Fujima Kanjuro to direct International Dance Project "MAU: J-ASEAN Dance Collaboration"

Project Outline

Stage photograph of MAU: J-ASEAN Dance Collaboration

Rehearsal of MAU: J-ASEAN Dance Collaboration
Rehearsal in August, 2013, held in Japan

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of ASEAN – Japan Dialogue relation in 2013, The Japan Foundation will present a performance project “MAU: J-ASEAN Dance Collaboration” with having participation of dances and musicians from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Japan. All the performers invited to the project, selected with the advice of specialists in each country, are young dancers and musicians having background in traditional performing arts.

Mr. Kanjuro Fujima, the head of Soke-Fujima-Ryu Nihon Buyo dance school, is an artistic staging director. By using eatrical technique and artistic effects of KABUKI, one of the most sophisticated art forms of Japan with over 400 years of history, to connect each country’s dance and music, the project aims to propose and introduce a method of presentation which highlights the aesthetics of each traditional art without losing their intrinsic character and values.

Performers have been preparing the show by attending a pre-workshop to have been held in Tokyo in June, and a full-scale rehearsal in a theater hall with set prthe thop held in Fujimi city, Saitama in August. The performance group will tour to Jakarta, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in November.

The title “MAU” means “to dance” and was given by Mr. Kanjuro Fujima especially for this show.

We hope that the audience in each country enjoys the Japan meets ASEAN at the Dance Collaboration Tour.

『MAU: J-ASEAN Dance Collaboration』 Tour Schedule

Jakarta (Indonesia)

Dates Saturday, November 9, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Venue Theater Hall Jakarta
Contact
(Organizer)
The Japan Foundation, Jakarta

Manila (Philippines)

Dates Saturday, November 16, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Venue Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater), Cultural Center of the Philippines
Contact
(Organizer)
The Japan Foundation, Manila

Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

Dates Friday, November 22, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Venue Istana Budaya
Contact
(Organizer)
The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur

Singapore

Dates Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Venue Lee Foundation Theatre, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts(NAFA)
Co-organizer Japan Creative Centre
Contact for the performance Culture Link Pte Ltd

Artistic Staging Director

Fujima Kanjuro

Photo of Fujima Kanjuro Born in 1980, Fujima Kanjuro is a Kabuki choreographer. He is the head of the Soke Fujima Ryu: Fujima School of traditional Japanese dance (Nihon buyo). His grandfather, Fujima Kanjuro IV was the highly acclaimed choreographer and dancer who was eventually recognized as “Living National Treasure” by the Japanese government and whose oeuvre included a large number of prominent works. His mother Fujima Kanso III, is also an active Kabuki dance choreographer. In 2002, at the age of 22, he formally received the Kanjuro name, becoming Fujima Kanjuro VIII. He received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Art Encouragement Prize's New Artist Award in 2003. . In 2012, he was awarded by Japan Arts Foundation for his contribution to the traditional arts.

Official website of Fujima Kanjuro

<Performing Arts Network Japan, Artist Interview>
https://performingarts.jpf.go.jp/E/art_interview/0603/1.html

[Contact Us]

The Japan Foundation
Asia and Oceania Section, Arts and Culture Dept.

Contacts: Takeda, Endo, Yamashita
Tel: +81-(0)3-5369-6062 FAX +81-(0)3-5369-6038
E-mail: Q_asia_oceania@jpf.go.jp
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