Riku Yamakawa | Dance and Theater Work 'The Dance of the Dance Judges' (Ueda Performance / Second Part)
This is the second part of a review of Toshiiki Okada's dance/theater work, 'The Dance of the Dance Judges,' performed in Ueda.Summary
This review covers the second part of the Ueda performance of 'The Dance of the Dance Judges,' a work combining dance and theater, created and directed by Toshiiki Okada. Inspired by Kiyokazu Washida's 'Theory of Possession,' the piece uses choreography, the body, and self-referential performance to attempt a connection with society. The reviewer notes that while the staging clearly functioned for the audience, the performance was ultimately constrained by the traditional structure of the theater seating, which remained unchanged. Despite efforts toward accessibility, such as keeping the house lights on and doors open (as part of a 'Relaxed Performance' initiative), the audience felt passively integrated into the structure. The critique concludes that while the stage work was masterful, the production should have fundamentally questioned the very nature of the theater seating arrangement, which tends to neutralize individual physicality.
(Source：artscape)