島ぜんぶでおーきな祭-第7回沖縄国際映画祭-

Guests at the 7^th Okinawa International Movie Festival were nearly blown off their seats with a stunning dance performance on Thursday 26, choreographed by German-born, New York–based dancer and choreographer Hinton Battle.

The renowned performer debuted on Broadway back in 1975 as a scarecrow in “The Wiz” and has won three prestigious Tony Awards for Best Supporting Actor – the first African American to achieve the feat – for his roles in “Sophisticated Lady” (1981), “The Tap Dance Kid” (1984), and “Miss Saigon” (1991).

Now a producer of his own shows, including 2013’s “Hinton Battle’s American Variety Bang!” in Osaka, Battle was at OIMF to present a new crop of talent that he describes as “the future of entertainment.” Performing an extended show titled “Danzzze Dreams,” two combined units from New York and Japan took to a stage designed as a school classroom.

As the teacher draws on the blackboard each student has their own daydream, played out around the desks and chairs. The concept was inspired by a skit that Battle had the Japanese dancers do to show student life in Japan, and provide a neat reminder to organizers Yoshimoto that their own head offices are actually located in an old elementary school in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

The Japanese performers included six dancers personally selected by Battle from an audition of hundreds, titled “Road to Broadway.” Held in May 2014, the five selection rounds included training in New York covered by TV Tokyo’s “Hakkutsu-berry.” All six winners had their own moments to shine on stage, including Koki Nakahara,high school students Kazuki Matsudaira and Hazuki Saito, college students Ayaka Saji and Caho Kitaori, and dance instructor Reiko Kitami.

The Japanese dancers rehearsed for two weeks for the show, which was first performed at APAP in New York in January. And despite their newcomer status, all six held their own against the experienced dancers form the US, Kevin Glasford, Alex Isenberg, Anna Noble, and Ellena Takos. The entire presentation was held in order to announce the forthcoming Hinton Battle Dance Academy, which is planned to open in Tokyo in 2016.