Kihako Narisawa

Having lived in Europe for 20 years, Kihako Narisawa explores the intersection of diverse cultural influences from Japan and Europe through her works. Her artistic interpretation and expression are driven by studies in spatial theory, anthropological concepts, and research into both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication, and she mainly presents her works in the form of live-performances. Her choreographic works, underpinned by the belief that choreography is a method of designing space, combine the theories of dance choreographic theory and improvisational methods to articulate concepts within created spaces. This approach extends to her installations and visual art where she incorporates video, sound-scapes, and both spoken and displayed texts into her stylised performance spaces and performative works.

As a freelancer, she continues to engage in new choreographic works and collaborations. She also works in performance and creative activities of various directors and choreographers and provides choreographic assistance and movement direction to creators across different fields, including fashion and product design. Her work reflects a commitment to exploring performance spaces beyond traditional theatre stages and aims to engage with diverse audiences. Through conceptual works of choreographers and directors from the POC (People of Color) and disabled communities, she aims to tell narratives of inclusivity and the intertwining of cultures.

Kihako commenced her education at Cannes Rosella Hightower College of Dance (Ecole Supérieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower), France in 2002. Here, she further developed her artistic skills through performances with the Cannes Jeune Ballet, the junior company. In 2004, she moved to Codarts – Rotterdam University of the Arts (Hogeschool voor de Kunsten) in the Netherlands, achieving her Bachelor's degree in June 2006. Later, she obtained her Master's degree in January 2021 from Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW Institute Experimental Design and Media Cultures Masterstudio Design – HGK FHNW IXDM (formerly Institute of Integrative Design).

While still at Codarts, her professional career began with Aterballetto (artistic director: Mauro Bigonzetti, then Cristina Bozzolini), Italy, in 2005-2009; as a soloist with Thoss Tanzkompanie at the Hessisches Staatstheater (artistic director: Stephan Thoss), Germany, in 2009-2013; then with Ballett Basel at Theater Basel (artistic director: Richard Wherlock), Switzerland, in 2013-2016. During her time with these companies, she began her own choreographic and visual art projects, presenting her works in the theaters of the companies she belonged to, as well as in freelance scenes in theaters and art spaces. Besides creations by the artistic directors of the companies she belonged to, she also danced in creations and repertoires of major European choreographers like William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, and Ohad Naharin.

In the early stages of her freelance career, after presenting a collaborative work ≪phóné phainó phoney≫ with Jeremy Nedd and Fabrizio di Salvo at Mixed Pickles #4 in ROXY Birsfelden, Switzerland, in 2015, she began her activities of creation and exploration in European independent scene. In October 2020, she presented ≪Have I ever spoken properly?≫, a performance integrating the concept of "improvisation and choreography as space design" with the relationship between personal space and language expression, which also marked the conclusion of her final M.A. project. Recently, in September 2022, she presented her new work ≪TRAJECTORY≫ at mixed-bill programme MOMENTUM by Fabula Collective at Sadler’s Wells, London.

Performance Work:
Concept / Artistic Direction / Choreography

2024　OMG — observation / motivation / glamorisation
2022　TRAJECTORY
　　　 UP-CYCLING　as collective BETTER LATE
2020　Have I ever spoken properly?
2019　wonderland
　　　 a.é.p.s　with Claudio Costantino
　　　 BETA
2018　re/cognition
　　　 within arm’s length
　　　 into the why #3
　　　 into the why #2
2017　into the why
2016　STUDIO ZERO　with Claudio Costantino
　　　 facet
2015　phóné phainó phoney　with Jeremy Nedd and Fabrizio di Salvo
　　　 P.S.
2013　Room 49
2012　glitch
2011　silencing

Installation / Exhibition

2020　Fake Label of Artworks
2019　COMPO
　　　 Flow Pressure
2015　line
2010　tear the surface away
2008　Hadō　with Sakiko Nomura

as Performer / Collaborator in works of

2023　screening invisibilities　by Zino Wey
2021　WONDERUNG　by Nicole Morel
　　　 Crushpad Climax　by Johanna Bruckner
2020　Star Magnolia　by Jeremy Nedd
2019　Andersens Erzählungen　by Philipp Stölzl
2018　LOOK THERAPHY　by Doing Fashion
2017　STRANO　by Alessandro Schiattarella
　　　 Green Move　by Canan Erek
2016　Da Inventare sul Posto　by Jannis Kounellis
　　　 Metafore dell’illusione　by Alessandro Badolato
2015　Grooming　by Alessandro Schiattarella
2014　An Homage　by Jeremy Nedd
　　　 shared definition　by Alessandro Schiattarella

as Dancer / Performer / Collaborator in the Creation / Repertoire of

Mauro Bigonzetti, Stephan Thoss, Richard Wherlock, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Itzik Galili, Johan Inger, Ed Wubbe, Medhi Walerski, Václav Kuneš, Giuseppe Spota, Douglas Bateman, Walter Matteini, Yuki Mori, Aoi Nakamura, Jeremy Nedd, Frank Fannar Pedersen, Alessandro Schiattarella, Eugenio Scigliano, Ton Simons, Jean Philippe Dury, Canan Erek, Nicole Morel, Zino Wey and more.

Residency / Grant / Co-Production

2023　Reconnect – Artist in Residency
　　　Goethe-Institut – Artistic Research Abroad
　　　Fonds Darstellende Künste – Research Funding
　　　Atelier Mondial – Research Travel Grant
2022　Swiss Cultural Fund UK
　　　Fabula Collective
　　　Fonds Darstellende Künste – Research Funding
　　　Dachverband Tanz Deutschland – DIS-TANZEN
2021　Kultur Zeiter*innen
2020　ROXY Birsfelden
　　　Abteilung Kultur Basel-Stadt / Basel-Land
　　　Scheidegger-Thommen Stiftung
　　　BLKB-Stiftung für Kultur und Bildung
　　　hessisches kultur stiftung
　　　Kultur Zeiter*innen
2019　Frankfurt LAB – das Musik-, Theater- und Tanzlabor der Moderne für Frankfurt RheinMain – Choreographic Research Residency
　　　Fabula Collective
2018　Braswell Arts Center – Artist in Residence
　　　Goethe-Institut – Choreographic Research Residency
　　　Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique
　　　Fabrik Potsdam – Internationales Zentrum für Tanz und Bewegungskunst
　　　Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
2017　Residenz Darmstadt – Hessisches Staatsballett – Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden + Staatstheater Darmstadt

Dance Company Engagement

2013-2016　Ballett Theater Basel
2009-2013　Thoss Tanzkompanie – Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
2005-2009　Fondazione Nazionale della Danza Aterballetto
2002-2004　Cannes Jeune Ballet

Education

2021　M.A.　Masterstudio Design – Institute Experimental Design and Media Cultures IXDM (formerly Institute Integrative Design) – Academy of Art and Design – University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland / Masterstudio Design – Institut Experimental Design and Media Culture – Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst HGK – Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW
2006　B.A.　Codarts – Hogeschool voor de Kunsten / Codarts – University of the Arts – Rotterdam Dance Academy
2004　Cannes Rosella Hightower College of Dance / Ecole Supérieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower

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