HANDLES×CONDORS 1st STEP「Lay Your Hands on Me」(2024) (2024) Photo:HARU
HANDLES×CONDORS 1st STEP「Lay Your Hands on Me」(2024) (2024) Photo:HARU
HANDLES×CONDORS 1st STEP「Lay Your Hands on Me」(2024) (2024) Photo:HARU
Under Condors leader Ryohei Kondo, eight members of the dance team Handles comprising people with disabilities and eight members of the dance company Condors joined forces to undergo six months or so of painstaking one-on-one, two-way creation. Focusing squarely on the societal issues of social inclusion, respect for diversity, and the realization of a cohesive society (a UN Sustainable Development Goal) as its main themes enabled the team to create a multi-layered, polycentric performance style.
The team takes pride in being able to inject the talents of Condors – which has performed in around 30 countries around the world and whose NHK Hall performance was an instant sell-out – to produce a work that brilliantly transcends the boundaries of being disabled/able bodied and which makes full use of the “individuality” of each Handles member. It is also proud to be able to share with audiences the seeds of a cohesive, inclusive society. Additionally, the performance demonstrated the multi-faceted appeal of contemporary dance with an opening act featuring the Ikumi Kurosu-led Bushman, a dance company that focuses on nurturing a new generation of performers. In presenting the power of the performing arts to confront social issues with humor, dynamism and a pop sensibility, this project explored the possibilities for the relationship between the arts and social issues, contributing in a small way to the development of Japan’s arts and culture and the realization of a society in which everyone can co-exist.
Featured organizations: HANDLES×CONDORS (70 mins)/Bushman (5 mins)
Lighting: Hiroaki Sakamoto/Sound: Kohei Harashima/Stage direction: Akiyoshi Tsutsui
Producer: Yasuharu Katsuyama
Condors conception/composition, choreography, and direction: Ryohei Kondo
Condors performers: Satoshi Ishibuchi, Naoto Katori, Michihiko Kamakura, Ikumi Kurosu, Toshihiro Hashizume, Yoshihiro Fujita, Yugo Yasuda, Kojirou Yamamoto, Ryohei Kondo
Handles performers: Masahiro Ogura, Takeshi Kinoshita, Yasuyuki Kobayashi, Makoto Shinohara, Shunichiro Horiguchi, Tatsuya Matsumoto, Shotaro Kawakami, Hiro Fukuda
Bushman conception/composition, choreography, and direction: Ikumi Kurosu
Bushman performers: Ikumi Kurosu, Bausch Tezuka, Rikito Eguchi
【ROCKSTAR Ltd.】
ROCKSTAR, inc. was established in November 2005 to handle the promotion and management of dance company Condors, formed in 1996. Condors got its big break in 1999 with a performance at The Globe Tokyo. In 2000 it made inroads in the US to great acclaim by the New York Times. The group has since performed in over 30 countries. Condors has toured around Japan every year since 1999. In 2005 Kondo received the Asahi Performing Arts Award Terayama Shuji Prize. The group’s LINE CUBE SHIBUYA (Shibuya Public Hall) production was an instant sell-out. Kondo has appeared in the TBS TV series “Jonetsu Tairiku.” In 2016, Condors added extra dates to its NHK Hall 20th anniversary performance, having sold out instantly. In 2017 leader Ryohei Kondo was the recipient of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize. In 2022 Kondo was appointed Artistic Director of Saitama Arts Theater. In addition to Condors’ stage work, the group is also involved in nurturing young performers, and organizing stage productions involving local citizens, performances by people with disabilities, and performances for young children.
Yasuharu Katsuyama
Producer
ROCKSTAR Ltd.
Takemi303,1-16-15,Takadanobaba,Shinjyuku-ku,Tokyo
169-0075
TEL：03-5272-0991
FAX：03-5272-0991
Zenrosai Hall/Space Zero, Shibuya City, Tokyo
