SATURDAY, FEB. 25TH, 2023 8:00 PM
Made possible by the William J. Cooper Foundation and presented by the Swarthmore College Dance Program as part of the Cooper Series. Co-Sponsored by the Swarthmore College Japanese Program.
The use of cell phones, cameras, and recording devices without permission is strictly prohibited because it is dangerous to the performers and distracting to other audience members. Devices will be confiscated if seen being used during this evening’s performance. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Kizuna Dance
Choreography by Cameron McKinney
Performed by Rohan Bhargava, Isaac Martin Lerner, Isabele Rosso, Rebecca Sandlin, Emmy Wildermuth
Music by Cameron McKinney (Original Composition)
Costumes by Kizuna Dance
Prisoners of the Moment draws inspiration from ichigo ichie, a Japanese concept denoting the uniqueness of every interpersonal encounter. It depicts lonely passersby using a series of once-in-a-lifetime encounters to root themselves in the present as they each continue to search for their life’s purpose.
This work was created, in part, at Princeton University, as part of the Hearst Choreography Residency.
Kizuna Dance
Choreography by Cameron McKinney
Performed by Cameron McKinney
Music by Toshio Hosokawa and Geinoh
Yamashirogumi
Costume by Kizuna Dance
E.X.P.L.O.D.E, inspired by the seminal 1988 Japanese animated film AKIRA, explores how themes of death, rebirth, and a fear of the unknown can lead to madness and loneliness. Commissioned by The Dance Gallery Festival’s LEVEL UP Program and Alessandra Gouldner. Created, in part, during residencies at the Catskills Art Society in Livingston Manor, NY and at Hobart and Williams Smith College in Geneva, NY.
Co-Directed by Cameron McKinney and Joe Small
Choreography by Cameron McKinney
Taikography and Music by Joe Small and STE-KCUT
Performed by Kizuna Dance and STE-KCUT
Lighting Design by James Murphy
Kumo ori ori hito wo yasumeru
tsukimi kana
From time to time The clouds give rest To the moon-beholders
A collaboration suite of dance and taiko between Kizuna Dance and members of Swarthmore Taiko Ensemble, Moontides finds wonder and inspiration in the ebb-flow, push-pull, rise-fall, tension-release, and inhale-exhale between vast waters and the moon.
With a four-part structure familiar to Japanese narratives, Ki-Sho-Ten-Ketsu (Awakening-Development-Turning-Resolution), Moontides swirls and eddies from twilight into dawn, putting Kizuna Dance’s nagare (flow) style -- a mix of contemporary floorwork, streetdance, house, and capoeira, in dialogue with STE’s taikography -- a dance-centric, embodied approach to taiko’s rhythms and dynamic soundscapes. Together, they create cross-currents, reverberating across time and space.
We are deeply thankful to the William J. Cooper Foundation, Swarthmore College, the Dance Program, and the Japanese Program for making this collaboration possible.
-Joe Small and Cameron McKinneyMoontides began from my attendance at a U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation webinar during the ongoing pandemic that featured Cameron McKinney on a panel of artists, discussing how Japanese culture has influenced their careers in the arts.
The word Kizuna （絆） refers to the bonds and connections of trust between people, and became an immediate source of motivation for me to reach out to Cameron about the possibilities of collaborating.
For Kizuna Dance, while the Japanese culture and language plays a pivotal role in the research and inspiration behind its works, the dances are not direct representations or end points. In addition to contemporary dance influenced by butoh ideologies, Kizuna Dance’s approach aligns around its holistic combination of floorwork, streetdance, house, and capoeira – movements of the African diaspora and Black American cultural legacy that are rooted in resistance. During the creative process that started in Fall 2022, we explored the respective worlds of both Kizuna and STE: Kizuna’s nagare (flow) technique, the bounce of House Dance and capoeira, intricate footwork; and the kata of STE’s taiko -- bodies sending energy through taiko drums in lines, curves, spins, and lunges, generating powerful rhythms and soundscapes.
The taiko that STE performs is a contemporary neo-folk art that audiences, presenters, and practitioners (even in Japan) often conflate or actively regard as representing ‘traditional Japanese culture’, in the vague sense of extending into deep history and continuing over generations.
Yet, even from its inception c.1951, taiko has been and continues to be shaped by transcultural, transnational forces of diaspora. Daichachi Oguchi, considered the ‘founder’ of kumidaiko (ensemble drumming), sourced his initial inspiration not only from old shrine drum notation in rural Nagano Prefecture, but from his experiences as a drummer of jazz -- a Black American form -- and in structuring the instrumentation of Osuwa Daiko (the first taiko ensemble) in a manner similar to the drumkit, with formations evocative of a big band.
Likewise, many of the styles of taiko in Moontides derive from the work of pioneering groups Ondekoza (The Demon Drummers) in the early 1970s; the ensemble that grew out of it, Kodo; and a founding member of both --
Eitetsu Hayashi, who became the first solo artist in taiko. These young artists and radicals, influenced in part by student protest and civil rights movements of the 1960s, re-arranged regional festival drum and dance forms for the international stage.
Not too long after graduating from Swarthmore I entered an apprenticeship for the Kodo ensemble. Sometime during a two-year period of isolation and training on rural Sado Island, I came to an abrupt realization: While taiko can very much be regarded as a form of Japanese, Japanese American, and Asian American culture and identity, the demands of professionalism and integration into Kodo were to foremost make one’s own identity inseparable from the art itself.
I’m not Japanese, I couldn’t become Japanese, and I wouldn’t dare even think of claiming to be Japanese -- yet I had to become Taiko in order to survive.
In that regard, the taiko of Moontides might be considered as reflective of the passionate individuals who perform it, and their immediate experiences and identities, rather than as static cultural representation or a simulacrum of Japan. Like the tides, we gather – as artists, scholars, collaborators, and peoples – bound by our mutual and profound appreciation of Japanese language and culture.
Joe Smalladditional thanks and acknowledgments
Mark Morris Dance Center (Priority Access, Rentals, and Front Desk Staff!)
The Abner & Mildred Levine Family Foundation
Chelsey McKinney
Devika Chandnani
Jerimy Rivera
Emily Aslin
Middlebury College Japanese Summer Language School
Princeton University, Rebecca Lazier
Lara Mones
Lia Monti
Creative Artists Rebuild New York
Kim Arrow
STE members past and present
James Murphy
LPAC staff and crew
Olivia Sabee, Pallabi Chakravorty, Chandra Moss-Thorne,
Bethany Formica, Kyle Clark
Maggie Zhao
Isaburoh Hanayagi
UCLA WAC/D
Susan Grossi
additional thanks and acknowledgments
Isaburoh Hanayagi
Wesley Rast
UCLA WAC/D
Jean Tierno
Swarthmore Japanese Program - Will Gardner, Yoshiko Jo, John Bundschuh, Atsuko Suda
Katsuji Asano
Anito Gavino, Laurel Jenkins, Orlando Hunter
Kenny and Chizuko Endo
Isaku Kageyama
Mac Evans
Nimoku Gumi
Yoko Fujimoto, Tomohiro Mitome, Eiichi Saito, Ryutaro Kaneko, Gan-san, and 26ki
Ian Cleworth, Sophia Ang, Ryuji Hamada, Kerryn Joyce,
Claudia Whierry
Kenji Oba
Shuichiro Ueda, Yuichi Kimura, Hiroshi Hattori, Mikita Hase,
Makoto Tashiro, Tasuku Tsuji
Eitetsu Hayashi
Artistic Director: Cameron McKinney
Dancers:
Rohan Bhargava
Cameron McKinney
Isabele Rosso
Rebecca Sandlin
Isaac Martin Lerner
Emmy Wildermuth
Described as “mesmerizing” [The Stewardship Report] and “brilliant” [Huffington Post], Cameron McKinney (Artistic Director / Performer) is a New York Citybased choreographer and educator. With more than 18 years of Japanese language study, he created Kizuna Dance with the mission of using contemporary floorwork to create dance works for those who want to connect, and for those who feel we are all already connected, using both the similarities and divergences – linguistic, historical, aesthetic – between the American and Japanese cultures as primary drivers. He was recently selected as a 2019-20 U.S.-Japan Friendship Commission Creative Artist Fellow to collaborate with renowned Japanese choreographer Toru Shimazaki and present work in showcases in Japan. He has also been a Choreography Fellow at The School at Jacob’s Pillow, a Hearst Choreographer-in-Residence at Princeton University, an Alvin Ailey Foundation New Directions Choreography Lab Fellow, and an Asian Cultural Council Individual Grantee. His work has been supported through grants from the New York City Artists Corps, Brooklyn Arts Council, and the Rader Young Artists Foundation. Through Kizuna Dance, Cameron has also presented work and taught in twenty states and in Mexico, France, the UK, and in Japan at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence. His commissions include The Ailey School, Princeton University, Montclair University, twice from the Joffrey Ballet School, three times from the Let’s Dance International Frontiers Festival (UK), Slippery Rock University, The Dance Gallery Festival, Marymount Manhattan College, and Bates College, among numerous others. His teaching credits include Adjunct & Visiting Lecturer positions at Princeton University, Montclair University, NYU Tisch, Bard College, and Queensborough Community College. He has taught on faculty at Gibney Dance since 2016, and has taught for festivals nationally and internationally. Each year, he organizes Kizuna Dance’s Open Intensive, a week of day-long intensives made entirely free for all participants, featuring high-quality dance education provided by the company artists of Kizuna Dance.
Rohan Bhargava (Performer), born in New Delhi, India, holds a B.F.A in Dance from Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. He works for Greater Ridgewood Youth Council, Kizuna Dance. As the Artistic Director of Rovaco Dance Company, he has earned reputed awards and commissions from Mannes School of Music, The Dance Gallery Festival, and the James Luce Foundation, among others. He has taught nationally in New York, New Jersey, and Texas as well as internationally in India in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
Isabele Rosso (Performer) is a versatile dance artist and interdisciplinary movement educator, born and raised in Brazil. In addition to working as a dancer and choreographer for Nimbus Dance Company, she is currently a backup dancer and choreographer for Sandflower Power, as well as a dance artist for both Kizuna Dance and Rovaco Dance Company. She has performed works by Sofia Nappi, Cameron McKinney, Yoshito Sakuraba, Dawn Marie Bazemore, LajaMartin, and Jennifer Archibald, among others. Her dance film Immensity, which she directed and performed in, was the opening piece at LA Dance Film Festival 2022. Her experience with film and dance on camera includes videos for music producer KAZVMA; working as a sound operator and background actress to Chrissy Judy, a feature film; and Centerpiece at the New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
Rebecca Sandlin (Performer) is a seasoned dance artist and yoga instructor living in New York City. Before moving to New York she studied contemporary dance in California and had the opportunity to perform and train with Tongue Dance Company, under the direction of Stephanie Gilliand. Since moving to New York she has performed with artists such as Julia Ehrstrand, Max Stone, and Matthew James. She was also a company member of Vivo Ballet, under the direction of Enzo Celli. She has been working with Kizuna Dance for the last year.
Isaac Martin Lerner (Performer) is a New York City based dancer, choreographer, educator and director. After graduation from the Hartt School, he moved to New York and has been freelancing there ever since. He has worked with Kizuna Dance since 2018, and has had the privilege of dancing works by Artistic Director Cameron Mckinney, LajaMartin, and Hannah Garner. He is a sought after teacher, teaching contemporary floorwork at Adelphi University and open class at Gibney Dance Center. He also directs and choreographs full length opera productions across the U.S.
Emmy Wildermuth (Performer) is a New York City-based freelance artist. With degrees in Modern Dance Performance and Professional Writing from the University of Oklahoma, Emmy has performed works from a plethora of renowned artists such as Rena Butler, Jiri Kylian, and Alejandro Cerrudo, in addition to creating a variety of works for stage and film. She has performed internationally in programs in Barcelona and Beijing. Currently, Emmy is a member of companies including Kizuna Dance, NewBrese Dance, and rogue wave. Emmy has also presented work in New York City at Arts On Site, TADA! Theater, and Mark Morris Dance Center. Emmy and her partner, Catherine Messina, recently founded the unKEMpT Dance Festival, which provides accessible performance opportunities for artists, regardless of background or resources.
(Kizuna Collaboration Unit, Taiko)
Liya Chang ‘24 is pursuing a major in English and a double minor in Asian Studies and Dance. The quiet furor of taiko has captivated them since last August, particularly the way Yatai-Bayashi burns under the skin. In their free time, they don’t have any. They like handstands and wheat bran.
Myles Farrall ‘24 is an Honors Chinese major and Asian Studies minor. Although this is his second year playing taiko at Swarthmore, he has practiced all forms of percussion since the fifth grade. When not playing taiko, you can find him drinking tea and practicing calligraphy at Kohlberg.
Koji Flynn-Do ‘23 studies mathematics, statistics, and philosophy. He started playing taiko at his Japanese Buddhist temple while in elementary school and is excited to be continuing to play all the way on the East Coast!
Anna Seungmin Fruman ‘24 is majoring in Art History and Art with a minor in Asian Studies. They’ve played taiko since their second year, and particularly enjoy the Miyake form for its power and dynamism. Outside of taiko, they like to paint, play cello, and nap (often unintentionally) in Underhill.
Anna Jing ‘24 is a double major in Mathematics and Economics. Anna has played taiko since Freshman spring and has become an expert in folding taiko blankets. Anna likes the power and intensity of Miyake style. When not playing taiko, you can find her at Cornell watching kitten and puppy short videos while grinding math problems.
Clara Haru Mulligan ‘25 is pursuing a special major in Asian American Performance, with a focus on taiko. Clara started playing taiko at the age of nine with TaikoProject’s youth program in Los Angeles, and has been studying taiko with Swarthmore Taiko Ensemble since freshman year of college. Clara also loves dancing hula, theater, and stealing the gluten free snacks from the Narples Free Zone.
Kieran Akiya Mulligan (Haverford ‘25) is an East Asian Studies major from Los Angeles. He’s been playing taiko ever since he was 8 years old, and with STE since his freshman year. When not playing taiko, he can be found running through campus trying to catch the shuttle back to Haverford to play D&D.
Quincy Ponvert ‘23 is a Music major with minors in Education and Latin American Studies. They started playing taiko in 2021, and especially love squatting as low as they possibly can in the Miyake style. When not hitting the big drum, they study orchestral conducting and play Argentine tango music.
Joe Small ‘05 is a taiko artist, choreographer (taikographer!), and Assistant Professor of Dance at Swarthmore College. Joe first encountered taiko as a Swarthmore student in 2001-02, and has engaged in taiko in a variety of projects and ensembles in the USA and internationally, including as a Kodo apprentice, and as a member of Australian ensemble TaikOz. Joe has been a member of pioneering solo taiko artist Eitetsu Hayashi’s Japan-based ensemble, Fu-Un no Kai since 2012. ‘05 Swarthmore (BA, Dance), ‘15 UCLA (MFA, Dance).
Pallabi Chakravorty, Stephen Lang Professor of Performing Arts
Olivia Sabee, Associate Professor and Chair
Joseph Small, Assistant Professor
Kyle Clark, Visiting Assistant Professor
Bethany Formica Bender, Lecturer
Chandra Moss-Thorne, Lecturer
Pritika Agarwal, Associate in Dance Performance
Aqeel BhattiI, Associate in Dance Performance
Jennifer Chipman Bloom, Associate in Dance Performance
Shiva Das, Associate in Dance Performance
Ellen Gerdes, Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance
Cachet Ivey, Associate in Dance Performance
Wesley Rast, Associate in Dance Performance
Darrell Williams, Associate in Dance Performance
Lingyuan Zhao, As sociate in Dance Performance
Susan Grossi, Administrative Coordinator
Director of the Lang Performing Arts Center : James Murphy
Manager of Operations: Thomas Snyder
Production Stage Manager : Brady Gonsalves
Sound/Media Engineer: Scott Burgess
Lighting Supervisor: Dominic Chacon
Costume Shop Manager: LeVonne Lindsay
Streaming Videographer: Jeff Bagg
Assistant Stage Manager: Jules Lee-Zacheis
Deck Crew: Nathanael Brown
Light board Operator: Bless Rudisill
Sound Crew: Miles Fleisher
Dress Rehearsal Photographer : Sasha Fornari
Videographer : Dave Tavani
Dance Editorial Assistant/Kizuna Cooper Graphic Designer: Liya Chang ‘24
Collage Dance Collective*
Fri. 3.31 7:30 PM, Sat. 4.01 3:00 PM
LPAC Pearson-Hall Theatre
Spring Dance Concert
Fri. 4.29 4:30 PM, Sat 4.29 7:00 PM
LPAC Pearson-Hall Theatre
Dance Lab & Repertory Showing
Mon. 5.01 5:00 PM
Troy Dance Lab
*Made possible by the William J. Cooper Foundation and presented by the Swarthmore College Dance Program as part of the Cooper Series.College Dance Program as part of the Cooper Series. CIn case of emergency, please seek the LPAC or house staff for assistance and instructions.
Swarthmore College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodations or have questions about the physical access provide, please contact the event sponsor or
Susan Smythe, ADA Program Manager, at610-690-2063
in advance of your participation or visit
Evacuation Notice:
In the event of an EMERGENCY, please exit the theater through the nearest lighted exit, and then leave the building via the closest marked exit, including, if necessary, alarmed emergency exit doors.
If you have a disability and might require assistance with evacuation, please make yourself known to an usher or other staf member, and let them know what help you need.
In the event of an evacuation, if you see someone who might need assistance leaving the area, please either offer help yourself or alert a staf member to that person’s location.
