One of Japan’s most important and influential dance events has announced details for its 21st edition. The Hot Summer in Kyoto Dance Festival has proved itself vital for developing the talent of the country by giving its up-and-coming talent the chance to work and learn from top international performers.The event, this year subtitled “Reconstruction,” celebrates the various performers to have joined its workshops over the years, with a celebratory night of shows topped by Abigail Yager of the Trisha Brown Company. Yager worked as Brown’s assistant from 1995–2002, as well as at Candoco (London, England), the Lyon Opera Ballet (Lyon, France), and at the La Monnaie National Opera of Belgium (Brussels, Belgium). She has been on the faculty at the American Dance Festival since 2003.Joining Yager will be Jung Young-Doo (Korea), Tom Weksler and Mayumu Minakawa (Israel), Atsushi Heki (Kyoto), Ayano Momoda (Fukuoka) and Tetsuro Hattori + Eri Sugiyama (Nagoya).Francesco Scavetta from Norway, will also present his new creation “Hardly Ever”, exploring the notion of truth and lies in theatre, at Kyoto Art Center on April 27.The festival runs April 22 through May 5, featuring 12 globally recognised choreographers, dancers and artists. With an aim to nurture young dancers (the event is also known as “Kyoto International Dance Workshop Festival”), Hot Summer holds beginners classes and open programmes during its run, in order to establish a new network of dancers and activities.“Beginning in 1996, our idea was to incorporate the tide of foreign dance performers visiting Japan by constructing an international dance network so that young dancers could learn and train, perfecting their technique to a high quality in a place where we could teach the philosophy of dance,” Program Director Kosei Sakamoto told ARTINFO.“The other aim was to make local people, and artists creating works in other realms, aware of the social aspect of the dance society so that we could spread it to more people.”The Kyoto dance scene has developed quite differently from Tokyo, which holds its own major event, TPAM, each February. “For better or worse, Kyoto is the place where dancing of a slow nature are created,” says Sakamoto. “You can feel the sensation of speed in the dance community in Tokyo, and that creates its own international network of its own in Tokyo.”Previously held in the height of summer, the festival retains its name despite being in the cooler Spring season. “Kyoto lies in a basin between mountains so becomes humid and in the summertime,” says Sakamoto. “after we moved it, the name still sticks! It’s our pet name. So even though this is the season for green leaves, the hot summer is coming, that’s the talking point and it gives us a burning desire to create new works.”
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