The theme of this gathering Standing, Walking, Seeing. This time we consider the mundane, everyday activities of standing and walking as a performance. We ask what it means when a person stands in front of a person? When we walk, how do we perceive our surroundings? Tokyo-based performance artist, dancer and choreographer Takuya Takemoto brings his latest performance ‘See a Porous Stone’ for the first time to Europe. Standing quietly, listening to the sounds and air around you, audience will be able to sense the fluctuations of light and shadow. In this performance, Takemoto reconstructs the relationship between the body and the environment and transform the viewer's perception of space through extremely subtle movements. Takuya Takemoto was born in mountainous region in Gunma Prefecture. Since 2017, he has been performing this performance every day with or without audience in community centres in Tokyo. The daily performance of 'being there' changes constantly beyond artistic intention and continues to awaken our perception and behaviour. This performance is an extension of this daily activity, but also a new attempt at something unique in the place where it is performed. To be experienced with the whole body.

In addition to performances, there will be a workshop, roundtable, silent walk in Fairfield Nature Reserve and talk by the leading

Japanese contemporary dance and performance expert, dramaturg and curator Yurika Kuremiya.

To register for any of the events below please visit https://forms.office.com/e/MJj4WH0Hdx

All events are free of charge.

Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Venue: Lancaster University, The LICA Building A27-29 (event spaces) for all events

10:00am - 1:00pm Takuya Takemoto Workshop: Presence and Perception

(Please note workshop is limited to 20 participants)

2:30 – 3:30pm Performance - Takemoto Takuya: See a Porous Stone

4:00 - 5:30pm Roundtable ‘Walking, Standing, Seeing – perspectives on live art and contemporary dance from Britain and Japan’ with Nigel Stewart (Senior Lecturer, Lancaster University), Yurika Kuremiya (independent researcher, curator, dramaturg), Beri Juraic (PhD Candidate in Theatre, Lancaster University)

Thursday, 14 November 2024

11:00am - 1:00pm Silent Walk in Fairfield Nature Reserve (weather permitting)

(start and end: The Water Witch Pub)

4:30 - 6:00pm Embodied Expression: A Journey Through Japanese Performance Practices, talk by Yurika Kuremiya (independent researcher, curator, dramaturg)

Venue: Marcus Merriman Lecture Theatre

For more details about each event, please see

https://contemporarytheatreexchange.com/schedule.html