, not just Japan, but Japan in the world.

They choreograph for themselves so that they can dance. They direct how the dance should look.

In addition to being a performer, you also choreograph and direct stage productions. Please tell us about the appeal of each.

"I didn't really think of it as separate things. We choreograph because we need choreography in order to dance. And when I choreograph, I think about how to present the dance, so I direct it. It's all closely linked. I didn't even feel like I was directing it, I just naturally thought about how to make it look cool."

I decide all the curriculum and teachers. If I'm going to do it, I want to do it seriously.

As the total producer of the Dance Performance Department at Nippon Engineering College, how do you feel about being involved in dance education for 18 years?

"I decide all of the curriculum and all of the teachers. If I'm going to do it, I want to do it seriously. I manage it well and gather teachers who can teach properly.
When you try classical ballet, contemporary dance, or jazz dance, you realize that each dance has its own wonderful qualities. In fact, the basic elements of dance have been a great weapon in my dancing career. If I were to open a dance school, I would want to include ballet, jazz, contemporary dance, and street dance, so I created compulsory subjects.

Do you ever give direct instruction to students?

"I teach once a week. Kogakuin is a school, not a dance studio. The students I teach are fixed each time, so I create a curriculum in stages, such as teaching this last week, so I'll teach this this week, and the next week. I teach by thinking about how far I can improve the skills in a year."

As you focus on improving, your true self will naturally emerge.

Please tell us what you consider important when teaching dance, and what is the one thing you would like to convey to students who want to become dancers.

"The importance of the basics. I tell them not to be too hung up on the idea of ​​creating their own style. It's okay if you don't have your own style or something original, just think about getting better. It's okay to imitate someone else, as long as you focus on getting better, your own style will naturally come out. If you think too much about what your own style is, you'll go in the wrong direction. Also, if you want to go professional, you have to be a dancer who can keep promises. I tell them to be punctual, to say hello, to be contactable, and to be good people."

Have you had any memorable students that you have taught so far?

"Several of our students have made their debut as dancers, and some are active as artists. It's not just one individual, but many dancers who have graduated from Kogakuin are active in the Japanese dance world. Kogakuin, or rather, DP (Dance Performance) graduates, have become a brand. When people say they are from Kogakuin, they are told, 'Well, then, you have solid skills and you move like a professional.'"

I hope everyone can be active worldwide.

Can you tell us about the future of the dance scene?

"I think it will continue to evolve. I would like to see everyone become active worldwide, beyond the barriers between Japan and overseas. Not long ago, it seemed amazing that a Japanese person could back up an overseas artist, but now it's become the norm. I feel like we've come this far. From now on, I would like to see new steps and styles originating from Japan."

Finally, please tell us about the appeal of dance.

"Right now, I'm working on a dance project where elderly people dance. People of all ages can enjoy dancing. Whether watching others dance or dancing yourself, it's uplifting and fun. So it's good for your health. Dance makes anyone, young or old, cheerful and positive. That's its greatest appeal."

Profile

SAMSam

ⒸKAZNIKI

Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1962. Japanese dancer and dance creator. Discovered the joy of dance for the first time at the age of 15 and went to New York alone to study dance. Dancer for dance vocal unit "TRF" which debuted in 1993. Active as a dance creator, he has choreographed and produced concerts for many artists including SMAP, Tohoshinki, BoA, V6, and more, as well as staging and choreography for TRF concerts. In 2007, he was appointed as the total producer of the Dance Performance Department at Nippon Engineering College Music College.

Interview cooperation: Nippon Engineering College

It is through our connections with our customers that something new is born.
"Musical actress MoriLinaMarinaMr. "

"Spirited Away" is a stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki's classic anime. It was a huge hit not only in Japan, but also in London last year. Mori Rina, the Cinderella girl who made her debut as Chihiro in London's West End*, the mecca of theater, is a graduate of Japan Art College in Sanno.

ⒸKAZNIKI

A musical is a comprehensive art form that incorporates song and dance to express things that cannot be expressed through acting alone.

Please tell us about your encounter with musicals.

"When I was about three years old, the mother of a friend my age was a member of the Shiki Theatre Company and she would often invite me to see them. I'm originally from Nagasaki, but when I was in elementary school I would go to see musicals in Fukuoka, Osaka and Tokyo. My parents weren't particularly big musical fans, so I was often invited by my friend. I'd always loved singing and dancing, and attended ballet classes. I really enjoyed the world unfolding on stage, which was different from everyday life, and the time I spent immersed in singing and dancing, so I thought musicals were great."

What made you want to become a musical actress?

"When I was in the fourth grade of elementary school, I moved to Shizuoka, where my mother's parents live. At that time, I joined a local children's musical group. It was an amateur theater group that brought together children from the third grade of elementary school to high school students. It was my first attempt at a musical. We practiced once a week and spent a year creating one piece of work.
It was my first time to try to create a work together with my friends, and I discovered how much fun it was. I learned that it's not just the characters in the spotlight, but that many people are involved in creating a work. I thought it was an amazing world. I started to think that I wanted to make it my future job when I was in the fifth grade of elementary school.
I think musicals are a comprehensive art form that incorporates song and dance to express things that cannot be expressed through acting alone.

I came to Tokyo without any hesitation or anxiety, just excited.

After graduating from junior high school, did you move to Tokyo alone to become a professional?

"No, I moved to Tokyo with my mother, father and family. I moved to Tokyo to enter the affiliated high school of the Japan Art College. If I wanted to pursue a career in musicals, I was considering a vocational school or a music college. However, I also felt that studying at a normal high school for three years to prepare for university entrance exams was "not quite right," so I searched the internet for a better option and found the affiliated high school, the Japan Art College. It was a Friday night, and I found out that there were trial classes on Saturday and Sunday. I said to my parents, "Maybe I should go," and they replied, "Okay, let's get a hotel," so I went to Tokyo with my mother right away and took part in the trial class."

He found it on a Friday and came to Tokyo on Saturday. That's impressive.

"We are an active family (laughs). My parents aren't the type to desperately support my entertainment career, but they do support anything I say I want to do. I didn't start ballet from my parents' request, as I had been doing it since I was little. I went to see a friend performing and it looked like fun, so I said, 'I want to do that too,' and gave it a try. My decision to move to Tokyo is just an extension of that (laughs).
I had always wanted to become a musical actress, so I came to Tokyo without any doubts or worries, just excitement.

It was great to have the opportunity to experience a professional workplace while still a student.

Please tell us about your memories from your time at vocational school.

"We have a 'Musical Project' that we do once a year. We perform Broadway works at school. We learnt from and performed under the direction of leading directors, vocal instructors and choreographers. Understanding the director's intentions, digesting them yourself and presenting your own performance is something you can only experience in the process of creating a production. It was a great asset for me to have been able to take on the challenge of creating a stage production within the same rehearsal period as the professionals. I learned that this is how things progress at such a fast pace in the professional workplace."

There are things you can learn only through the process of actually creating a stage production.

"Even in regular classes, we have the opportunity to learn from professional teachers, but by experiencing the creation of a work, I was able to learn from a different perspective than if I were a student being taught individual skills. I learned that professionals calculate these things and focus on these points. I became able to think more logically and to look at works objectively from various perspectives. I felt that I had a clearer idea of ​​what I needed to do. It was great to have the opportunity to experience a professional workplace while still a student."

It was a rare experience to take lessons with local people on Broadway.

I have heard that there is overseas training available for those who wish to do so.

"I was able to go to Broadway or the West End once a year, and I went every time from my second year of high school. At that time, there were still few musicals coming to Japan, and the performances that involved original staff were limited. I had no opportunity to learn about the latest musicals in London or New York, or the level of the original staff."

Were theaters in Tokyo different from those overseas?

"It really was different. The atmosphere of the audience is completely different. In Tokyo, musicals are mainly shown in large theaters. Abroad, there are many smaller venues that are easier to see. These are always performing and have long runs. There are also several theaters nearby in the same area, so you can go see a variety of productions. I really enjoyed that environment."

Where was your first overseas training trip?

"It was on Broadway. The show I saw was my favorite, 'Wicked'. I cried the moment I entered the theater (laughs). I was so moved, thinking, 'This is where Wicked was born! This is where it all began!' The performance itself was also really good, and I cried. I even took lessons with professionals on Broadway.
Although we have special lessons from overseas instructors at school, it was a rare experience to take lessons with local people."

Was it different from lessons in Japan?

"In Japan, if you're not good, you can't go to the front, or if you don't fit in with the class, you stay at the back, but there's nothing like that here. No matter what your skill level, body type, clothing, or race, you just go to the front and dance. The passion is totally different from Japan. It was a fresh experience, and I made a lot of discoveries."

When I was chosen to play the lead role, I was very happy, but at the same time I felt a great sense of responsibility.

If there was a performance that was a turning point in your professional career, please tell us about it.

"It had to be last year's 'Spirited Away'. I never thought I would be able to perform on a West End stage. Moreover, I was able to perform as the lead role of Chihiro. I thought it would be quite difficult to perform on stage as Chihiro in Japan, but I never thought it would happen on the West End."

How many shows did you perform in London?

"I appeared on stage as Chihiro in 10 performances. Rehearsals started in early January last year, the performance at the Imperial Theater* was in March, and I went to London in mid-April, and was on standby as an understudy* throughout April and May."

How did you feel when you went from being an understudy to being cast in a leading role?

"I literally jumped for joy (laughs). I was very happy, but at the same time I felt a great sense of responsibility. Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi have been performing the show since it premiered in 2022. It will be a third revival after the premiere and revival, and we are bringing it to London. I was worried about joining the existing members in this situation, and I was anxious about having to build it up from scratch. But the joy I felt was stronger, so I told myself, 'I can do it, I can do it,' and decided that I just had to go for it."

How did you feel about playing the lead role on stage?

"My debut was originally scheduled for June 6th, but I was filling in for Kanna Hashimoto so it was suddenly rescheduled to May 12rd. On the day of the show, just before it was due to start, there was an issue where the bridge on the set wouldn't come down. All the cast members gathered onstage to confirm the last-minute changes to the direction. There was a sense of tension among the performers and staff alike. Then, it was announced that 'This time, we're filling in for Hashimoto and we'd like to ask Mori to play Chihiro,' and everyone was more upset than I was. But that didn't make me too nervous (laughs).
I was a little scared the second and third time around. I spent a lot of time practicing alone, and had very little time to practice with everyone. I had time to come to my senses, and I ended up getting scared.

In London, theatre is more accessible than cinema and it's easy to go see it.

What was the reaction of the London audience?

"In Japan, going to the theatre can feel a bit formal. In London, theatre is more accessible than film, and I felt it was a place where you could go and see a play casually. You can watch a play while having a drink in the auditorium, or eating ice cream or popcorn. It's very relaxed (laughs)."

Did you discover anything new as an actor?

"I have come to strongly feel that the stage is a living thing. I think that an important part of being an actor is to deliver something fresh and new to the audience every time we perform a long show. With each performance, the audience responds in different ways, and that changes the stage. I realized that it is precisely because we are connected to the audience, not just onstage, that something new is born.
Director John Caird* said in a speech on stage before the opening night, "The audience is the ultimate character." "The play can only be created with the audience, not just the characters." I now understand what he means. In London, reactions are conveyed very directly. I really felt the power or influence of the audience."

What are your future goals?

"Of course I want to try musicals, but I also want to try my hand at straight plays. I want to try my hand at a variety of productions, without limiting myself to that. I want to encounter a variety of roles. I think that as I gain more life experience, I will be able to draw on a variety of different skills. I want to continue being an actor for the rest of my life."

*West End: A large theater district in London. Along with New York's Broadway, it is at the highest level of commercial theater.
*Tei-Geki: Imperial Theatre. Located in front of the Imperial Palace. Opened on March 1911, 44 (Meiji 3). The central theatre for Japanese musicals.
*Understudy: A reserve actor who is on standby during the performance to take over for the actor playing the main role in the unlikely event that he is unable to play.
*John Caird: Born in Canada in 1948. British stage director and playwright. Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Representative works include Peter Pan (1982-1984), Les Miserables (1985-), and Jane Eyre (1997-).

Profile

WoodsLinaMarina

ⒸKAZNIKI

A graduate of the Japan Art College, she began her career as a professional actress while still a student. Shortly after graduating, she was selected to play the heroine, Yukimura Chizuru, in the Hijikata Toshizo chapter of "Hakuoki Shitan." She has since appeared in stage productions such as "Death Note THE MUSICAL," the musical "Roman Holiday," and the musical "17 AGAIN," as well as TV appearances such as the role of Kaneguri Akie in the NHK taiga drama "Idaten." In 2024, she will appear as Chihiro in the stage production of "Spirited Away" at the London Coliseum.
He is scheduled to appear in the same role in the stage production of Spirited Away in Shanghai, China (Shanghai Culture Plaza) from July to August 2025.

Interview cooperation: Japan Art College

Upcoming events to look out for +bee!

Future attention EVENT CALENDAR March-April 2025

Introducing the spring art events and art spots featured in this issue.Why don't you go out for a short distance in search of art, not to mention the neighborhood?

Please check each contact for the latest information.

Gallery Minami Seisakusho Special Exhibition "Creating - Production and Creation"

At the 10th anniversary of the opening of the gallery in a repurposed factory, we will return to the origins of this factory and display tools and machines used in the factory, works by current craftsmen (both referred to as "production"), and works by artists who have had connections with the gallery over the past 10 years (both referred to as "production"). This exhibition allows visitors to freely feel the beauty that resides in both "production" and "creation."

Bench lace (owned by Gallery Minami Seisakusho)

100th Anniversary of Birth: Toyofuku Tomonori Exhibition

Toyofuku Tomonori is an internationally acclaimed sculptor who moved to Milan after the war and was active there for nearly 40 years. This exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth will feature works from his early period through to his later years.

"Untitled" Medium: Mahogany (1969)

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Public Relations and Public Hearing Section, Culture and Arts Promotion Division, Ota Ward Cultural Promotion Association