New dance & performance

Tashi Iwaoka: Kuroko’s memories [director’s 1st assistant’s cut]

Kuroko’s memories [director’s 1st assistant’s cut]
is the second performance of Kuroko. It is about the Kuroko’s attempt to fill the emptiness created by the loss of his beloved objects.
This piece was made after the fact that I had realised I forgot all the props for Kuroko’s dreams 07 in Finland when I had the Kuroko performance in Amsterdam. Kuroko (= I) had to create a new performance without his beloved objects, and it became a piece about loss and longing while getting on with whatever comes.
This piece was created for Colour Dance Festival in Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam. To fit the busy festival programme the shorter version was presented for that occasion. Due to this circumstance [the director’s cut] (full length version) is yet to be shown, though it already exists.

Idea, texts, sound collage and performance: Kuroko (aka Tashi)
Text advice: Noha Ramadan
Production: Ehkä-production, Muiderpoorttheater, Tashi Iwaoka

Premier 15.12.2007 Muiderpoorttheater

Kuroko (sometimes called Japanese Invisible Man in theatre)
They are dressed in total black and help things necessary on stage e.g. moving a puppet across the stage while the puppet master her/himself controls other particular parts of the puppet itself, or in other occasions they bring props back and forth.
The audience does see them moving around the stage but as a Japanese traditional theatre code, Kuroko are supposed not to be seen as existing on stage. And of course they are silent in every way.
In the past, many times Iwaoka wanted to be like them.
No credits for their activities but without them the whole thing does not go on.
After giving a chance to make a homemade Kuroko costume in my DasArts study, Kuroko has become a popular character which appears (though invisible) in theatres and other events.

Kuroko was also seen (though invisible) in:
’A Way of the Dragon [a frame for waking new clear balance]’ at Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam
’significant collision’, a DasArts’ event at AHK, Amsterda
the opening of ’Japan, New&Old, In&Out’ as part of Gastarbeider at Mediamatic, Amsterdam
the opening of ’No strings Attached’ by Nir Nadler and Chaja Hertog at CBK Amsterdam
’La La Land’ by Doron Hirsch at AHK, Amsterdam
’Land Edscape (the musicle)’ by Ben Büchenbacher and Einat Ganz at Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam