J-Music Ride: Cibo Matto & Yu Sakai at Japan Society

Yu Sakai, above, straight from Tokyo. To view the rest of photos, visit my flickr slideshow, or thumbnails.

Thursday, October 20, 2011
8 PM


The funky, whimsically irreverent Japanese expats Miho Hatori (vocals, drum pad) and Yuka Honda (keyboard, sampler) return to Japan Society’s stage this time asCibo Matto ! Since officially reuniting earlier this year, these NY downtown darlings are back and better than ever, with their charming lyrics often referencing food and a dizzying array of sounds influenced by everything from hip-hop, jazz and rock to African and Brazilian beats. Straight from Tokyo, this evening also features the international debut of the silky-voiced keyboardist/singer-songwriter Yu Sakai (Visit Yu Sakai's facebook page ). With R&B beats and jazz-fused j-pop melodies, Sakai’s music is an inventive blend of self-mixed instrumentation and multi-layered vocals. Sakai became an overnight sensation in Japan, breaking radio charts after releasing his first single in 2009 and winning iTunes’ 2010 Best J-Pop Album of the year award with his debut album. Downtown New York collides with modish Shibuya in this one-night-only J-music mash-up.

Cash bar opens at 7 pm.

A dancer in red

To view more photos, visit my flickr slideshow, or thumbnails.

A photo session with Mayuna Shimizu, a New York based dancer and choreographer.

Ailey Camp: Talent Show

To view the rest of photos (108), visit my flickr photo set, or slideshow.

AileyCamp, the innovative full-scholarship summer day camp, created by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater launched in Newark, New Jersey for the first time this summer.  The camp gives 100 of the city’s 11- to 14-year-olds the chance to use dance to spark their creativity, build self-esteem and prepare for life.

More than 200 students applied for the 100 slots in the Newark program, which is free and presented in collaboration with Newark Public Schools and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The campers were chosen for their enthusiasm and interest, not their dancing abilities.

The picture above is from a talent show, which is a preparation for their upcoming graduation showcase in August 10th at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).

SLEEP

A short film by hugheaven.  

The Window Series

For Anybody who wants a good laugh.

Shannon Plumb: The Window Series
200 Lafayette Street (May 5 - June 3, 2011)

A WOMAN LEAVING

To view the rest of photos, visit my flickr slideshow.

A Woman Leaving, is a short film by Ron Patane, the collaboration with a ballet dancer, Rei Ichikawa
and New York based choreagrapher Mayuna Shimizu.

14th Annual Contemporary Dance Showcase, Japan + East Asia

To view the rest of photos, visit my flickr slideshow, or thumbnails.

Japan Society’s annual Contemporary Dance Showcase is one of the most anticipated dance programs in New York, showcasing some of the very best dance from East Asia.

The lineup includes Tokyo choreographer Ryohei Kondo, founder of the popular all-male dance group Condors, Award-winning dancer and choreographer, and Maki Morishita, Seoul’s Ahn Ae-soon Dance Company performing Bul-ssang, a satiric take on Buddhist rituals fusing several forms of Asian traditional dance – including Indian kathak, Korean Jindo drum dancing and Chinese martial arts – with pop and street styles.

The event takes place on Friday, January 7th, and Saturday, January 8th, at 7:30pm at Japan Society, located at 333 E. 47th St.