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Amici Dance Theatre Company
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Artistic Director : WOLFGANG STANGE
Patrons
Sir Ben Kingsley
Dr Peter Nixon FRCP
Mr Julian Crouch
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'Amici affirms life, creativity and the power of compassion'
Clement Crisp (Financial Times)
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AMICI
IN
JAPAN
by
Wolfgang Stange
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Muse Company, Tokyo, under the directorship of Ms.Yuko Ljichi was approached by the City Council of Fukuoka to help them create a disability awareness week for the people of Fukuoka. Ms. Ljichi is known in Japan for her pioneering work in making the Arts available to people with disabilities and every year runs an ARTS SUMMER SCHOOL.
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The project was to be an exchange of East and West with the well known Butho dancer Un Yamada to choreograph a dance for some AMICI members...
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...and in exchange an AMICI member with downs syndrome Rosy Leak, was to choreograph a dance for Un and three other AMICI members including herself.
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Both pieces were to be premiered in Fukuoka in late November. Apart from the performances a series of workshops were organized by the Fukuoka Council to be conducted by the AMICI members.
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These workshops were given to an integrated group of people with and without disabilities and a local school for people with learning difficulties.
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The integrated group gave an open workshop performance at the end of their period with AMICI.
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All the performances, workshops and workshop performances were hailed as a great success. For the AMICI members it was an unforgettable experience. The hospitality of our Japanese hosts was outstanding.
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There seem to be no language barriers, for one, AMICI had a very experienced and wonderful translator, but even in moments when the translator was not available there was a bond among all the different people.
It is this magic that AMICI is known for and it is nothing more than the acceptance and the celebration of all that is different. AMICI's connection with Muse Company and Japan stretches over 17 years. Some AMICI members travelled to Japan to perform and to give workshops as early as 1991.
This time five members travelled to Japan. Ali King, administrator and stage manager, Wolfgang Stange director, Colm Gallagher education director, and Christine Kugele and Rosy Leak.
On the way to Japan and on the way back to London, the group had two days stop over in Sri Lanka, which added so much to their travelling experience.
It is these extraordinary experiences that help AMICI members to convince others that we are all here to learn from on another.
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