Festival Report フェスティバル レポート 2016

Vertical Stage: Bencha

Wait. That's the stage!? Surprised voices could be heard waiting for the performance to begin.




This year marks Bencha's 5th appearance at Daidogei. The performance group learned about the event after receiving an invitation from Daidogei, but have continued to appear because of the kind and friendly people.

While Bencha Theater is a 4 person group, two of their best aerial performers appeared this year. Descending from the roof, the two proceeded to perform a vertical tango-like dance expressing the "langauge of love."



Suspended from the roof, they captivate their audience as they move, giving the dancers the feeling of weightlessness, like they are moon walking and moving in slow motion. The two performed not only in midair, but also on the ground, making use of their gymnastic and acrobatic backgrounds.

These two were introduced to aerial dancing while attending a workshop and, since then, have worked in tandem with their troup to create a performance style that includes all specializations and is unique to the Bencha Theater group."Of course, we loved to fly once we tried (it)." Performer Sarah Kooij said of their background in aerial dance.

As for their message to the audience, "Just enjoy it," she says. <MII>

Are you ready? / Previe show

More than 2000 audience got together to watch the preview show in GRANSHIP.

The preview show of 25th DAIDOGEI World Cup in Shizuoka was held in Shizuoka Covension & Arts Center "GRANSHIP".
It's located halfway between downtown Shizuoka and downtown Shimizu.
Speaking of GRANSHIP, we Shizuoka citizen enjoy various kinds of arts, not only music concerts but also Japanese traditional theatrical arts (Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku, etc..) and modern performing arts in the medium hall called Earth (大地 Daichi). Sometimes, we use its enormous mail hall called Ocean (海 Umi) for special big events. As the preview show was one of the special ocacasions, so many people seemed to be excited to enter into the Ocean. They eagerly waited for a long time in such cold weather.


Some rushed over to the show after work and some took a day off for the show.
This year, Shizuoka city made advertising posters which recommend us to take a paid vacation to enjoy DAIDOGEI as a part of a work-life balance propulsion project.


photo by Atsumi

Have you applied for a paid vacation?
Even if you couldn't get a paid vacation, you can watch the performances during night (until 20:30).
Premium stages in the evening (CROWN! CROWN! CROWN!) are also recommended course after work.

Now it's high time to go out into the town. Let's enjoy DAIDOGEI.
Are you ready?
I'm ready, three!!

(yyukke)