Mikiko (choreographer) explained

MIKIKO
Native Name Lang:ja
Occupation:Choreographer, dancer
Other Names:Mikiko-metal
Known For:Director of Elevenplay; choreographer for Perfume, Sakura Gakuin, Babymetal
Birth Date:11 August 1977
Birth Place:Tokyo, Japan

Mikiko Mizuno (born 11 August 1977),[1] known professionally as simply Mikiko[2] or Mikikometal (both stylized in all caps),[3] is a Japanese dancer and choreographer. She is the director and principal choreographer[4] of the high-tech[5] dance troupe Elevenplay, and also works with performers such as Perfume,[6] Sakura Gakuin,[7] and Babymetal.[3] She was a production consultant and choreographer for Tokyo's handover presentation at the 2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.[8]

Early life

Mikiko was born in Tokyo, Japan.[9] The youngest of three sisters, her family moved to Hiroshima when she was two years old due to her father's job transfer.[9] Her home in Hiroshima was located along the Peace Boulevard where the Hiroshima Flower Festival was held every year in May,[10] where she observed the process of building the framework of the stage. As her father worked at an advertising agency, she was able to see live performances and the work behind the scenes, and she learned about the choreography profession when she saw a live performance of Yomei Club from backstage.[11] As a member of the baton club at Yasuda Girl's Junior High School, she participated in the Flower Festival stage and parade and began dancing in front of people, and started hip-hop dancing in high school.[12]

Career

In 1996, at the age of 19, Mikiko began teaching dance based on her experience in ballet and street dance.[13] In 1999, at the age of 22 and while still in college, she became an instructor at the newly founded Actor's School Hiroshima.[14] [15] Her first students included the future members of Perfume, who were then in the fifth grade of elementary school.[16] [17] Mikiko has choreographed most of their songs, both as part of choreography lessons at the school and after Perfume left for Tokyo.[18] The school holds two recitals every year, one in the spring and one in the fall, and she created choreography for about 50 songs a year for the students.

In 2000, Mikiko became a back-up dancer for MAX and formed the dance group VAX.[19]

In 2005, at the age of 28, Mikiko signed a management contract with the Amuse Inc. talent agency, which had also signed Perfume two years prior, and moved to Tokyo to focus on creating work. She was recruited directly by Amuse chairman Yokichi Osato after he watched the stage play DRESS CODE, in which Mikiko worked on production, direction, and choreography. In order for her to become a theater director, Osato instructed her to move to New York to study stage production and improve her sensibility.[20] [21] While in the United States, she continued teaching dance to Perfume and other artists via video messaging.[13] When she returned to Japan in 2008, she was unaware that Perfume already had their breakthrough hit with "Polyrhythm".

After returning to Japan, Mikiko continued choreographing and formed Elevenplay in 2009. Since the formation of Sakura Gakuin in 2010, she has choreographed all the songs for the group and its sub-units, including Babymetal. In 2012, she choreographed the fashion show "CanColle!" organized by the fashion magazines CanCam and AneCan.[22] [23] [24]

In 2014, Elevenplay and Hatsune Miku performed as the opening acts of Lady Gaga's concert.[25]

In 2016, Mikiko was in charge of the artistic part of the Olympic flag handover ceremony at the 2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. In the same year, she choreographed the "Koi Dance" for the ending of the TBS drama The Full-Time Wife Escapist.[26] [27] [28]

In 2017, Mikiko was appointed into the planning committee of the 2020 Summer Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. However, it was announced on 23 December 2020 that the committee had been disbanded due to the "simplifications" necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had also caused the event itself to be delayed to July 2021.[29]

In 2019, Mikiko choreographed the debut single "Pinky Promise" for @onefive,[30] and Elevenplay later choreographed four additional songs.[31]

On 31 December 2020, Perfume and Babymetal performed in the 71st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen. It was the thirteenth appearance of Perfume and the first for Babymetal.[32] [33]

On 26 February 2023, Mikiko directed Gift, the first figure skating event to be held at Tokyo Dome. The solo ice show was produced and performed by two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.[34]

Awards and honors

In 2014, Mikiko choreographed and directed an advertising video for Isetan that won the Good Design Award.[35]

In 2015, Perfume's performance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival won the Prime Minister's Award/ACC Grand Prix in the interactive category of the ACC CM Festival. For this performance, Mikiko created the storyboard and advised artist and frequent collaborator Daito Manabe of Rhizomatiks and others on lighting and camera work.[36] [37]

In 2016, Mikiko choreographed the music video for "Cold Stares" by Nosaj Thing, which received the Award of Distinction at the Austrian Prix Ars Electronica awards in the Computer Animation/Film/VFX category.[38]

In 2017, the Digital Media Association of Japan awarded Mikiko with the Jury's Special Award during the AMD Award '16.[39] [40] She was also selected as one of Vogue Japan's "Women of The Year".

In 2018, Mikiko and singer-songwriter Chisato Moritaka were inducted into the Fourth Women of Excellence Awards.[41]

Style

Mikiko's main objective is to show the beauty of the dancer's body and personality,[13] which was inspired by the differences in body types and cultures she witnessed while in the United States.[42] She uses everyday gestures in her choreography and sometimes deploys advanced technology such as projectors, drones, LEDs, and moving semi-transparent screens.[43] The choreographer who has influenced her the most is Bob Fosse, who has an "aesthetic of subtraction".[44]

On choreographing the dance for heavy metal, scriptwriter and producer Chiaki J. Konaka remarked that Mikiko's influences included the signature blast beats and guitar solos of the genre. For example, the riding dance in the intro of Babymetal's "Road of Resistance" is a visualization of the Gladstone drumming technique, and the dance in general is also synchronized with the guitar solos.[45]

Perfume's choreography is influenced by science fiction imagery and emphasizes upper body and robot-like hand movements.[46] Much of the cutting-edge technological aspects, such as drones, are proprietary technology developed in collaboration with the experimental digital art firm Rhizomatiks and tested by Elevenplay before implemented in Perfume's shows.[47]

The choreography in the "Koi" dance describes the sound of the instruments and the lyrics through movement. Gen Hoshino described the choreography as "magnifying the charm of the song and its ability to communicate to the listener many times over.[48]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 逃げ恥「恋ダンス」振り付け／MIKIKO氏略歴 - 五輪・一般ニュース : 日刊スポーツ . 2022-05-24 . nikkansports.com . ja . 24 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220524070334/https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202001140000066.html . live .
  2. Web site: MIKIKO CHOREO-DIRECTOR. www.mikiko0811.net. ja. 15 November 2017. 25 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140325173330/http://www.mikiko0811.net/. live.
  3. Web site: 『ぴあMUSIC COMPLEX Vol.4』にBABYMETALと宇多田ヒカル BARKS . 4 April 2016 . BARKS . ja-JP . 30 October 2018 . 30 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170456/https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000125846 . live .
  4. Web site: ELEVENPLAY. ELEVEN PLAY. ja. 15 November 2017. 15 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171115230358/http://elevenplay.net/about. live.
  5. News: Watch a Modern Dance Battle Between Drones and a Human. 13 March 2015. Creators. 15 November 2017. en-us. 30 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181030090846/https://creators.vice.com/en_us/article/wnpxgn/watch-a-modern-dance-battle-between-drones-and-a-human. live.
  6. News: St. Michel . Patrick . Perfume goes back to dance basics ahead of Coachella debut . 1 February 2021 . The Japan Times . 10 January 2019 . 22 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210122204352/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2019/01/10/music/perfume-goes-back-dance-basics-ahead-coachella-debut/ . live .
  7. Web site: 13 February 2017 . さくら学院が"13人"で恋ダンス、森ハヤシ39歳「いい人生だった」 – 音楽ナタリー . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181030090918/https://natalie.mu/music/news/220540 . 30 October 2018 . 30 October 2018 . 音楽ナタリー . Natasha, Inc. . ja.
  8. News: Shiina Ringo to Help Produce Tokyo's Handover Ceremony at the Rio Olympics ARAMA! JAPAN. 26 January 2016. ARAMA! JAPAN. 15 November 2017. en-US. 11 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111124746/https://aramajapan.com/news/shiina-ringo-to-help-produce-tokyos-handover-ceremony-at-the-rio-olympics/54208/. live.
  9. News: 20 April 2017. "恋ダンス"生みの親にして今、注目度NO.1の演出振付家・MIKIKOに密着. 毎日新聞. 23 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170423101158/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20170420/org/00m/200/015000c. 23 April 2017.
  10. News: 5 May 2017 . ja:「ゆかりの人物インタビュー」 演出振付家 MIKIKOさん . [Interviews with people associated with the company] MIKIKO, director-choreographer . .
  11. Web site: 12 February 2017. Perfumeの振付師・MIKIKOの"裏側好き"をつくった原体験「ドキュメンタリーやメイキングが大好きだった」 【2月毎日更新！】一流の秘密、30問30答・MIKIKOさん. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170803092610/http://best-times.jp/articles/-/4433. 3 August 2017. Best Times.
  12. Web site: 1 February 2017. Perfume、BABYMETAL、恋ダンス......カリスマ演出振付家・MIKIKOの才能を見抜いた"ある人物"とは 【2月毎日更新！】一流の秘密、30問30答・MIKIKOさん. Perfume, BABYMETAL, Koi Dance ... Who is "the person" who saw the talent of charismatic choreographer MIKIKO?. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180928010224/http://best-times.jp/articles/-/4339. 28 September 2018. 29 January 2021. Best Times. ja.
  13. News: 26 October 2011. Perfumeの振付師MIKIKOの新たなる挑戦！ ダンスカンパニー「イレブンプレイ」と初公演「dot.」に迫る. white-screen.jp インタビュー. 27 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20140102190954/http://white-screen.jp/?p=11567%2F. 2 January 2014. live.
  14. May 2008. 2008. Perfume 今一番知りたい素顔 cross×talk. BOMB. 23–26.
  15. Web site: 31 December 2016. 第40回 演出振付家 MIKIKOさん. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111114739/https://www.j-wave.co.jp/original/seasons/beautiful/245.html. 11 January 2022. 29 January 2021. www.j-wave.co.jp. ja.
  16. Web site: 17 March 2017 . ja:音楽シーンで"振付師"の存在感が高まっている理由 アーティストとの深い関係性から探る . Why the presence of 'choreographers' is growing in the music scene: Exploring the deep relationship with artists. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220111134626/https://realsound.jp/2017/03/post-11711.html . 11 January 2022 . 23 April 2017 . リアルサウンド.
  17. Web site: Perfumeのすべてを知り尽くす演出振付家・MIKIKOが明かす感謝の気持ち「なにがあっても助けようと思う」 . MIKIKO, the director-choreographer who knows everything about Perfume, reveals her gratitude: "I'm going to help them at any cost" . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170215050349/http://best-times.jp/articles/-/4439 . 15 February 2017 . 29 January 2021 . Best Times.
  18. 森樹. 22 December 2007. Perfumeを生み出す力——"第4のPerfume"たち のっち×MIKIKO. . 75. 69–71.
  19. 演出振付家 MIKIKO 〜BALANCE CONTROL〜. 12 August 2013. Tokyo Dance Magazine. 10 October 2008. MIKIKO. 4 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170904214754/http://www.tokyo-dance-magazine.com/people/mikiko/index.html. live.
  20. Web site: 演出振付家・MIKIKOのブレない信念「万人に受けなくても、たったひとりの人生を左右するものを作りたい」 . 29 January 2021 . 3 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170803091527/http://best-times.jp/articles/-/4435 . dead .
  21. Web site: MIKIKO – アミューズ オフィシャル ウェブサイト. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101031012901/http://artist.amuse.co.jp/artist/mikiko/. 31 October 2010.
  22. http://anecan.tv/official/2012/02/8817508.html AneCan編集部ブログ – CanCam・AneCanモデル大集合で記者会見
  23. Web site: 蛯原友里、押切もえ、久住小春らが"踊るファッションショー"開催 Perfume振付師が指導 . 15 February 2012 . 29 January 2021 . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220111121320/https://mdpr.jp/fashion/detail/1169585 . live .
  24. News: Takebata. Naoki. 19 March 2012. 女子のお祭り 花盛り 東京ガールズコレクション. Asahi Shimbun Digital. live. 12 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170511121456/http://www.asahi.com/fashion/beauty/TKY201203180100.html. 11 May 2017.
  25. Web site: 31 January 2018. Tokyo-based movement group to perform at Federal Way PAEC Feb. 1. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111113441/https://www.federalwaymirror.com/life/tokyo-based-movement-group-to-perform-at-federal-way-paec-feb-1/. 11 January 2022. 2 February 2021. Federal Way Mirror. en-US.
  26. Web site: New 'Love Dance' takes Japan by storm, thanks to a Japanese drama and a handsome J-Pop star. 29 January 2021. Japan Today. 9 December 2016 . en. 11 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111120019/https://japantoday.com/category/features/new-love-dance-takes-japan-by-storm-thanks-to-a-japanese-drama-and-a-handsome-j-pop-star. live.
  27. http://www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2016/12080558/?all=1 新垣結衣ドラマを録画視聴率1位に 「恋ダンス」振付師
  28. News: 12 October 2016. 「逃げ恥」ガッキーの"恋ダンス"が悶絶級「ポッキー以来の衝撃」「可愛すぎるなんてもんじゃない」. Modelpress. live. 11 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111110129/https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1623161.
  29. Web site: 【会見レポート】椎名林檎やMIKIKOら参加の「東京2020オリンピック」総合演出チームが解散、簡素化のため体制見直し . The "Tokyo 2020 Olympics" general direction team, which includes Sheena Ringo and MIKIKO, has been disbanded, and the structure has been reviewed for simplification . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220111125819/https://natalie.mu/music/news/409967 . 11 January 2022 . 29 January 2021 . Natalie Music . ja.
  30. Web site: 2019-10-19 . @onefiveの正体が明らかに「Pinky Promise」MV公開 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104193336/https://natalie.mu/music/news/352136 . 2024-01-04 . 2023-01-17 . Natalie . Natasha, Inc. . ja.
  31. Web site: Casting . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240202163540/https://elevenplay.net/casting . 2024-02-02 . 2024-01-17 . Elevenplay . ja.
  32. Web site: NiziU、瑛人ら10組初出場／紅白出場歌手一覧 – 音楽 : 日刊スポーツ. 1 February 2021. nikkansports.com. ja. 24 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124124249/https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/202011160000002.html. live.
  33. Web site: MIKIKO先生 on Instagram: "（毎度遅ればせながら） 明けましておめでとうございます 2020年は決断の多い年でした 特別な年に得た学びを胸に 今年も清く正しく美しくしなやかに生きて参ります 2021年明けて直ぐに撮影した3世代集合写真（ズっ友写真）を記念にポスト♡愛おしや...". https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CJpxd1Yg962 . 24 December 2021 . registration. 1 February 2021. Instagram. en.
  34. Web site: 24 June 2023. Gift – Ice Story 2023.
  35. Web site: 2014 Good Design Award. 2 February 2016. Japan Institute of Design Promotion. 11 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111113402/http://www.g-mark.org/award/describe/41730. live.
  36. Web site: インタラクティブ部門 入賞作品リスト. 12 January 2017. 全日本シーエム放送連盟. 2 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170102173543/http://acc-cm.or.jp/festival/2015fes_result/interactive.html. dead.
  37. Web site: PerfumeのSXSW—真鍋大度とMIKIKOが語る舞台裏. 12 January 2017. 日本テレビ SENSORS. 15 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170315073252/http://www.sensors.jp/post/post_65.html. live.
  38. Web site: WINNERS 2016. 2 February 2016. ARS Electronica. 1 July 2013. https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20130701103541/http://www.aec.at/prix/en/gewinner/. live.
  39. Web site: 第22回 AMD Award '16 受賞作品一覧. 14 March 2017. デジタルメディア協会. 29 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170729133204/https://amd.or.jp/award/22/works/01.html. live.
  40. Web site: BABYMETALが「AMD Award」優秀賞受賞、MIKIKOは審査員特別賞. 12 May 2017. ナタリー. 株式会社ナターシャ. 9 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170509171321/http://natalie.mu/music/news/224407. live.
  41. Web site: Women of Excellence Awards: MIKIKO . . 2 July 2020 . 10 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210810070730/https://special.nikkeibp.co.jp/atclh/WOL/18/seikowatch0418/4th_review/p4/index.html . live .
  42. Web site: Perfumeの振付師・MIKIKOに訪れた転機「辞める楽しさと苦しさ、どっちを選ぶ？と迫られてるような一年間だった . 29 January 2021 . 3 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170803095506/http://best-times.jp/articles/-/4436 . dead .
  43. News: Herman . Tamar . Perfume's High-Tech, High-Fashion J-Pop comes to New York this Weekend . 1 February 2021 . The Village Voice . 1 September 2016 . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220111113443/https://www.villagevoice.com/2016/09/01/perfumes-high-tech-high-fashion-j-pop-comes-to-new-york-this-weekend/ . live .
  44. Web site: 20 February 2017 . ja:「引き算の美学を学んだ」Perfumeダンスを生んだ演出振付家・MIKIKOが影響されたアーティスト 【2月毎日更新！】一流の秘密、30問30答・MIKIKOさん . Artists who influenced MIKIKO, the director-choreographer who created the Perfume dance "I learned the aesthetics of subtraction" Updated every day in February! Secrets of the best, 30 questions and answers, MIKIKO . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170713092401/http://best-times.jp/articles/-/4444 . 13 July 2017 . 29 January 2021 . Best Times.
  45. Web site: Konaka. Chiaki J.. Chiaki J. Konaka. 『Road of Resistance』考 3. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200216160511/http://tripleaxel.cocolog-nifty.com/babymetal/2016/06/road-of-resista.html. 16 February 2020. 8 October 2016.
  46. Web site: 20 June 2019. Is J-pop girl band Perfume destined for US stardom?. 29 January 2021. South China Morning Post. en. 11 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111121320/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3015205/j-pop-girl-band-perfume-destined-us-stardom. live.
  47. Web site: Byford. Sam. 29 March 2019. Behind the scenes with Perfume, Japan's most futuristic pop group. 29 January 2021. The Verge. en. 11 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220111121320/https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/29/18286681/perfume-future-pop-tour-tech-rhizomatiks. live.
  48. News: 1 March 2017. 社会現象"恋ダンス"人気のヒミツは？. NHKジブ5時.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mikiko (choreographer)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.