now and then

Video from my workshop in Lisbon

2010-01-17T12:02:00.001+09:00

Here some documents from my workshop in Lisbon last year.

FELIZ NATAL!

2009-12-25T20:17:00.003+09:00

You Go Where You Should Go - 12, 13, 14 November, Contagiarte(Porto)

2009-11-07T20:34:00.006+09:00

[vamos onde devemos ir]

performance/installation introduced by Hajime Fujita

12, 13, 14 November 2009
Festival TRANSdisse 2009 / Porto, Portugal

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

We are living, here and now, wherever and whenever we are... even however we are.

We are different.
We have different life, different situation and condition of life.
Although, all we are living.

Living with family, lover, friends... Living with properties such as money, house, car... Living with a full of joy, pleasure, satisfaction... Living with fear, sorrow, pain... Or to be living under cold sky on the street...

Life is unfair, and difficult.

Then, what helps us?
To what can we ask a help?

This performance would formalize a space to show one body.
Life would be, of course, there on that body, and [hopefully/naturally] it would bring a moment we see a 'possibility'.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Hajime Fujita
Choreographer, dancer and performance artist. Born in 1982, in Yokohama of Japan. His piece has been introduced in Centro Cultural de Bel ém(2009), Centro Cultural Malaposta(2009), Mandala Performance Festival(Wroclaw-Poland/2009), SKITe/Sweet and Tender in Porto(2008), Festa da Dança(Lisbon/2008), Festival Ananil(2008/2007), Maus Hábitos(2008, 2007, 2006) and other venues in Portugal, Japan, France and Spain.

Studied in Kyoto University of Art and Design for Performing Arts between 2001-2005. Participated PEPCC programme of Forum Dança in 2008. Participated international projects of danceWEB(Vienna, 2006), Pointe to Point(Warsaw, 2006) and SKITe/Sweet and Tender(Reims, 2007/Porto, 2008). Nominated for Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative programme(Geneva) in 2008.

http://hajimefujita.com

[Local/Date]
Contagiarte
Rua Álvares Cabral, 37219, Porto, Portugal

12, 13, 14 November
22h45 (to be confirmed)

[Organization/Production]
Terra na Boca - Cultural Association

[Co-Production]
+Art Link (Romania)
+Jardin'd Europe
with a support of European Union Cultural Programme
+Oficinas do Convento (Montemor-o-Novo)

[Support]
+Maus Hábitos (Porto)

Workshop "Open Your Body to All The Possibilities" + final presentation

2009-10-06T17:25:00.001+09:00

Photo: Bartłomiej Bielecki

Aqui, neste momento, o quê e como vemos, ouvimos, cheiramos, tocamos, sentimos, pensamos, o que evocamos…?

É desnecessário referir que o corpo tem um sistema automático, que certamente influencia os nossos sentidos e a nossa cognição: muitas vezes não vemos o que estamos a ver. Por exemplo, é normal não pensar que o nosso coração bate a não ser que tenha um problema, sendo que a nossa perspectiva cria, normalmente, uma certa atenção que a “exclui” para fora do seu foco.

Este workshop de improvisação guiará os participantes na consciência da invisibilidade da nossa percepção. Mesmo antes de criar qualquer coisa de novo, posicionamo-nos sempre diante de inúmeras possibilidades. Por outras palavras, o workshop irá concentrar-se no “antes do movimento”, para que assim, possamos movimentar-nos livremente.

Especificamente em espaços públicos, estações do metro, praças, onde será feita a apresentação final do workshop, serão sítios onde sempre podemos descobrir muito desta “invisibilidade”.

Quem aprecia a arquitectura e a paisagem? Quem pensa na atmosfera desta plataforma? Quem vê as questões sociais dos aglomerados de pessoas que ali estão ou passam? A Arte pode estar lá presente.

Sample Videos of his Improvisation
http://hajifuji.ciao.jp/works_html/ff.html

Hajime Fujita
Hajime Fujita é choreógrafo e bailarino. Nasceu em 1982, em Yokohama no Japão.

As suas peças foram apresentadas no Centro Cultural de Belém(2009), Centro Cultural Malaposta(2009), Mandala Performance Festival(Wroclaw-Polónia/2009), SKITe/Sweet and Tender no Porto(2008), Festa da Dança(Lisboa/2008), Festival Ananil(2008/2007), Maus Hábitos(2008, 2007, 2006) entre outros, em Portugal, Japan, France and Spain.

Estudou na University of Art and Design for Performing Arts, em Kyoto entre 2001-2005. Participou no PEPCC do Forum Dança in 2008. Participou em projectos internationais de danceWEB(Viena, 2006), Pointe to Point(Varsóvia, 2006) and SKITe/Sweet and Tender(Reims, 2007/Porto, 2008). Foi nomeado para o programa Rolex Mentor e Protege Arts Initiative (Genebra) em 2008.

http://hajimefujita.com

Condições e datas do Workshop:
Sábado, 31 de Outubro
das 17h às 20h
e Domingo 1 de Novembro
das 10h às 18h
- às 18h Finaliza com a performance (em local público a definir com o criador) de entre 15 a 20 minutos.

Preço:
Para Guerreiros da Dança e outros alunos do Estúdio Mandinga 7a posição - 30€
Para alunos externos - 40€

Local: Estúdio Mandinga 7a Posição
R. de Sto António à Glória, 38 (metro Restauradores)

Inscrições e informações: dancaparapeles@gmail.com
919122371 / 931783435 / 966189406
http://www.artbetyou.blogspot.com

dontdiemyfriendtommy / Mandala Performance Festival in Wroclaw

2009-08-14T06:20:00.001+09:00

Some parts of the piece "dontdiemyfriendtommy" is including in this promotional video of the festival.

I will be in Romania this month in July

2009-07-03T05:56:00.002+09:00

After 2 weeks intensive group residency in O Espaço de Tempo(Motemor-o-Novo, Portugal), now I am almost leaving for Romania. In the frame work of Jardin'd Europe, and organized by ArtLink, I am invited for 3 weeks residency in Centrul Cultural "Palatele Brancovenesti" in Mogosoaia.
It also brings final presentation as well.

Precisely, I will work on the project "The Other/I don't know you.", but probably with much more different materials.

Ok, my dear, see you in Romania. :)

Synchronous Objects, Forsythe's new internet dance project

2009-05-29T20:55:00.000+09:00

William Forsythe introduces his new internet dance project.
Seems cool, although what he is doing is different from me.

http://synchronousobjects.osu.edu/

Improvisation Dance Workshop in Porto/Montemor-o-Novo - June

2009-05-25T08:51:00.003+09:00

Improvisation Dance Workshop by Hajime Fujita
"Open Your Body to All The Possibilities"

First of all this atelier focuses on "before the movement". Namely, exploring what we can interpret to the movement, what possibilities of dance actually we are having as of momentum.

The main issue is that, "what we are seeing and what we are NOT seeing?" The atelier starts with opening participants' eyes to our perception. Always the participants would try to remind the possibilities which each of them already has but which he/she is not noticing well. Internal information of our mind, intention, sense, cognition, memory, history, society etc. and outside information of physical shape, rhythm, materiality, human body(existence of the Other) etc. This atelier would guide a pathway to engage and entangle all those information as possibilities of movement.

info/video http://hajifuji.ciao.jp/workshop.html

PORTO
Inscription: 45 euros (36 euro for the friends of NEC)
* Please inscribe until 27th May, hurry!

1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 Jun 2009 - 18h-21h
Espaço NEC/Fábrica Social - Rua da Fábrica Social s/n 4000 201 Porto
+351 961424668 / +351 913211428
nec@nec.co.pt
http://www.nec.co.pt

MONTEMOR-O-NOVO
Inscription: 15 euros

16, 17, 18, 19 Jun 2009 - 19h-22h
Centro Juvenil Montemor-o-Novo - Av. Gago Coutinho 58, Montemor-o-Novo
+351 266 898 100(ext. 309)
hajimefujita.official@gmail.com

visible/invisible

2009-05-05T00:49:00.001+09:00

This is a video installation project, collaborated with Thelma Bonavita(Brazil) in 2007.

How to write a CV

2009-02-02T08:33:00.001+09:00

Even work in a shop, bar or restaurant will involve working in a team, providing a quality service to customers, and dealing tactful with complaints. Don't mention the routine, non-people tasks (cleaning the tables) unless you are applying for a casual summer job in a restaurant or similar.

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm

YES!

Forgiveness

2009-01-30T22:07:00.000+09:00

Derrida says:

One cannot, or should not, forgive; there is only forgiveness, if there is any, where there is the unforgiveable. That is to say that forgiveness must announce itself as impossibility itself. It can only be possible in doing the impossible.

-On Cosmopolitanism and Forgiveness, P.32

NEVE GORDON: How to Sell "Ethical" Warfare

2009-01-21T19:39:00.000+09:00

NEVE GORDON: How to Sell "Ethical" Warfare

One of my students was arrested yesterday and spent the night in a prison cell. R's offence was protesting the Israeli assault on Gaza. He joins over 700 other Israelis who have been detained since the beginning of Israel's ruthless war on Gaza: an estimated 230 of whom are still behind bars. Within the Israeli context, this strategy of quelling protest and stifling resistance is unprecedented, and it is quite disturbing that the international media has failed to comment on it.

Simultaneously, the Israeli media has been towing the government line to such a degree that no criticism of the war has been voiced on any of the three local television stations. Indeed, the situation has become so absurd that reporters and anchors are currently less critical of the war than the military spokespeople. In the absence of any critical analysis, it is not so surprising that 78% of Israelis, or about 98% of all Jewish Israelis, support the war.

f/f in São Bento da Vitória(Porto, Portugal)

2009-01-09T21:06:00.001+09:00

This is from a SKITe/Sweet and Tender 2008 in Porto this summer.

Speech for my installation's opening event

2009-01-03T11:54:00.002+09:00

Feliz Ano Novo!!

I just wrote a text for the speech of my installation's opening event today.
I think this is the most clear and simple text so far which says what I mean in my piece.

----

This piece is a discourse about the Other.
I avoid to explain my piece, how it has been developing.
Instead, I try to talk about the Other.

The Other helps me. The Other loves me. The Other hates me. The Other sometimes hearts me.
The Other is always coming from where I do not know. I can not expect anything, even I already know something about or around the Other, that does not mean I know him or her.
I do not know.

The question is, how I can live together with the Other.

While I am talking, hundreds of bombs are exploding in Palestine.
It seems, we can not find a way to live together.

Look his/her face, which always asks us "don't kill me.".
What we can do is just we do "not" kill him/her.
In order to reach there, we have to see his/her face.
Or at least we should be conscious that we can see his/her face.

Needless to say, always there is a difficulty of forgiveness.
There is the unforgiveable, surely.

Even so, I hope we can draw our dream, here and now.

Kotatsuneko

2009-01-01T02:41:00.001+09:00

forgiveness

2008-11-30T08:49:00.003+09:00

A lot of works, or a pressure from "a lot of works".
I was quite depressed last and this month sometime from my situation, especially from a lot of paper works!! I hate it.
Yes, but I'm getting better.

Just I started to read Jacques Derrida's "Cosmopolitanism and Forgiveness", although I have not yet finished to read "Writing and Difference" :P
Forgiveness is very interested for me now. And also cosmopolitanism.... last month I read a book about a situation of immigrants in France(well, that was in Japanese though).
There's a lot I have to confront it. As a person, and (maybe... or hopefully) as an artist.
Somehow I will make an installation again in Instituto Franco Portuguese, as a consequence of my thought these days.

And I am also working with one Portuguese artists for her new piece. It would be shown on January.

Text of my Research about/around the idea of the other

2008-09-03T02:17:00.001+09:00

This texts are displayed in Teatro Caros Alberto(Porto, Portugal) in the 3rd open house of SKITe/Sweet and Tender 2008, as a part of my installation of Resarch about/around the idea of the other.

----
1

Na tentativa de criar relações com informação que já conhecemos, realizamos, no nosso dia a dia, qualquer tipo de coisas.

In our daily life, according to making a relationship with infomation we already know, we realize any kind of things.

In unserem taeglichen Leben nehmen wir unsere Umgebung in ihrer Gesamtheit wahr, da wir mit der Information vertraut sind.

私たちは日々の生活の中であらゆるものごとを、既に知っている情報と関連づけることで了解(realize)する。

2

Acontece que temos medo quando enfrentamos o desconhecido.

So, we get a fear when we meet up unknown things.

Deshalb bekommen wir Angst, wenn wir auf unbekannte Dinge treffen.

だから我々は何も分からない未知の存在、未知の領域に恐怖を覚える。

3

Na escuridão, um lugar nunca alcançado pela luz, nunca chegamos a descansar.

In the darkness where no light can reach, we never arrive to rest.

In der undurchdringbaren Dunkelheit, werden wir niemals Ruhe erlangen.

光の全く届かない闇の中で、安息は訪れない。

4

Este tipo de acções (ou auto-acções) acontecem porque precisamos de nos sentir em segurança. Então, muitas vezes, essas mesmas acções permitem-nos estar em contacto tanto o “desconhecido” como o “conhecido”.

This action(or auto-action) is because of to keep our security. Thus, often this action let us realize even “unknown things” as “known things”.

Diese Haltung (oder auch Reflex) existiert zu unserem Schutz. Sie laesst uns das Unbekannte oft als bekannt erscheinen.

この行為は自身の安全(security)を保全するためにある故に、しばしば本来「分からないもの」さえ「分かるもの」として了解しようと促す。

5

Por vezes, como consequência deste processo, acontecem “mal-entendidos” na nossa comunicação.

Sometimes a consequence of this process appears as “misunderstanding” in our communication.

Manchmal erscheint eine Konsequenz dieses Vorganges als “Missverstaendnis” in unserer Kommunikation.

その結果はコミュニケーションのレベルにおいて、時に「誤解(misunderstanding)」を生み出す。

6

O que é a discriminação? O que é o racismo? O que é a guerra?

What is the discrimination? What is the racism? What is the war?

Was ist Diskriminierung? Was ist Rassismus? Was ist Krieg?

差別とは何か。民族主義とは何か。戦争とは何か。

7

Mais ainda, quem é o outro?

Even more, who is the other?

Und ausserdem, wer ist der andere?

さらに加えて、他者とは誰なのか。

8

O outro não sou eu.

The other is not me.

Der andere ist nicht ich.

他者は私ではない。

9

O outro é diferente de mim.

The other is different from me.

Der andere unterscheidet sich von mir.

他者は私とは異なる。

10

O outro vem de um lugar que eu não conheço.

The other is coming from where I do not know.

Der andere kommt von einem Ort, den ich nicht kenne.

他者は私の知らないところからやってくる。

11

O outro é inesperado.

The other is unexpected.

Der andere ist unerwarted.

他者は予期し得ぬ。

12

O outro representa impossibilidades e possibilidades.

The other is impossibilities and possibilities.

Der andere steht fuer das unmoegliche und das moegliche.

他者とは不可能性と可能性である。

13

Apesar de tudo, temos que viver com o outro.

Although, we have to live together with the ohter.

Dennoch muessen wir mit dem anderen zusammen leben.

しかし私たちは他者と共に生きてゆかねばならない

14

Portanto, temos que ouvir a voz do outro. Temos que enfrentar a face do outro.

So we have to listen a voice of the other. We have to confront a face of the other.

So muessen wir auf die Stimme des anderen hoeren. Wir muessen uns mit dem Gesicht des anderen konfrontieren.

だから私たちは他者の声に耳を傾けねばならない。他者の顔に向かい合わなければならない。

15

O outro pede-nos sempre “Não me mates”. Este é o início da nossa ética.

Always the other asks us, “Don’t kill me.” It is the beginning of our ethic.

Der andere bittet uns darum: “Toete mich nicht”. Das ist der Beginn unserer Ethik.

他者は常に私に語りかける。「殺さないで。」　それは私たちの倫理の始まりである。

16

Eu “não matarei” o outro. Portanto, poderemos viver juntos.

I do “not kill” the other. Therefore we can live together with the other.

Ich toete den anderen nicht. Deshalb koennen wir mit dem anderen zusammen leben.

私は他者を「殺さないで」いる。それ故に私は他者と共に生きることができる。

Georgia, sadness is still on the globe

2008-08-12T07:42:00.000+09:00

SKITe/Sweet and Tender Porto 2008

2008-08-06T01:27:00.001+09:00

I would participate this collaboration project from 14th Aug. this summer in Porto.
web site: http://www.sweetandtender.org/

----

Summary

Following the project held in PAF - Performing Arts Forum, in 2007, this second edition, co-launched by the Association SKITe and Sweet and Tender Collaborations, will gather 40 young artists from 26 countries and different performance-related disciplines during a period of a full month.
▪ Date: August 15th to September 20th 2008
▪ Place: Porto, Portugal
This project will bring together various institutional and non-institutional partners in Porto and open itself up to a wide range of international collaborations
▪ Theme: relation between artistic process & product through the creation of an environment based on constant showings and feedbacks.
▪ Primary purpose: A systematic experiment with modes of artistic exchange, creation and production inside a specific context provided by the hosts (Portugal, Porto)
Participants will engage in a practice of exchange and dialogue, open up their research to the others - from the formulation of their ideas to their referential sources, practices and concerns.

Events and activities
<laboratory>
▪ What Artistic experiments, research, workshops, dance classes, showings, feedback sessions, open house days, ...
▪ When August 15th to September 13th
▪ Where Porto: Teatro Nacional Sao Joao, 555, Maus Hábitos
▪ Duration One month

<running>
▪ What Remake of a performance choreographed by Meg Stuart in 1992
▪ When From August 17th to August 21st
▪ Where Porto: Mosteiro São Bento da Vitória (Teatro Nacional Sao Joao)
▪ Duration Five days

<fragments>
▪ What Public presentations of the work in progress
▪ WhenSeptember 12th and13th
▪ Where Porto: Mosteiro de Sao Bento da Victoria
▪ Duration Two days

<site-specific>
▪ What Residençial da Praça in the frame of FIMP festival: workshops, sound installations, radio show, ..;
▪ When September 14th, 15th and 16th
▪ Where Porto: Praça do Joao I
▪ Duration Three days

<debriefing>
▪ What Evaluation, General Assembly of SKITe/ Sweet and Tender Collaborations participants
▪ When September 17th to September 20th
▪ WherePorto: Mosteiro Sao Bento da Victoria
▪ Duration Four days

<diffusion>
▪ What International public presentations
▪ When February 2009 to May 2009
▪ Where Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Oslo
▪ Duration Long run
 To the Day-to-day schedule

Objectives
<Short Term>
▪ Consolidation of Sweet and Tender Collaborations network sustainability in the long run.
▪ Deepen a collaborative dynamic (sharing resources and initiatives) among young artists from different nationalities and working with various media.
▪ Involving a local community in discovering how a creative process evolves.
▪ Testing the validity of an experimental and autonomous project inside a specific context establishing a direct interaction to Porto city.
▪ Exploring modes of public presentation of artistic works
<Long Term>
▪ Openness and deepening of dialogue with certain cultural institutions in Europe to increase the support for emerging models of research and production in artistic creation, and different practices of interaction between artists and art institutions
▪ European diffusion of the SKITe/Sweet and Tender Collaborations results on a European level through the diffusion of Fragments of Experiences project
▪ Follow up of the initial proliferation of artistic projects started and nursed in SKITe/Sweet & Tender Collaborations in Porto – their further development.
▪ Research on European Financing to consolidate the structure of Sweet and Tender Collaborations as an artistic project and as a model of artist-led network organization

one dance/one video/one day 12/7/2008

2008-07-13T16:15:00.001+09:00

Basic philosophy of my work

2008-07-12T19:39:00.001+09:00

This is a text which I wrote this week for one application: the explanation of my basic philosophy of all the artistic work.

---

  I chose art as my work, because I would like to affect general people on our primitive level of sense and thought. I would like to provoke people to confront or even just think about our social problems on their each own perspective, especially with focusing our communication.

  Speciality of art is that it can connect directly and profoundly people's mind at a moment. For instance, when we confront a great picture, it grabs our mind immediately; then often that great pictures also provokes us into thinking something about/around/beyond it. Dance has also the same effect, but dance has a "corpo". On the level of provoking people into thinking of a dance work, people can see the things through the dancers' body.

  Of course in our daily life, everyday we are seeing somebody's body. Although, under the certain structure or the frame of dance, I found that we can find a primitive level of human's activities: intension, personal history, cultural background, social behavior, etc. Those things are very subtle and rarely to be conscious about it, more than obvious characters such as race, language, religious and economical situation. Yet those human's primitive activities are important keys to realize our communication in terms of understanding(or at least being aware of) the other just as he/she is.

  In 2006 and 2007, I was traveling around western Europe. As an artist, I was working and studying in several places. But not only artistic experiences, also I could have experiences to see a lot of social problems on the very basic level. Most impressive experience is that, once I had to sleep on the street in London. I understood physically how the homeless people were feeling. How complex the problem of the poverty is. Clearly I could feel there is a certain gap between the mind of the politic and reality.

  Anyhow the politic is always assuming the center area(which often called "normal") in our society(community) even unconsciously, and excluding things out of its limit. This is a very first motivation of a mind to exclude homelessness, immigrants, aliens, different race... That means, in this process, the politic projecting its own perspective and ignore the personality/thought/philosophy/emotion/reason of each own excluded person. The war is good example of this, we assume some people as enemy and stop a effort to understand them just as they are, then start to exclude them physically.

  With a speciality of art and dance, letting people think about/around/beyond the art work and notice human's primitive activities(intension, personal history, cultural background, social behavior, etc), I would like to provoke people into re-thinking about our communication —re-looking the other just as he/she is before putting him/her into a particular context. Performance is a place where artists expose their work. At the same time, performance can be a place where people "experience" something through the art work. As a dance artist, again, in this way I would like to stimulate general people to confront or at least be aware of our social problems on their each own perspective.

Hard Times Come Again No More

2008-06-28T06:37:00.000+09:00

by Nanci Griffith

This is a american folk song, also sang by Japanese pop singer Akiko Yano. One of my favorite songs by Yano.

Here is the lyrics:
Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;
Oh Hard times come again no more.
There's a song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard Times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh hard times come again no more.
While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door;
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say
Oh hard times come again no more.
There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,
With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh hard times come again no more.
Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,
Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
Oh hard times come again no more.

---

by Stephen Foster

by Bob Dylan

New Video: f/f in Maus Hábitos(Porto, Portugal), 2008

2008-06-22T21:41:00.002+09:00

I uploaded the video of my work, "f/f", last month in Maus Hábitos(Porto Portugal). It was on 9th May 2008.

duration of the video: 10:18

About "f/f":
f/f is improvisaton dance project, which is core of all of Hajime Fujita’s dance works, and has been presented in several places (Reims, Motemor-o-Novo, Osaka, Kyoto and Yokohama) since 2001. The original theme is showing the existance of himself, not only showing “dance” or “performance”. To do that, he trys to be honest and to show everything what he feels/thinks/reminds.... on the each moment. So sometime he losts, he hesitates, even sometime he starts to speak

Recently, this piece is also involved by presenting in the alternative places. Especially, in the Festival Ananil in Motemor-o-Novo, Portugal, Fujita represented this piece on the path of country side besides old house, collaborating with Spanish musician, Andreu Jacob, was quite appreciated. All of the nature surrounding him affects his sence, and make the movements diverse and flexible. Also in the French momument, Palais du Tau, he danced in the outside place.

read more and watch other videos (on Hajime Fujita official web site)

Coming back from Ananil

2008-06-16T07:13:00.001+09:00

just coming back from Ananil. 2 performance + 1 workshop(my first workshop!!) in 3 days, pretty busy, but really great people and familiar beautiful festival. Now time to back to the reality again, and rest somewhat... zzz...

"f/f" on 13th/15th June in Montemor-o-Novo

2008-06-11T04:41:00.002+09:00

I would represent my improvisation piece called "f/f" in the festival Ananil in Motemor-o-Novo(eastern Portugal). This is 2nd time to show this piece in the same festival since last year. Please visit and enjoy the great summer atmosphere surrounded beautiful Portuguese country side :) :) :)

"f/f"
f/f is improvisaton dance project, which is core of all of Hajime Fujita’s dance works, and has been presented in several places (Reims, Motemor-o-Novo, Osaka, Kyoto and Yokohama) since 2001. The original theme is showing the existance of himself, not only showing “dance” or “performance”. To do that, he trys to be honest and to show everything what he feels/thinks/reminds.... on the each moment. So sometime he losts, he hesitates, even sometime he starts to speak

Recently, this piece is also involved by presenting in the alternative places. Especially, in the Festival Ananil in Motemor-o-Novo, Portugal, Fujita represented this piece on the path of country side besides old house, collaborating with Spanish musician, Andreu Jacob, was quite appreciated. All of the nature surrounding him affects his sence, and make the movements diverse and flexible. Also in the French momument, Palais du Tau, he danced in the outside place.

=videos from last year in Ananil (collaboration with Andreu Jacob)=

Renewal of Website

2008-06-02T01:22:00.004+09:00

As you see, I am improving my web site and add the section of text. And, the section of works shows a lot of information and videos.

Slowly, but certainly I am making better my web site. I would continue to organize to make it easier to get information of myself for the visitors.

Hajime Fujita Official Web Site

IHT: Burmese villagers had little, and lost it all

2008-05-27T07:50:00.001+09:00

IHT: Burmese villagers had little, and lost it all

Since Cyclone Nargis devastated the area May 3, this isolated village in the Irrawaddy Delta has been all but ignored by the junta. As of this past weekend, it had yet to be reached by international relief workers.

Then Khin lost 15 family members when Nargis swept through. For those in the family who survived, life is a litany of woes and the recovery has only just begun.

-----

For people like Then Khin's family, for those who live in the isolated, outlying hamlets of the delta, putting their lives back together after Nargis has been a sad affair - and a struggle that international aid workers have largely been unable to help ease. The Myanmar government, critics say, is distrustful of outsiders and does not want the villagers to meet foreigners. Meanwhile, the ruling junta is unable or unwilling to provide adequate help on its own.

"I don't expect anything from the government. I never have and I don't now," Then Khin said. "I heard on the radio about foreign help on its way, but I haven't seen any in the past 20 days. It's the same as before, nothing changed."

pois...

2008-05-18T19:47:00.001+09:00

Last 2 weeks were the busiest moments since I came to Portugal.
I worked in Festa da Dança in Lisboa and showed 2 pieces: "dontdiemyfriendtommy" in Alkantara and "f/f" in Terreiro de Passo, in collaboration with Hana Kogure.
Then I went to Porto to show "f/f" in Maus Hábitos and support the concert of Hana Kogure, as general cordinator and translator.
All of things were just great and I really appreciate all the people we met there: public, stuff, artists. It is incredible that I met how many great people... Muito obrigado.

Though, afterwards, I got really tired and sick again. Now still on the way to recover. But I think it takes time. So here just I apologize to be late to send a plenty of e-mails to thank a lot of people. Anyway I am here and slowly getting back the pleasure of my life.

I have a show of "f/f" and a workshop on Festival Ananil next month in Motemor-o-Novo. If you have a chance or have some friends (near from) there, please (ask them to) visit and have a nice summer time together in beautiful outside festival :)

Beijinhos,

Hajime

Improvement of my Web Site

2008-04-23T08:22:00.001+09:00

Slightly improving my web site.

Now I just added the pages about my dance pieces.
This could be very useful to watch all the videos uploaded on the internet.

CoffeeGeek.com: Coffee: Portugal's Other National Drink

2008-04-17T03:13:00.001+09:00

CoffeeGeek.com: Coffee: Portugal's Other National Drink

What can you expect in a Portuguese coffee shop?

In Portugal most people don’t have an espresso machine in their house. If you’re entertaining friends you offer them Port wine. If they want a coffee, you invite your guests to go with you to your neighbourhood pastry shop/ coffee shop/ bakery, where coffee is affordable and the atmosphere is relaxing. What can you expect when you get to the coffee shop?

When you enter, the first thing to catch your eye will be a large cabinet containing a coffee grinder and an espresso machine that can make anywhere from four to eight cups of coffee at the same time. Here are the different types of coffee you can order in a Portuguese bar or restaurant:

+Bica: Espresso shot
+Café Pingado: A dripped coffee, served in a beaker with a bit of hot water.
+Café Longo: Similar to a Café Pingado, but taller.
+Galão:A Café Longo with the ratio of 1:3 milk in it. It can be foamed and/or steamed.
+Garoto: Garoto also means "kid" and this drink is mostly milk and a favourite for children. It is made like a Galao but the coffee has been run through twice on the espresso machine and is weaker.

3/4 May in Lisboa, Performance in Festa da Dança

2008-04-11T22:31:00.003+09:00

I would represent my two pieces (f/f and dontdiemyfriendtommy) in 3rd and 4th May in Lisbon, in Festa da Dança.
More details to be confirmed.

REUTERS: Ice cream stick ship's Atlantic bid

2008-04-10T21:05:00.000+09:00

REUTERS: Ice cream stick ship's Atlantic bid

A Viking ship made from ice-cream sticks set sail for England from the Netherlands on Tuesday.

The 15-metre (50-foot) long ship, named after the Norse god Thor, is made from 15 million recycled ice-cream sticks glued together by U.S.-born stuntman Robert McDonald, his son and more than 5,000 children.

"If you can dream it you can do it ... I want to teach children that anything is possible," McDonald said.

Badly injured as a child in a gas explosion that killed the rest of his family, he has loaded his ship with cuddly toys and plans to reach London and visit children in hospitals.

IHT: Torch draws protest fury in London's Olympic run

2008-04-07T09:09:00.001+09:00

IHT: Torch draws protest fury in London's Olympic run

In a fresh bid by protesters to use the Beijing Summer Olympics as an opportunity to highlight China's human rights record, thousands of demonstrators crowded into the streets of central London on Sunday and turned the Olympic torch relay into a series of angry scuffles and melees. The police said that at least 30 people had been arrested.

dontdiemyfriendtommy -sound

2008-04-07T02:44:00.002+09:00

This is a sound from my short piece called "dontdiemyfriendtommy", which reading about my experience in London.

YouTube: Olympic parade begins in London (BBC News 24)

2008-04-07T02:16:00.001+09:00

YouTube: Olympic parade begins in London (BBC News 24)

IHT: Nationalism at core of China's reaction to Tibet unrest

2008-03-31T03:17:00.000+09:00

IHT: Nationalism at core of China's reaction to Tibet unrest

Communist Party leaders had hoped to use this Olympic moment to showcase how China has become a modern and nonthreatening emerging world power. President Hu Jintao has advocated a "harmonious society" as a catchphrase to signal a new government emphasis on addressing inequality in society. At the same time, China's soft power abroad is rising with its bulging foreign exchange reserves, its aid programs to poor countries and its increasingly active diplomatic role on issues like the North Korea nuclear crisis.

But the Tibet crisis has revealed a leadership that has seemingly stepped back into its harsher past. Buddhist monks in Tibet are now being subjected to punitive "patriotic education" campaigns. Paramilitary police officers and soldiers have swept across huge areas of western China in a crackdown that is under way, if unseen. Party leaders, including Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, have vilified the Dalai Lama and blamed a "Dalai clique" for orchestrating the protests to sabotage China's Olympic moment.

---

Scholars often describe nationalism as the state religion in China now that the Communist Party has shrugged off socialist ideology and made economic development the country's priority. Dibyesh Anand, a Tibet specialist, said modern Chinese nationalism can be traced to Sun Yat-sen, the Chinese revolutionary who described the country's main ethnic groups - the Han, Manchu, Hui, Mongolian and Tibetan peoples - as the "five fingers" of China.

Today, Han Chinese constitute more than 92 percent of the population, but without one of those five fingers, China's leaders do not consider the country whole.

"The Communist Party has used nationalism as an ideology to keep China together," said Anand, a reader in international relations at Westminster University in London. He said many Chinese regard the Tibetan protests "as an attack on their core identity."

South Park!! South Park!! South Park!!

2008-03-27T04:20:00.002+09:00

Hey Common!! All the episode of South Park is now on the internet!!!
Lovely!! Horay!!!
http://www.southparkstudios.com/

ATTENTION: AS YOU KNOW, SOUTH PARK HAS A LOT OF VIOLENT/SEXUAL EXPRESSION.

Wired: Chinese Authorities Place 'Wanted' Posters For Tibetan Rioters On Web Portals

2008-03-24T19:22:00.001+09:00

Wired: Chinese Authorities Place 'Wanted' Posters For Tibetan Rioters On Web Portals

Meanwhile, Tibetans in Los Angeles held a rally. Xeni Jardin of Boing Boing covered the event and interviewed some of the participants.

The news wires also report that the current riots may have some expensive consequences. The Chinese authorities are re-thinking the idea of allowing the American news networks to broadcast live from Tiananmen Square during the Olympic games this August. The networks apparently paid hundreds of millions of dollars for the privilege.

In other news, the Dalai Lama, it seems, also shares a pet peeve with reporters that all other leaders do. The Dalai Lama issued a terse press release today that said: " ... He also reminded the Media not to quote him out of context."

IHT: Tibetan exiles in India join in protests

2008-03-19T00:30:00.000+09:00

IHT: Tibetan exiles in India join in protests

"All the streets are smoke and tears," said Choedak, 18, a student who spoke to his mother in Lhasa by telephone Saturday night. " 'We cannot open our eyes,' " he said she told him. " 'Every street is like empty.' "

Julyen Hamilton's classes ended last week

2008-03-10T19:28:00.001+09:00

Last week, finally we finished 2 weeks Julyen Hamilton's classes. It was quite nice opportunity to know the person in those generation, and way of very sensitive/open physical improvisation style. In addition, in the class, I got the way to focus my "center/joint" as the core of movements. I started to use off-balanced movements more comfortably.
Although, to be honest, these 2 weeks had been totally making me frustrated. Because, Julyen did not give us our space. He just pushed his idea always. It was very clear that, if we said opposite idea from him in the discussion, he must deny or ignore that. Of course I can understand that is because of his experience and this kind of attitude often appears when we get old. But anyway (even I understand logically) I could not feel well, and not easy to stand to stay in the class sometime...

=Profile: Julyen Hamilton= http://www.julyenhamilton.com/
Julyen Hamilton has been making dances, directing and teaching for the past 30 years.
He was born in England, then lived in Amsterdam and now is based in Girona, Spain.
In 1984 he was awarded the 'Zilveren Dansprijs' by the VSCD in Holland.

Trained in a period of experimentation in London in the mid-70s , he has constantly made work from a radical point of view.

His work, both in company and solo, develops dance for the theatre
where dancers and light designer are directed to compose pieces instantly,
a process of practising improvisation in rehearsal and in the moment of performance.
Hamilton creates his own personal language where movement and text constantly intertwine
and are passed amongst the performers as a way of manifesting the sharing of the imagination.

He is also invited to play with musicians, to choreograph for other dancers and to collaborate with other directors.

Since 1990 he has made more than 100 solos which have been seen all over the world. They are a highly original interplay between dance, live text and light. His latest solo Cell premiered in Barcelona on 2004.

His teaching work comes straight from the stage experience; it goes deeply into the compositional aspects of creativity through the areas of the physical body, space, time, dramaturgy and voice.

His label Blue Dog DVDs produces videos of his performances on dvd.

Fotograficas de Lisboa

2008-03-04T03:23:00.001+09:00

Forum Dança, where I am studying

2008-02-04T17:22:00.000+09:00

Forum Dança, where I am studying, is most well-known contemporary dance institution in Portugal. They have been acting very important roll to produce a lot of great works and educate people. First I knew their name in the Vera Montero's past productions. A lot of her production is supported by Forum Dança.

----
Forum Dança is a non profitable cultural association, created in 1990, and whose purpose is to promote both artistic and professional development, investigation, editing and documentation.

In the field of vocational training, Forum Dança conceived and organized, since 1991, Professional Development Courses. There were 22 of these Courses which were held in Lisbon, Oporto, Torres Vedras and in the Algarve, namely: Dance Monitors for the Community, Contemporary Dance Interpreters, Dance Management/Production, Performing Arts Management/Production, Dance Monitors’ Recycling Course, Choreographic Research and Creation, Dance Techniques for the Community, Dance in the Community.

Forum Dança is a bridge between the professionals and the audience. It develops pedagogical projects, seminars, workshops and regular classes, aiming both professionals and amateurs, both adults and young people.

It also provides artistic guidance and is equipped with a documentation centre specialized in dance, with about 550 works in different artistic and technical areas, magazines and dance catalogs, and also an image archive.

Forum Dança has worked with both national and international organizations spread throughout the world.

----

quality of time

2008-01-31T03:18:00.001+09:00

finally I arrived Lisboa and started to participate PEPCC in ForumDanca today.
Ok this is formation, school, is not the same as kind of "projects".
But I mean, I had little surprised inside of quality of time.
Nobody rushed. Taking time to understand the class, communication, developing the relationship with other students.
Everything goes slowly based on no obesession.
This is what I have been missing last 2 years.... Always I had a pressure to do something. I had to make it, I had to finish it, even sometime it does not make any certain result.
Beautiful country Portugal, just I am so glad to be here and breath.

Hooray!! Finally I got a visa to be in Portugal!!

2008-01-25T21:43:00.001+09:00

Deraest my frineds!!

after a long long days since the end of November, finally I got a
Portugal visa to be in Lisboa.
I will arrive on the evening of the monday, and going to attend the
Forum Danca from Tuesday.
I am very exited and, of course, little bit anxious for my new life..

See you soon!!

Lots of kisses,

Hajime

NYTimes: Israel Allows Some Supplies Into Gaza

2008-01-22T16:26:00.001+09:00

NYTimes: Israel Allows Some Supplies Into Gaza

Mahmoud Daher, a health officer for the World Health Organization in Gaza, said Monday that there was a shortage of more than a hundred types of medications, and there were no spare parts to fix broken generators. “There is no crisis yet, but there will be one if the situation continues,” Mr. Daher said. “We are on the edge.”

what's going on me

2008-01-17T21:05:00.001+09:00

As some of you may know, I have been selected in the dance formation, called PEPCC, in ForumDanca in Lisbon. Actually the course already started from 7th Jan. but because my visa has not issued yet, I still be in Japan and waiting for its process (precisely, I just missed one paper for that...). Anyway after obtaining the visa, I will be in Lisbon and studying there for 2 years.

Now I am also editing the dvd of "one dance/one video/one day" projects as same as I updated on YouTube. First I thought this project as suitable for the internet, but some of my friends is much more easy to watch on TV or computer with DVD, and DVD is useful when I use this as material to apply some kind of programme.

I am also working for some other projects for this and next year. As usual it is, some of projects would be realized but othres might be not. Anyway. One thing probably happen is attending the Sweet and Tender annual meeting 2008. This precious group project is now growing more. I am very exited to contribute and participate this again.

Wikipedia: Social alienation

2008-01-13T13:49:00.001+09:00

Wikipedia (English): Social alienation
In a broader philosophical context, especially in existentialism and phenomenology, alienation describes the inadequacy of human being or mind in relation to the world. The human mind, as the subject of perception, relates to the world as an object of its perception, and so is distanced from the world rather than living within it. This line of thought can be found, among others, in Søren Kierkegaard, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Theodor Adorno.

The article of Sweet and Tender on Movement

2008-01-08T23:44:00.000+09:00

This article about Sweet and Tender was printed on French contemporary art magazine, Movement.

happy new year and renewal of the top page of my web site

2008-01-02T18:28:00.000+09:00

happy new year. wish you have pleasant days this in 2008.
after crazy messed up days, i have been feeling really tired these days. just now try to rest well...

today i renewed the top page of my web site. i want to improve my web site more this week.

f/f in Palais du Tau

2007-12-31T12:14:00.000+09:00

"f/f in Palais du Tau" in Reims, France, Sep. 2007 9"37

hajime fujita in Ananil

2007-12-20T08:47:00.001+09:00

Photos of Paris

2007-12-10T05:01:00.000+09:00

DANCEMINUTE

2007-12-03T00:09:00.001+09:00

These videos are hosted in DANCEMINUTE, my friend Monica's web site. Thank you Monica!!

Chalon-sur-Saone, France 22 Nov. 2007

Paf, France 21 Aug. 2007

this is in the situation

2007-11-29T17:45:00.001+09:00

ok, let's say I am in the crazy situation now. I am very depressed
anyway but I would like to say....I really disappointed the country of
Japan itself.... how many my European friends are running for me now?
I really really appreciate all of them.... Japan, fuckin' rich
country, but where is our Japanese spirit of taking care and
cooperation?

The Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative

2007-11-19T00:14:00.000+09:00

Somehow I am nominated as protege in this program for next year.

http://www.rolexmentorprotege.com/

Fotograficas de Lisboa

2007-11-18T00:00:00.001+09:00

visible/invisible (installation) as video-Nov.17th/18th Porto

2007-11-17T00:56:00.000+09:00

A video installation work with Thelma Bonavita (Brazil), "visible/invisble", would be shown as video in rel(auto)criticas in the contemporary art museum in Porto, Portugal, on 17th and 18th Nov.

WIRED: 2-Channel Gives Japan's Famously Quiet People a Mighty Voice

2007-11-16T05:15:00.000+09:00

The 2-channel forum is a Japanese internet phenomenon. This single site has more influence on Japanese popular opinion than the prime minister, the emperor and the traditional media combined. On one level, it serves as a fun, informative place for people to read product reviews, download software and compare everything from the size of their poop to quiz show answers. But conversations hosted here have also influenced stock prices, rallied support for philanthropic causes, organized massive synchronized dance routines, prevented terrorism and driven people to their deathbeds.

2-Channel Gives Japan's Famously Quiet People a Mighty Voice

dontdiemyfriendtommy

2007-11-10T19:07:00.000+09:00

possibly tonight, in maus habitos, porto, portugal

PRESENTATION WITH PHOTOS

2007-11-10T03:34:00.001+09:00

I made this video to apply one program. For showing my important point of view, the video made with my photos, instead of my dance.

Parole - on google video

2007-11-10T03:29:00.001+09:00

Freiburg Photos

2007-09-22T23:08:00.001+09:00

Laptop Recovered!!

2007-09-21T00:51:00.001+09:00

Now I am coming back to the virtual world with my sweet laptop with samsung hard disk :)

"parole" on googlevideo

2007-09-12T01:03:00.000+09:00

Now my represented work "parole" is avaiable to see on the google video.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1472664087170664959

one dance/one video/one day

2007-08-29T07:55:00.000+09:00

one dane/one video/one day

2007-08-23T06:06:00.001+09:00

one dance/one video/one day

2007-08-21T18:54:00.001+09:00

one dance/one video/one day

2007-08-20T22:55:00.001+09:00

one dance/one video/one day

2007-08-18T22:01:00.001+09:00

one dance/one video/one day

2007-08-18T16:23:00.001+09:00

one dance/one video/one day

2007-08-17T04:30:00.001+09:00

one dance/one video/one day

2007-08-16T15:15:00.001+09:00

I am starting my personal small project "one dance/one video/one day". Paf is fascinating place to improvise, so I try to do very short dance every day and collect.

paf

2007-08-15T17:13:00.001+09:00

after the long travel since last year (yes acutually i have been feeling that even i was in japan!!), finally i was coimng to paf in France, I think. Here is in the really countryside, very nice calm atmosphere in the small village, and........my great friends!!!!!! I am not sure I will find out a very concrete thing in this program, in one month, but I think (I hope) I will explore more about my generally most important theme, "how can we communicate others positively".

Parc de la Villete, I was staying one night in my friend's house near from there

goes to Paf

visible/invisible

2007-07-24T00:03:00.000+09:00

"What can we see? What could be seen there?" The performance always starts with this question. Japanese popular dancer and dance maker, Hajime Fujita, will represent his exprimental contemporary dance piece in shin-bi, Kyoto, on 3/4/5 Aug.

"visible/invisible" was premiered in Porto, Portugal, on June 2007, and has very unique presentation way. The piece will be repeated 22 time in 3 days. Hajime asks spectators to come to the theater several times, to see various versions.

The structure of the piece is quite simple. In a period of 20 minutes, one guy is sitting on a chair and behind him a video is projected on the wall. Sometime he writes a short English text into his sketchbook and shows it to the spectators.

But the projected video has some variations. Hajime was filiming them in Porto, Paris, Kyoto, Porto and more. Each version of the video foucuses one particular place, that shows the scenery there and the communications between Hajime and local people. And the version to be projected is randomly chosen before the show. So spectators can find out the perspective in the different cultural background, according to see a variety of versions.

Japanese contemporary dance scene has been growned up since 90's. A lot of works are involved by the modern dance , ballet, Butoh and so on. Therefore usually they consists by very "physical" movements. In that situation, "visible/invisible" is quite radical and big challenge.

http://hajifuji.ciao.jp/visibleinvisible/
You can watch the videos of Hajime's other works.

2007 Aug.
3rd (Fri.): 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30
4th (Sat.): 14:00 14:30 15:00 17:00 17:30 19:00 19:30 20:00
5th (Sun.): 14:00 14:30 15:00 17:00 17:30 19:00 19:30 20:00

at shin-bi, Kyoto +map+
Shijo-Karasuma, COCON-Karasuma 3F (same building of Kyoto Cinema)
near from "Karasuma" Sta. (Hankyu) and "Shijo" Sta. (subway Karasuma-line)

x1 ticket 800yen (adv 500yen) / x3 tickets 1,000yen
**x3 tickets are not limited for a person who purchase. It can be used with your friends, or to see 3 times, as you like.

hajime.fujita.ticket@gmail.com (Hajime)
075-352-0844 (T/F shin-bi)

New Video: "hajime fujita in Ananil"

2007-07-06T03:18:00.000+09:00

I put a new video on the website.
"hajime fujita in Anail" is a my improvisation dance pieces in Portugal in last month.
Try to see.

English English(for FireFox)
Japanese Japanese(for FireFox)

new work "visible/invisible"

2007-06-27T00:43:00.000+09:00

I launched the web site of my new work "visible/invisible" on 3.4.5. Aug. in Kyoto.
Check it out!

Gmail might kick your e-mail then

2007-03-25T14:46:00.000+09:00

Today I found my friend's e-mail in the spam box. Gmail crazy spam filter might kick other e-mails. If somebody has not gotten my reply, please write again. If so I say sorry.

Pointe to Point

2007-03-11T13:21:00.000+09:00

Dance Europe Magazine had an article about Pointe to Point program on Nov. last year. There also my butoh looks photos...:)

starting the english blog

2007-02-13T08:33:00.000+09:00

I am starting a English blog also to connect with more people.
Put here some informations about my work, practical Japanese dance and art topics, notes etc...