March 24, 2025
For immediate release
Contact:
Andrew Wood: 415-399-9554 (o) 415-305-1102 (c) [email protected]
Kyoko Yoshida: 415-867-7080 [email protected]
Lucho Ramirez: 415-425-0445 [email protected]
Suichu-megane∞ from Japan Challenges Gender Conventions in US Debut at SF International Festival
Calendar Editors Please Note
Who: Suichu-megane∞
What: my choice, my body and Anchor
Where: Dance Mission Theater 3316 24th St., SF, CA 94110
Dates: Fri May 9 8:30pm; Sat May 10 4:00pm
Tickets: Early Bird: $20, Advance: $25, Door: $28
Box Office and Information: https://www.sfiaf.org/2025_suichu_megane or 415-399-9554
March 24, 2025 San Francisco, CA. San Francisco International Arts Festival and the U.S./Japan Cultural Trade Network, Inc. (CTN) are proud to present the United States debut of Suichu-megane∞, led by Ayane Nakagawa. The company is celebrated for its powerful theatrical dance vocabulary and its unflinching exploration of 'freedom' above and beyond contemporary Japanese society.
my choice, my body, is a work that incorporates the physicality of Nihon Buyo (Japanese classical dance) and Noh masks. Nakagawa states, “It celebrates the right to make every choice in your life and mine, as well as the destiny we have been given.”
Anchor tells the story of a woman’s innate mission, desires, and struggles. It portrays societal norms surrounding sexuality and gender, the profound desire to resist them, and the void that accompanies it.
About Suichu-megane∞
Founded in 2011, Suichu-megane∞ brings together choreographers, dancers, visual designers, and other creatives. Each member contributes their unique artistic foundation, shaping the company’s activities through the convergence of their autonomous creativity.
Founder Ayane Nakagawa, who trained in both ballet and Japanese traditional dance since childhood, later immersed herself in street dance and pursued theater studies at J. F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, Japan. Suichu-megane∞ is renowned for Nakagawa’s choreography and direction, seamlessly blending diverse dance styles with theatrical perspectives.
Artist Biographies
Ayane Nakagawa
First generation bisexual. From Tokyo. Nakagawa has a diverse background in classical dance, including ballet and Japanese traditional dance, as well as street dance. She majored in theater at the J. F. Oberlin University, where she founded the Suichu-megane∞ dance company in 2011 and began presenting choreographed works. Her work has drawn attention for its exploration of the relationship between the individual and society, historical perspectives that have settled deep in the body, and fearless expression of taboos. Nakagawa is highly regarded for her choreography and direction which encompass a diverse array of dance and theatrical perspectives.
Shimpei Nemoto
First generation homosexual. From Ibaraki Prefecture. Studied under Kisanuki Kuniko at J.F. Oberlin University, learning contemporary dance. After graduation, Nemoto has been working as a dancer and choreographer. As a member of the dance company Suichu Megane∞, he choreographs and performs not only on stage but also in music videos and film projects of various artists. In 2021, He choreographed the opening dance for the NHK annual Kohaku Singing Contest.
Aeju Kim
Third generation Korean living in Japan. From Hyogo Prefecture. From a young age, Kim studied Korean dance and classical ballet. After graduating from Kobe College, School of Music, majoring in dance, Kim studied abroad in Hungary. Since 2019, she has been a team member of Co. Ruri Mito, participating in domestic and international productions and tours. She became a member of the dance company Suichu Megane∞ in 2023. Additionally, she is involved in diverse activities including participating in works by various choreographers, movies, music videos, and modeling for advertisements.
Funding Credits: These performances were funded in part by Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture), the Saison Foundation, California Arts Ciuncil, Creative West and the National Endowment for the Arts.
San Francisco International Arts Festival is made possible in part by (among others) the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative West, California Arts Council, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, Further Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des Artistes Quebecois and generous individual donors.
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