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Award-winning Japanese choreographer, Shigehiro Ide, director of the Idevian Crew, will bring together the dancers from Japan and Thailand to embark on the collaboration project "KOKASHITA" to amuse the audience with his humorous take on the two Asian cultures. Presented by The Japan Foundation, "KOKASHITA" will be performed in Chiang Mai and Bangkok in late January.
Produced by the international performing arts festival, 'Festival/Tokyo', the first version of "KOKASHITA" was presented during the festival in March 2009 in Tokyo, after 40 days of intensive rehearsal between the Japanese performers and their six Thai counterparts who were selected in an earlier audition in Bangkok. They include dancer Kanison Youngprampree; actor and director Grisana Punpeng; dancer, actor, writer and TV producer Korakot Puangsawad; dancing twins Chanchana and Chayanuch Akjiratikarl; and the 8X8 Theatre comedian Akeera Modesakoon.
"KOKASHITA" is a Japanese term describing the space beneath Tokyo's elevated rail tracks and highways - a feature shared by the Bangkok cityscape. In his choreography, Ide uses the idea of these small gaps to illustrate the gaps and differences between the two cultures. Gestures, movements and snippets of everyday life in Japan and Thailand are transformed to spark off comic, intriguing and thought-provoking theatrical moments.

The Tokyo premiere of "KOKASHITA" has received huge attention from the contemporary dance community and won acclaims from both the critics and audiences alike. The Japanese and Thai performers will reunion in Patravadi Theatre for 20 days to further develop and bring a new version to the Bangkok public.
Shigehiro Ide is a versatile Japanese artist whose works have received international attention. Ide is known for his ability in bringing out the unique personalities of the performers - among them, some are not formally trained as dancers – to create an idiosyncratic stage that connects life and performance. Ide's works extend across different media and cultures. He recently collaborated with the band Tokyo Incidents led by popular singer-songwriter Ringo Shiina, and had created choreography for English dance company Diversions.
Among the awards that Shigehiro Ide received are the Audience Award at the German Arena Festival (1995), the Outstanding Staff Award of the 11th Yomiuri Theater Grand Prix Awards, The 3rd Asahi Beer Arts Foundation Award and the 2nd Japan Dance Forum Award.

Performance "KOKASHITA"
CHIANG MAI
(Co-organized by the Japan Foundation and the Faculty of Fine Arts, CMU.) |
| Date/Time: |
24 January 2010 (Sun.) 19.00 hrs. |
| Venue: |
Theater of Chiang Mai University Art Center
(Tel. 053-944-833) |
| Admission: |
FREE |
| (Free tickets will be available at the reception desk from 18.00 hrs. Door open at 18.30 hrs.) |
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| BANGKOK |
| Date/Time: |
29 January 2010 (Fri.) 20.00 hrs. |
| Venue: |
Theatre-in-the-Garden, Patravadi Theatre |
| Tickets: |
300, 100 Baht |
| (Door open at 19.30 hrs.) |
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Tickets are now available at Total Reservation, www.totalreservation.com or hotline 02-833-5555 to book the tickets. Total Reservation outlets: Siam Paragon, Emporium, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, BTS Mo Chit, BTS Victory Monument, The Mall: Bangkae, Bangkapi, Thapra, Ramkhamhaeng and Ngamwongwan.
For more information, please visit
www.patravaditheatre.com, http://www.jfbkk.or.th
Press inquiry:
The Japan Foundation, Bangkok Tel. 02-260-8560-4
Patravadi Theatre Tel. 02-412-7287-8 |
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KOKASHITA Profile
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Shigehiro Ide
Choreographer and dancer. The leader of the dance company Idevian Crew is active in a number of fields, staging theatre performances, choreographing and giving workshops. He attracts attention for his choreographies bringing out the unique personalities of the performers, who are not always formally trained as dancers. Recently he has extend his field of activities to include a collaboration with the Tokyo Incidents led by Ringo Shiina, and a choreography for NHK Educational's children program "Let's play in English". He has further made a choreography for the English dance company Diversions, and toured abroad, where his works has been very well received. He received the Audience Award at the German Arena Festival in 1995, the Outstanding Staff Award of the 11th Yomiuri Theater Grand Prix awards, the 3rd Asahi Beer Arts Foundation Award and the 2nd Japan Dance Forum Award. |
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Mineko Saito
From the cradle, she began classic ballet and studied in NY and London. She has been a member of Idevian Crew since its launch in 1995. She appeared in "ASOBU" directed by Josef Nadj, and presented in 5 countries and 15cities in 2006.She performed her own solo work "TESURI" in 2008. In February of this year, she will appear in "Triple Bill" at New National Theatre, Tokyo. |
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Ai Kaneko
She appeared M-laboratory (lead by Hiroyuki Miura)'s "Latest Heat" and "Tokyo Heat 02." She learned Chinese martial arts such as taichi and shaolin kung fu in China. After returning home, she appeared in TVspots, promotional videos and a short film. Moreover, she has participated in Crewimburnny (lead by Nagisa Sugao) and from "Nut cracker" in 2002, she has joined Idevian crew. |
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Tatsuya Nakamura
He has been member of Idevian Crew since the performance "One kitchen knife" in 1998. He also appeared in "Emergency Landing" performed by the performing theater ‘MIZUTO-ABURA' in 2005, and in a promotional video of "Kana" (directed by musician ‘ASA-CHANG& Junrei feat. Hanaregumi') As for solo works, he is collaborating with many artists from different fields. |
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Yu Harada
After he graduated from the Department of Performing Arts, he appeared in various company's works like ‘APE' and ‘Nibroll'. He has also participated in ‘Mure' which the company a lot of contemporary artist gathered. Moreover, he creates his own work and performed. From "Haikiko" in 2008, he has joined Idevian crew. |
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Kanison Youngprampree
He graduated from Dhurakijpundit university (majoring in mass communication studies) in 1992. He has stage experience as a jazz dancer, modern dancer, ballet dancer, Butoh dancer, and as a Thai classical dancer. He has also appeared in a TV drama. From 1997 to 1999 he appeared in "Akaoni" directed Hideki Noda and Nimit Pipithkul, In 2002 he appeared in the international co-production of "Indian summer" performed in the Hirosaki Theater in Japan, and toured Thailand and the Philippines. |
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Korakot Puangsawad
Though graduating from Faculty of Fine Art (Acting & Directing), Korakot also extremely fond of dancing. He has appeared in many kinds of shows in Thailand, from the concert (i.e. Volume 1 Concert: Bird-Thongchai McIntyre, 2005) to music videos as a dancer; and as an actor and Script Writer for TV series (i.e. ‘Lang Ka Dang, 2003; Tarad Nam Dam Nuen Rak, 2007) to many Indie theatres created by ‘BlueBox Theatre Group' (i.e. ‘The Missing Piece meets the Big O', 2001). Last September, he's just appeared in his solo performance ‘E-Tim the Musical'. At the present, he works full-time as Co-Producer at (GMM LIVE) GMM Grammy Public Co., Ltd., still participating regularly in his beloved Indie theatres and dance performances. |
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Chanchana Akjiratikarl
Graduated from the Faculty of Film and Photography, Chanchana is not only an independent filmmaker but also a dancer and choreographer. Since her childhood, she found herself fascinate in all kinds of dance,especially ballet and contemporary dance. She has been selected to be one of the dancers of Thongchai McIntyre, who is Thailand's all-time-favorite superstar and has joined many concerts as dancers for Thailand's artists. She is also an actress in the Play, Sab Harn Song, which was awarded Sod Sai Award's Popular Vote. Apart from her dance and performing experience, Chanchana directed her own dance film, Fat Girl, awarded from Thai Short Films Festival and selected to showcase in Asian Film Symposium in Singapore. |
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Chayanuch Akjiratikarl
Similar to her twin sister, Chayanuch is a film student graduate, a dancer and a choreographer. In the pursuit of her love for dance, she has been studying classic Ballet and Contemporary dance is also one of her most favorite dancing style. She performed in Magic Broadway with Thailand Symphony Orchestra at Thailand Cultural Center. Moreover, she has been selected to be one of the dancers of Thongchai McIntyre, who is Thailand's superstar and has joined many concerts as dancers for Thailand's artists. Talking to her interest in film, Chayanuch is a Co-director and dancer in her own contemporary dance film, Fat Girl, which was awarded from Thai Short Films Festival and selected to showcase in Asian Film Symposium in Singapore. |
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Akeera Modesakoon
One of One of 8x8 Theatre members, appeared in most successful and rewarded "The best performance of Bangkok Theatre Festival 2007" called "Giant". She was coached by the most talented theatre director "Nikorn Saetang" who graduated from French International Theater School "Ecole International de Theatre Jacques Lecoq". She also appeared in many performances of 8x8 Theatre.And she is also freelance actress which was hired to many events performances and appeared in extra in Thai famous sitcom "Dhevada Sathoo or Angels". And the latest, joined with I-Thaiporary Crew for the project Sa-by Sa-by. |
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Choreography / Director: Shigehiro Ide
Lighting Design: Shigeo Saito
Lighting OP: Keiichi Ohya
Sound Design: Takeshi Shima
Sound OP: Yuri Katsumi
Stage Manager: Hiroshi Okawa
Assistant Stage Manager: Asako Watanabe
Produced by: Festival/ Tokyo
Presented by: The Japan Foundation
In cooperation with
Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University Patravadi Theatre |
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The Japan Foundation, Bangkok
10th Fl. Sermmit Tower, 159 Sukhumvit 21, Bangkok 10110, THAILAND
Tel: (662) 260-8560-4, Fax: (662) 260-8565
copyright 2004-2009 The Japan Foundation, Bangkok
All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission
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