Behind Closed Doors - 5 Questions with Dancer Junichi Fukuda

by CKM&A on 03/30/12

  1. Who have been the most influential people in your dance career?

My career started by working with Eliot Feld at Ballet Tech. I learned about working in a professional environment from him. Igal Perry of Peridance in NY gave me a sense of ballet technique and at the same time he’s a good mentor.  From Jacqulyn Buglisi, Artistic Director of Buglisi Dance Theatre, I learned to be grounded on stage and how to perform.  She taught me to present myself on stage in many different ways.  That has helped me in CKM&A.  And lastly, Lar Lubovitch, influenced my movement… to make everything circular.  Everything is curvy and that’s how movement can fit together and flow.

2. When were you the most nervous to go on stage and why?

 

I was nervous the first time I did a classical ballet variation when I was a student at the Boston Conservatory in 2000.  I’d only been doing classical ballet for a few years and I was not 100% comfortable with it, it didn’t fit my mannerisms.  The ballet was Les Sylphides and I had to do a double tour en l’air.  I had been doing three or four tours in rehearsal, but when I got to the performance I ended up landing the jump facing the wrong direction, away from the audience. I think I was mostly nervous because I had to wear those white tights…you can’t hide anything in those.

3. How has working with CKM&A on Limited Visibility affected you?

 

Going through the creative process with CKM&A has been so beneficial for me.  It has helped me to realize how to create.  For example, I had to ask myself, “what can I do on this set?” or “how can I solve this problem?”  Christopher calls it “tasking”.  I didn’t exactly understand what he meant by this, but I knew I had to do something, so I just kept going.  Not knowing exactly what’s happening, but still being involved in the process, can be really helpful.  I like working with details. It takes a lot of time, but it’s good to take that time to create and contribute.  I really hope that I’ve contributed to the work.

4. In Limited Visibility, when, why, or how, do you feel the most vulnerable?

 

When I do my solo in the middle of the piece on the risers I feel the most vulnerable because I transferred the words I wrote myself into my movement.  I had to take my thoughts and turn them into movement, into choreography. That is always a vulnerable position to be in.  The riser solo is also blindfolded so that makes it more about my thoughts, my intentions.  I have to dance within myself but still within the piece as a whole. It’s been great to work with Christopher. I hope it continues so that we can create great works together.

 

5. What are your long-term aspirations?

 

Eventually I would like to have my own company and studio, or to run a school… an institution for dance.  I’m not so interested in teaching myself, but I’d like an institution where I can create freely. I’m interested in choreography and directing a company.  I love to collaborate with other artists, so I’d like to incorporate that into the school.  My first choice would be to have professional dancers but I’m also interested in training dancers to be professional.  Professional dance only comes from proper training, so I’d like to work in that as well.

Photos of Junichi by Brianne Bland