“Wings”: International Dance Project by Dance Base Yokohama for Emerging Creators
Dance Base Yokohama
Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank

Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”
Inherited Bodies: Call for Choreography Carriers / Performer


Dance Base Yokohama and Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank are seeking two Choreography Carriers for Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”, scheduled to be presented in Montreal, Canada, in November 2026. The selected participants will inherit, through Choreographic Transmission, the choreography that has been carried by Hokuto Kodama in this work. The Dance Piece series is a project based on transmitting choreography that has been created and practiced by specific performers into other bodies, preserving it, and updating it into a state in which it can be performed again. Through this open call, we are seeking Choreography Carriers who will physically receive, preserve, and carry forward the choreography that Hokuto Kodama has performed in Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki” toward future presentations. The two selected participants will receive the Choreographic Transmission of this choreography from Hokuto Kodama and take part in the creation process while sharing the structure of the work, its physicality, and its handling of time and space. One of the selected participants will perform in Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”, scheduled to be presented in Montreal, Canada, on Monday, November 9, 2026. The other participant will be involved as a Choreography Carrier who preserves the choreography for future presentations and supports the continuing possibility of the work being performed.

Application Period Opens: Saturday, May 23, 2026, 10:00:00
Application Deadline: Saturday, June 6, 2026, 23:59:59

Planning and Production Cooperation: Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank
Presented and Produced by: Dance Base Yokohama [SEGA SAMMY ARTS FOUNDATION]
Co-produced by: Dance Base Yokohama, Aichi Prefectural Art Theater [Aichi Arts Foundation]
Supported by: Japan Creator Support Fund

 

◆ Open Call Guidelines

1. Number of Positions

2 people
*Only one of the two selected participants will perform in the Montreal presentation.

2. Open Call Details

・A Choreography Carrier who will receive, through Choreographic Transmission, the entirety of the choreography that Hokuto Kodama has carried in Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”.
・A Choreography Carrier / Performer who will perform in Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”, scheduled to be presented in Montreal, Canada, on Monday, November 9, 2026.
*The number of positions is two. Both selected participants will take part in the creation process as Choreography Carriers. Among the two selected participants, one person will be chosen to perform in the Montreal presentation. This decision will be made based on the selection results, suitability observed during the Choreographic Transmission process, schedule availability, travel conditions, and other relevant factors.

About the “Choreography Carrier”

The term Choreography Carrier does not refer to a rights holder of the choreography under copyright law. In this project, a Choreography Carrier refers to a person who physically receives, preserves, and carries the choreography forward toward future performances through Choreographic Transmission.
A Choreography Carrier is not someone who preserves choreography in a fixed form. Rather, they are someone who understands the structure of the work and carries the choreography in a living state, maintaining it in a form that can be updated each time it is performed.

Target Work

Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”

Scheduled Performance Date

Monday, November 9, 2026 / Number of performances: 1

Scheduled Performance Location

Montreal, Canada

3. Eligibility / Applicant Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements:
・Dancers, performers, actors, or individuals who continuously engage in physical expression.
・There are no restrictions regarding genre, years of experience, nationality, or place of residence.
・Applicants must be 18 years of age or older as of the application deadline, Saturday, June 6, 2026.
・Applicants must be able to communicate in basic Japanese or English regarding rehearsals and the creation process.
・Applicants must be able to participate continuously in the Choreographic Transmission and creation process in Japan.
・Applicants must be willing to participate both as a candidate performer for the Montreal presentation and as a Choreography Carrier for future presentations of the work.
・If selected to perform in the Montreal presentation, the participant will be responsible for preparing a valid passport. To avoid any issues with travel procedures, applicants are asked to confirm before applying that they either hold a passport that, in principle, remains valid for at least one month after the scheduled return date, or that they will be able to obtain or renew such a passport before traveling.
・Applicants must be able to participate in each stage related to the selection, creation, and performance processes with an understanding of the purpose of the DaBY Fair Creation Declaration.
・Applicants must comply with the Berlin Code of Conduct, which Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank refers to in its activities, and cooperate in maintaining a safe and respectful creative environment.
・Applicants who are foreign nationals must confirm before applying that they have, or will be able to obtain by the time of participation, the necessary status of residence and/or permissions required to participate in rehearsals, the creation process, performance preparations, and related activities in Japan.
・Applicants who are affiliated with an agency, management company, agent, or similar organization must apply only after obtaining the necessary permission from their affiliation regarding performance, rehearsal participation, travel, and related matters.
Desired Applicant Profile
We are seeking applicants who:
・Can carefully receive the choreography that Hokuto Kodama has carried in Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki” and transfer it into a state in which they can handle it through their own body.
・Are interested not only in reproducing existing choreography, but also in the precision of physical quality, time, distance, gaze, breath, stillness, and walking.
・Are interested in transferring choreography derived from another person’s body into their own body.
・Have a sense of responsibility and interest in preserving choreography and connecting it to future presentations.
・Can continue communicating throughout the creation process, understand the structure and methodology of the work, and collaboratively bring the performance into being.

Desired Applicant Profile

We are seeking applicants who:
・Can carefully receive the choreography that Hokuto Kodama has carried in Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki” and transfer it into a state in which they can handle it through their own body.
・Are interested not only in reproducing existing choreography, but also in the precision of physical quality, time, distance, gaze, breath, stillness, and walking.
・Are interested in transferring choreography derived from another person’s body into their own body.
・Have a sense of responsibility and interest in preserving choreography and connecting it to future presentations.
・Can continue communicating throughout the creation process, understand the structure and methodology of the work, and collaboratively bring the performance into being.

4. Selection Process

First Round: Document and Video Screening
Final Round: Choreographic Transmission Audition / 2 days
During the Choreographic Transmission Audition, applicants will be asked to engage in the practice of Choreographic Transmission, through which we will assess their suitability for the project.

Final Round: Choreographic Transmission Audition Venue

A studio near Ikuta Station on the Odakyu Line.
*The detailed location of the venue will be provided individually only to applicants who pass the first round and proceed to the final round.

Schedule / Final Round: Choreographic Transmission Audition

Final Selection: Transfer Audition / 2 days
Final Round: Choreographic Transmission Audition / 2 days
Saturday, June 20, 2026, 10:00–14:00: Day 1
Sunday, June 21, 2026, 13:00–17:00: Day 2
Selection results are scheduled to be announced on site around 16:00.
*As the Choreographic Transmission Audition will assess suitability over the course of two days, applicants are, in principle, required to participate in both days in full. Please be sure to check your schedule carefully before applying.

5. Schedule / Choreographic Transmission + Creation

Choreographic Transmission / 6 days

Friday, July 24, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 1
Sunday, July 26, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 2
Monday, July 27, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 3
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 4
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 5
Thursday, July 30, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 6
The participant who will travel for the Montreal presentation is scheduled to be decided and notified on site around 16:00.

Creation / 7 days

Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 1
Thursday, October 22, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 2
Friday, October 23, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 3
Saturday, October 24, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 4
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 5 / Run-through Rehearsal
Thursday, October 29, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 6 / Run-through Rehearsal
Friday, October 30, 2026, 10:00–17:00, including a 1-hour break: Day 7 / Run-through Rehearsal
*The Choreographic Transmission and Creation processes are scheduled to take place at venues in Kanagawa Prefecture, including Dance Base Yokohama. Details of each venue will be provided individually after selection.

◆ Montreal Presentation

Period: Saturday, November 7 – Thursday, November 12, 2026

Saturday, November 7, 2026: Scheduled departure from Japan / Travel day / From Japan to Canada, with arrival in Canada scheduled for the same day
Sunday, November 8, 2026: Day off
Monday, November 9, 2026: Performance, 1 performance
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Day off
Wednesday, November 11, 2026: Travel day / From Canada to Japan
Thursday, November 12, 2026: Scheduled arrival in Japan

6. Participation Conditions / Expenses and Compensation

・There is no application fee or participation fee for the selection process.
・Travel expenses, including transportation and accommodation costs, required to participate in the Final Round: Choreographic Transmission Audition shall be borne by the applicants themselves.
・Travel expenses, including transportation and accommodation costs, required to participate in the Choreographic Transmission and Creation processes in Japan after selection shall also be borne by the selected participants themselves. Please note that the organizers will not be able to cover travel expenses, including transportation and accommodation costs, even for participants traveling from distant locations. Applicants are asked to confirm their ability to participate before applying.
・The two selected participants will receive, through Choreographic Transmission, the entirety of the choreography that Hokuto Kodama has carried in Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”, and will participate in the Choreographic Transmission and Creation processes as Choreography Carriers.
・A rehearsal fee will be paid for participation in the Choreographic Transmission and Creation processes in accordance with the prescribed regulations. The rehearsal fee is planned to be JPY 8,000 per day, inclusive of applicable taxes and transportation expenses.
・The one participant who performs in the Montreal presentation will receive a performance fee in addition to the rehearsal fee. The performance fee is planned to be JPY 30,000, inclusive of applicable taxes.
・A per diem will be paid during the stay in Montreal in accordance with the prescribed regulations. The per diem is planned to be JPY 5,000 per day, inclusive of applicable taxes; however, the amount for the departure and arrival days is planned to be JPY 2,500 per day.
・For travel to Montreal, international travel and accommodation costs will not be borne by the participant.
・Details regarding the rehearsal fee, performance fee, per diem, payment conditions, payment schedule, and conditions related to travel and stay will be presented in advance after selection by Dance Base Yokohama and Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank, and will be finalized upon mutual confirmation.

◆ Credits

Both selected participants will receive the Choreographic Transmission of the choreography that Hokuto Kodama has carried and will take part in the Creation process. In the final performance credits, the term Choreography Carrier will not be used. Instead, the participants are scheduled to be credited according to their form of participation in the Montreal presentation, under Performance and Co-creation.

The one participant who performs in the Montreal presentation will be credited under Performance. The other participant, who will preserve the choreography for future presentations and take part in the Creation process, will be credited under Co-creation. This distinction indicates the form of participation and does not imply any difference in the importance of the choreographic inheritance carried by the two participants.

［Projected Credit Format / Japanese]
出演：［氏名］
共同クリエイション：［氏名］

［Projected Credit Format / English]
Created with and Performed by: [Name]
Co-created with: [Name]

7. How to Apply

Please complete and submit the required information through the application form below.

Application Form

In the application form, applicants will mainly be asked to submit the following information.

・Basic Information

Profile text, a photograph in which the applicant can be identified, and an activity history including stage performance experience and dance experience.

・Application Statement

Reason for applying, and interest in Choreographic Transmission and the inheritance of choreography.

・Video Material

A link to video material that shows the applicant’s physical expression, as well as any supplementary information or instructions regarding the video material.

・Confirmation Items

Whether the applicant has previously seen works by Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank; whether the applicant is affiliated with an agency, management company, agent, or similar organization; and any other matters that should be shared in advance.
*Profile, activity history, reason for applying, and video material will be emphasized in the first round of selection. Please write as specifically as possible so that we can understand your previous activities, your relationship to physical expression, your reason for being interested in this open call, and your thoughts on Choreographic Transmission and choreographic inheritance.
*For the video material, please submit material of approximately 3 minutes or less that shows your physical expression. This may be newly filmed video, an edited version of past footage or rehearsal documentation, or a specified section of 3 minutes or less from an existing video. As a general rule, we recommend submitting the video as an unlisted YouTube or Vimeo URL. If sharing video data via Google Drive or a similar service, the file must be 3 minutes or less and no larger than 500MB. Large files, such as full-length performance recordings, will not be accepted. Please either edit the material to within 3 minutes or clearly indicate the section you would like to be reviewed. Solo or group footage is acceptable; however, if submitting group footage, please be sure to clearly indicate where the applicant appears in the video. If a password is required to view the material, please be sure to include the password at the time of application.
*Applications with missing information, incomplete entries, inaccessible video material links, missing passwords, or other deficiencies will not be considered for the first round of selection. The organizers will not contact applicants to confirm deficiencies or request resubmission, so please be sure to check all application materials carefully before submitting.

Application Period Opens

Saturday, May 23, 2026, 10:00:00

Application Deadline

Saturday, June 6, 2026, 23:59:59

Notification of First-Round Selection Results by Email

Scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2026, 20:00

◆ Inquiries

Dance Base Yokohama
Email: contact@dancebase.yokohama
Contact person: Kamimura
Email subject: Inquiry Regarding the Open Call for Choreography Carrier / Performer

◆ Notes

・Before applying, please carefully review the open call guidelines and apply through the application form only after agreeing to the eligibility requirements, schedule, notes, and other conditions.
・No honorarium or compensation will be paid for participation in the Final Round: Choreographic Transmission Audition.
・Communication expenses related to the application, expenses required to create and submit video material, and travel expenses, including transportation and accommodation costs, required to participate in the Final Round: Choreographic Transmission Audition shall be borne by the applicants themselves.
・Travel expenses, including transportation and accommodation costs, required to participate in the Choreographic Transmission and Creation processes in Japan after selection shall also be borne by the selected participants themselves. Please note that the organizers will not be able to cover travel expenses, including transportation and accommodation costs, even for participants traveling from distant locations.
・For the one participant who performs in the Montreal presentation, there will be no personal expense burden for travel to Montreal, including international travel and accommodation costs. Details regarding the per diem, performance fee, travel and stay conditions, and related matters will be presented in advance after selection by Dance Base Yokohama and Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank, and will be finalized upon mutual confirmation.
・If selected to perform in the Montreal presentation, the participant will be responsible for preparing a valid passport. To avoid any issues with travel procedures, applicants are asked to confirm before applying that they either hold a passport that, in principle, remains valid for at least one month after the scheduled return date, or that they will be able to obtain or renew such a passport before traveling.
・Applications with missing information, incomplete entries, inaccessible video material links, missing passwords, or other deficiencies will not be considered for the first round of selection. The organizers will not contact applicants to confirm deficiencies or request resubmission, so please be sure to check all application materials carefully before submitting.
・We are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding selection results or the decision regarding the one participant who will perform in the Montreal presentation.
・Application materials will not be used for any purpose other than the selection process for this open call, communication after selection, and the implementation of this project.
・Applicants who are foreign nationals must confirm before applying that they have, or will be able to obtain by the time of participation, the necessary status of residence and/or permissions required to participate in rehearsals, the creation process, performance preparations, and related activities in Japan.
・Applicants who are affiliated with an agency, management company, agent, or similar organization must apply only after obtaining the necessary permission from their affiliation regarding performance, rehearsal participation, travel, and related matters.
・If any conduct contrary to the purpose of the DaBY Fair Creation Declaration or the Berlin Code of Conduct is confirmed, selection or participation may be revoked.
・The schedule, venues, contents, conditions, and other details are subject to change due to unavoidable circumstances.

◆ Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank

 

Photo by Dan Bellman

Founded in 2012 as a performing arts collective of Ayaka Ono & Akira Nakazawa who makes dance, theatre and new mechanisms of performing arts. By integrating the established concepts of the performing arts with new mechanisms of their own research and development, they explore the state of the performing arts in the contemporary world and continue to experiment with creating diverse values. With communication arising from the unique environment and relationships at the root of their creation, they are actively engaged in both continuous collaboration with creation members and collaboration with different artists.

WEB SITE / Instagram / X /  YouTube

◆ “Wings”: International Dance Project by Dance Base Yokohama for Emerging Creators

 

Dance Base Yokohama (DaBY) has launched a new project, “Wings”: International Dance Project by Dance Base Yokohama for Emerging Creators.

This project is one of the initiatives selected for the Dance Category of the Creator and Artist Development Program under the Fund for Strengthening the Foundation for Cultural and Artistic Activities by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. With the aim of enhancing the international presence of creators from Japan, the project seeks to foster leading artists, producers, dramaturgs, and critics from Japan, present works overseas, and create further opportunities for re-staging.

WEB SITE