Photo: Yin-Chi Lee
Thin Paper, Autonomous Synapses, Nomads, Tokyo(ing) 薄い紙、自律のシナプス、遊牧民、トーキョー(する) reveals a new sense of space and time - intersecting people, cultures, landscapes, and moments. With choreography as poetic as its title, this work evokes deep emotion through attention to detail.
Kota Yamazaki and Footnote explore the changing and fluid nature of human identity, freeing it from socially preconditioned notions of self. Throughout the work, words float and scatter, collected from the scenery of Wellington and young people’s hang-out spots in Tokyo. Japanese choreographer Kota Yamazaki returns to Footnote New Zealand Dance, drawing on his previous 2020 piece Fog, Nerves, Future, Ocean, Hello (Echoes) to develop this striking new work.
Thin Paper, Autonomous Synapses, Nomads, Tokyo(ing) made it’s international premiere to sold out audiences in Nagoya & Tokyo in October 2025, and it’s New Zealand premiere at Tempo Dance Festival 2024. This Wellington season is for one night only at the second annual Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance.
““In a world driven by the reproducibility and repetition of online video, it is refreshing to see a dance so interested in change.””
Creative Team
Dancers: Veronica ChengEn Lyu, Airu Matsuda, Levi Siaosi, Cecilia Wilcox, Jemima Smith, Kota Yamazaki
Choreographers: Kota Yamazaki
Sound Design: Jesse Austin-Stewart
Lighting Design: Takeaki Iwashina (Japan), Brynne Tasker-Poland (NZ)
Show Information
Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance
Tuesday 1st July 7.30pm
Tapere Nui, Te Auaha