Festival Report フェスティバル レポート 2015

Preview show report and this year's features

Every year the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup begins with the preview show the evening before the main event. This years invitation only event was held Friday evening October 30 with a total of 64 artists groups, face painters, street walkers and special aerial artists given a chance to showcase their skills in front of an audience of over 1,500 eager fans, some of who had camped out the front of the theater for more than 36hours in order to secure the best seats for the show.

Performing artists are given one minute each to showcase their skills, and although this seems terribly short, it is amazing what a professional daidogei artist can achieve in sixty seconds; in fact some artists were able to win the hearts and minds of the audience in less than half that time. Regular artists to Shizuoka are welcomed with friendly smiles and applause while those making their debut are greeted with eager anticipation. Another unique feature of the preview performance is the combination of different performers. This year saw a one-off combined performance from champion jugglers Ryo Yabe, Tempei and the Kikyo Brothers, as well as a combination from Witty Look, performer KANA and Damejankoide, something that you won't find anywhere else.

After enjoying a preview of each artist's performance, I have summarized some features of this year's show you are sure to enjoy.


Feature 1 "A unique vision born from a fusion of skills"

From World Cup Division artists
④ Charlotte de la Breteque (France)：A show with feminine grace born from a fusion of aerial and acrobatics
⑨ Hydragon (France)：A heartwarming performance created through a fusion of aerial and music
⑬ Paolo Kaiser (Czech Republic)：A performance of power and muscle created through a fusion of rolla board and acrobatics

From On Division artists
④ Utsushiomi (Japan)：A male and female unit that create an artistic atmosphere through juggling and aerial
⑭ The Scovilles (Japan)：A two-man unit that mixes black comedy, acrobatics and juggling
31 Yusaku Mochizuki (Japan)： A high speed performance that fuses juggling with tap dancing


Feature 2 "Juggling that tells a story"

From World Cup Division artists
⑧ Francois Rochais（France）：World record holder for juggling seven batons.
She juggles not only batons but also umbrellas, rings and rackets wearing an elegant costume like that of a French lady.
⑪ Karen Bourre & Mike Leclair (France）：A male- female unit with a juggling show that develops like a love story.

From On Division artists
32 Mono Juggling Show TACK!! (Japan）：A juggler with an incredible imagination who juggles items familiar to everyone, but unusual for a juggler.


Feature 3　"New Daidogei"

This year three completely original groups have been invited especially as part of the celebrations of the 400th memorial of Ieyasu Tokugawa to perform shows that have never been seen before in Japan.

THEATER TOL（Belgium/ Holland/Japan/Italy/Germany）
In this show angels dance in the night sky. Performance limited to Saturday and Sunday night.

ZOOMWOOZ （Germany/Spain）
A theatrical performance showing the process of creating a movie. Entry is free using tickets available at MIRAIE Rian.

DELREVES VERTICAL DANCE COMPANY（Spain)
A dance show that unfolds on the side of a building. Performing at Satsu no Tsuji in the city.




(yuuki/Mr. Jugglish)

2 days to go (29th Oct.)

Oblique rays of the sun in the morning and clear views of Mt. Fuji signal the coming of the Daidogei World Cup in Shizuoka.
Shizuoka citizens prepare for the festival with excitement.



It's two days to go until the festival and some excited fans are already waiting for the performances!



Every year, the queue appears two days before the festival, that is, one night before the preview show.
In this show, the majority of artists only get one minute to perform.
As the saying says, "Seeing is believing!" This show is very helpful for choosing who to watch during the festival.

20 hours later, just before the preview show. These two look more nervous than excited.



"Daidogei is coming!" "I love Daidogei! I am so excited!"
Let's enjoy Daidogei World Cup in Shizuoka!

(yyukke)