Dance piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga’s “At the Castle
Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank

Identities are woven into everywhere…

Inspired by Naoya Shiga’s novel At Kinosaki, Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank has created their third dance piece. In December 2022, their latest phase of the unique mechanism Physical Catharsis, titled Balance, won the Kinosaki International Arts Center Award at the Yokohama Dance Collection 2022 Competition I. In May 2025, the collective will reside at the Kinosaki International Arts Center to conduct research and creation for Dance Piece No. 3. Subsequently, the work is officially titled Dance Piece No. 3: Naoya Shiga “At Kinosaki”.
Drawing inspiration from the content of Naoya Shiga’s At Kinosaki, the process and rationale behind its writing, and the context of the novelist’s stay in Kinosaki—where real-life experiences were transformed into creative expression— Ayaka Ono Akira Nakazawa Spacenotblank retraces Shiga’s journey and the historical essence of Kinosaki. Through this exploration, they seek to uncover the form of “expression” that resonates with those living in the present day.
*Please note that wood featured prominently in the set design during the work-in-progress showing
at the Kinosaki International Arts Center; this material will be revised for the premiere.

Credit

Inspired by Naoya Shiga ‘At Kinosaki’ (1917)
Choreography / Direction: Ayaka Ono, Akira Nakazawa
Created with and Performed by: Hokuto Kodama, Ayako Saitoh, Sayaka Tateyama
Rehearsal Director: Shizuka Yamaguchi
Music: mmm
Scenography: Takuya Kamiike
Producer: Eri Karatsu (Dance Base Yokohama / Aichi Prefectural Art Theater)
Technical Coordinator: Yoshinori Sekoguchi (Aichi Prefectural Art Theater)
Technical Director: Chikage Yuyama
Stage Manager: Rio Moribe
Sound Design: Shomi Sakurauchi
Lighting Design: Nami Nakayama
Production Coordinator: Yuka Kamimura (Dance Base Yokohama)
Production cooperation: Space Knot Blank

Planning and production: Dance Base Yokohama [Sega Sammy Foundation for Arts and Culture]
Co-production: Dance Base Yokohama [Sega Sammy Foundation for Arts and Culture], Aichi Prefectural Art Theater [Aichi Culture Promotion Agency]
Support: Fund for Strengthening Infrastructure for Arts and Cultural Activities (Program for fostering creators, etc. and supporting high value-added facilities) Supported by: Japan Arts Council
Residence Cooperation: Kinosaki International Art Center (Toyooka City)
Residence Cooperation (Chef): Natsurai Ota
Research Cooperation: NPO DANCE BOX, Kinosaki Onsen Mikiya, Sueyozan Onsenji
Cooperation: Iwaki Ballet Company, Saito DANCE KOUBOU, Ayako Watanabe