Born and raised in Japan, Yayoi has lived in Vancouver since 2002. She is a graduate of Toho Gakuen College of drama (1972), and in 1975 co-founded Mime Theatre Pierrot-kan to popularize pantomime in Japan through modern works. Over the past 30 years she has continued her study of Japanese dance and movement such as Kagura, Noh, Kyogen, Kabuki-dance as well as western dance both classic ballet and modern dance. Her mime study has been in both Decroux and Lecoq system. Very early in her career she has had a passion for teaching mime, dance and movement. In 1989, she became the first mime artist to receive the Japanese Ministry of Education Fellowship, and spent a year collaborating with mime and dance artists in Germany and Canada. In 1990, she founded YAYOI THEATRE MOVEMENT Society. Her international performances include festival appearances in Germany, Slovakia and 7 other European countries numerous Asian tours as well as five North American tours.
Her collaboration work with international artists include work with Canadian photographer Courtny Milne(1995), Japanese Jazz musician Terumasa Hino(1996), Halina Witek (Holland 1997 ,1998). For her collaboration with Bulgarian actor Nikolai Sotirov in both Japan and Bulgaria, she was given the Bulgarian Experimental and Avant-garde Performance Art Award in 2001.
Yayoi’s career as a mask carver began 1996 under the mentorship of Noh-mask Master Fujio Fujimori. Since then she has created 15 unique Noh-style masks which have all been used in various performances.
In 2005 Yayoi created a new solo work “Four Seasons” which debuted in October at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre. In 2007 she collaborated with musician/composer Wendy Bross Stuart to create “Mothers” a dance/musical celebration of motherhood. 2008, she performed in Pangaea.Arts “Life of Paper”, and presented an original “Stories” in collaboration with pianist Sara Davis Buechner at the Powell Street Festival.
In the fall of 2008, she co-created and produced “Shinju” with fellow Japanese Canadian actor Manami Hara. Interpreting a traditional Kabuki theatre story Shinju used mime and dance, both traditional Japanese and modern western with Canadian actors on stage. In May 2011, she produced and performed a dance work “Identity-Ancestral Memory” in collaboration with Jay Hirabayashi (Kokoro Dance) at the Revue Stage on Granville Island in Vancouver.
A life long dream to present a Greek tragedy in Noh-theatre style let to Yayoi’s collaboration with director Peter Hall of Mortal Coil to produce Medea/Rokujo in Nov.2013 at the Orpheum Theatre Annex.
In September 2014, Yayoi received a Canada Council Grant for Dance Professionals to research Japanese dance forms and history pre Noh theatre and Kabuki from 800 to 1800. She spent October & November in Japan doing her research.
In September 2014, Yayoi received a Canada Council Grant for Dance Professionals to research Japanese dance forms and history pre Noh theatre and Kabuki from 800 to 1800. She spent October & November in Japan doing her research.
Since 2011 Yayoi and her company have participated in the Canada Day Parade presenting a traditional Japanese festival dance “Vancouver Ondo” with over 200 dancers.
Awards
| 2002 | Experimental and a Vanguard Art Award from Annual Prize of the Union of Bulgarian Actors for “The Daughter of the Snow” |
Major Original Work
- Yayoi Dojoji
- Divine Commedia
- Bolero
- Earth celebration
- UZUME
- KUROZUKA
- Mask
- Shinju
- Scene Z
- Mothers
- Medea-Rokujo
Performance Credits
- Four Seasons (A. Wesker)
- Happy Days (S. Beckett)
- Life of Paper (Pangaea Arts)
- Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing (T. Highway)
Stage Work 1992-2015
Aug. 2015 Performed for Benefit Concert at at VGH and Ladner
July 2015 Performed “Poemime” at VisualSpace in Vancouver
July 2015 Performed “Vancouver Ondo” for Canada day Parade in Downtown
June 2015 Performed “Asobi-wo-sentoya” at VisualSpace in Vancouver
| April | 2014 | Participated in The 24 hours Shakespeare project |
| April | 2014 | Performed at the Cherry Blossom Festival Cherry Jam Downtown at Burrard Station |
| Mar – April | 2014 | Movement consultant/Production Dramaturg for the Carousel Theatre “Wondrous Tales of Old Japan” |
| Nov | 2013 | Co-directed and performed “Medea –Rokujo” at Orpheum Annex Theatre Vancouver |
| July | 2013 | Directed and Performed “ The Restaurant of Many Orders for YOUR CONTINENT Fes in |
| July | 2013 | Pechakucha Night at Richmond Cultural Centre |
| July | 2013 | Performed “Vancouver Ondo” for Canada day Parade in Downtown |
| June | 2013 | Performed “Rokujo” “Multicultural Heritage Music & Movement” |
| April | 2013 | Performed “Vancouver Ondo” at Sakura days VanDusen Garden |
| March | 2013 | Performed “ Wild Woman” at Anime Evolution in Douglas College |
| Aug | 2012 | Performed “Kenji Miyazawa-Music and Movement” for Powell Street Festival |
| June | 2012 | Performed “Rokujo” for “Multicultural Heritage Music & Movement” |
| March | 2012 | Performed “March 11, 2011” with flutist Chieko Konishi for Fundraiser “One Year Later” |
| Feb | 2012 | Performed “March 11, 2011” with flutist Chieko Konishi for Fund Raiser “Changing Tides” |
| Jan | 2012 | Performed “Bolero” with Pianist Sara Davis Buechner at Living with Hiroshima |
| Sep | 2011 | Performed “Izutsu” for We Love Vancouver Festival |
| Aug | 2011 | Worked as a movement coach for “Salmon Row” Mortal Coil Performance Society |
| July | 2011 | Performed “The restaurant of Many Orders” for Powell Street Festival |
| May | 2011 | Produced and Performed “Identity- Ancestral Memory” at Revue Stage on Granville Island |
| April | 2011 | Performed “Requiem” with Sara Davis Buechner for Gala Fund-Raising Concert |
| March | 2011 | Performed “Izutsu” for Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival |
| Nov | 2010 | Performed “Izustu” for Canada-Japan Society of BC |
| Nov | 2010 | Performed “Butterfly Magic” for Burnaby Gogos |
| Oct | 2010 | Performed “Commercial Songs from Around the World” in Qualicum Beach |
| Sep | 2010 | Performed “Izustu” at Pendulum Gallery Vancouver for “Yukiko Onley exhibition” |
| May | 2010 | Worked as a Movement Coach for “Madama Butterfly”, Vancouver Opera |
| April | 2010 | Produced and Performed “Identity-Ancestral Memory” Working on Progress at Centre A |
| April | 2010 | Performed “Butterfly Magic”for the Art Auction National Nikkei Museum & Heritage centre |
| Feb-March | 2010 | Performed at Olympic and Paralympic Event |
| Oct | 2009 | Performed in “Gauche the Cellist” in Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island |
| Sep | 2009 | Performed “Butterfly Magic” for Chamber Choir Fundraiser |
| Sep | 2009 | Performed in “Alms” at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival |
| June | 2009 | Performed “Butterfly Magic” for Choir Leoni Men’s Choir at Bard on the Beach |
| Oct-Nov | 2008 | New Work “Shinju” at the Performance Works |
| Aug | 2008 | Performed for the Powell Festival “Stories” with Sara Davis Buechner at Firehall Arts Centre |
| July | 2008 | Performed at the Chinatown Arts & Cultural Festival 2008 in Vancouver |
| May-June | 2008 | Performed in “The Life of Paper” at Roundhouse Performance Centre Vancouver |
| Dec | 2007 | “Departure” for “!2Min. Max XXXIV” at the Firehall Arts Centre Vancouver |
| Sep | 2007 | “Stories” with Sara Davis Buechner in Qualicum Beach BC |
| Sep | 2007 | “Four Seasons” at “InFringing Dance Festival” in Nanaimo |
| May | 2007 | Role of “a Mother & Grandmother” in ” Okazu” Sea of stories at Gateway Theatre |
| Mar-April | 2007 | “Mothers” at the Waterfront theatre as a part of VIDF |
| Sep | 2006 | “Sumida-river” at VECC for Mosaic Festival |
| July | 2006 | Koken for Canadian Noh Play “The Gull” produced by Pangaea Arts |
| Jan | 2006 | Solo show “Four Seasons” in Grande Prairie AB for 2006 G P LT |
| Oct | 2005 | Solo Show ” Celebration of Life – Four Seasons” at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre |
| June | 2005 | Solo show “UZUME” at Red Strap Market for The Works Fe in Edmonton |
| May | 2005 | Solo show “UZUME” at UBC for Asian Library Open House |
| April | 2005 | Solo show ” Snow Woman” for Cherry Blossom Fes. at Sunrise Pavilion |
| Jan | 2005 | Solo mime “Mime for the Kids” Children’s Festival in Whitehorse |
| April | 2004 | Solo show “Rondo” at UBC for Asian Library Open House |
| May | 2004 | Solo show “Rondo” at Roundhouse Theatre for Explor Asian |
| Nov | 2003 | Solo show “Mask” at Round House Theatre for Dance All Sorts in Van. |
| June | 2003 | Participated in the Charity Concert at UBC Recital Hall with “Bolero” |
| May | 2003 | Solo show “Rondo” for Vancouver International Children’s Festival |
| Mar | 2003 | Solo show ” Mask” at UBC Robson Square theatre in Vancouver |
| Feb | 2003 | Solo show “Rondo” for Pre Olympic Cultural Celebration Event |
| Jan | 2003 | Participated in “UBC Year of Japan” Art Exhibition |
| Nov-Dec | 2002 | Mask exhibition at Centre A in Vancouver |
| Oct | 2002 | Solo show ” Mask” at Centre A in Vancouver |
| July-Aug | 2002 | Directed & performed ensemble show “Wind’s Traveler” at Winnipeg, Saskatoon Swift Current, Edmonton Fringe Festivals |
| June | 2002 | Solo show “Mask” in Tokyo Japan at Umewaka-Noh-theatre |
| Jan | 2002 | “Wind’s Traveler” ensemble movement performance in Tokyo |
| Feb | 2002 | Solo show “Sumida-river” in Tokyo |
| Mar | 2001 | Nana Bush in “Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing” at Theatre X in Tokyo |
| July | 2001 | Collaboration work with RAKUDO dance company in Tokyo |
| July-Aug | 2001 | Collaboration work with N. Sotirov “Daughter of Snow”at Military Club in Sofia Bulgaria, Kyoto and Tokyo in Japan |
| Aug-Nov | 2001 | “A Human Nature” Collaboration work with RAKUDO at the Fringe Festival in Edmonton, Victoria, Vancouver and in Tokyo. |
| June | 2000 | “Happy Days” by S. Beckett at Ginza Miyukikan-Theatre |
| July | 2000 | “Opera Gala – mime & tenor” with Jin Young Zhe in Tokyo |
| Sept | 2000 | “UZUME” at Ebina-City Culture Center in Japan |
| June-July | 1999 | “KUROZUKA” at Drama Theatre for European Culture Month 1999 in Plovdiv Bulgaria and Tokyo |
| Mar | 1998 | Exhibition and performance of Masks in New York, USA |
| April | 1998 | Collaboration work “La Commedia Devine” with Hlina Witek at Theatre Het Klein in Eindhoven, Holland |
| May | 1998 | Solo show “Bolero” at Theatre Het Klein in Eindhoven, Holland, Muzeum Historyczne in Wroclaw, Poland, House of Culture Sredezm, in Sofia, Bulgaria |
| May | 1998 | Solo show “UZUME” at Chunchon International Mime Festival, in South Korea |
| June | 1998 | Solo show “Bolero” at Singapore Festival of Arts |
| Nov | 1998 | Solo show “UZUME” at UPS studio in Tokyo |
| April | 1997 | Collaboration work “Blaubarrd” with Halina Witek at Theatre Het Klein |
| Nov | 1997 | Solo show “Bolero” with full orchestra in Tokyo |
| Sept-Oct | 1996 | Solo show “UZUME” at Theater Het Klein in Eindhoven, Hollandat at Hackesches Hof-Theatre in Berlin, at Japanese Culture Center in Koln, Germany, at international mime festival in Blatislava Slovakia, Millennium Festival at Theater Brett in Wien, Austria Hungary 1102 Festival at Mu-theatre in Budapest, Japanese Culture Week at Ivan Bazov National Theater in Sofia |
| Oct | 1996 | Solo show “UZUME” at Umewaka Noh-theatre in Tokyo |
| June | 1995 | Collaboration work with Courtney Milne “The Sacred Earth” in Tokyo, Japan |
| Oct | 1995 | “Divine Commedia” at Sogetsu-theatre in Tokyo, Japan |
| Feb | 1994 | Solo show “Dojoji” at Kokubunnji-City Culture Center in Tokyo, Japan |
| May | 1994 | Solo show “Scene Z” at Off Festival in New York, USA |
| June | 1994 | Solo show “Scene Z” at the Fringe Festival in Montreal, Canada |
| June | 1994 | Solo show “Scene Z” at Minnesota Fringe Festival in Minneapolis, USA |
| July | 1994 | Solo show “Scene Z” at the Fringe Festival in Toronto and Saskatoon, Canada |
| Aug | 1994 | Solo show “Scene Z” at the Fringe Festival in Edmonton, Canada |
| Dec | 1995 | “The Little Match Girl” in Tokyo, Japan |
| July | 1993 | Solo show “Dojoji” at the Fringe Festival in Winnipeg and Saskatoon, Canada |
| Aug | 1993 | Solo show “Dojoji” at the Fringe Festival in Edmonton, Canada |
| Aug | 1993 | Solo show “Dojoji” at the Fringe Festival in Victoria, Canada |
| Oct | 1993 | Solo show “Dojoji” at the National Culture Festival in Tokyo, Japan |
| Feb | 1992 | Solo show “Fire” at studio ams in Tokyo, Japan |
| June | 1992 | “Magical Imagination” at Sogetsu-theater in Tokyo, Japan |
| July | 1992 | Solo show “Earth Celebration” at the Fringe Festival in Winnipeg and Saskatoon, Canada |
| Aug | 1992 | Solo show “Earth Celebration” at the Fringe Festival in Edmonton, Canada |
| Aug | 1992 | Solo show “Earth Celebration” at Carlton University in Ottawa/Vancouver/Victoria, Canada |
Major Recent Choreographs and/or Movement coaches
| 2014 | “Wondrous Tales of Old Japan” for the Carousel Theatre as Movement Consultant/Production Dramaturg |
| 2013 | “Medea-Rokujo” (YTM) |
| 2012 | “Vancouver Ondo” for Downtown Canada Day Parade |
| 2011 | “Salmon Row” for Mortal Coil Performance Society |
| 2011 | “Identity-Ancestral memory”(YTM) |
| 2010 | “Madama Butterfly” for Vancouver Opera |
| 2009 | “Alms” for Airplank Theatre |
| 2008 | “Shinju” (YTM) |
| 2007 | “Mothers”(YTM) |
Teaching, Workshop, Lecture Experience
2015 April Lecture at VisualSpace for “ Noh-theatre and Kabuki”
2015 March Lecture at VisualSpace for “ Gagaku, Kagura”
2015 Feb Lecture at Nikkei Place for “Japanese Performing Arts before Kabuki”
2015 Feb Lecture at VisualSpace for Japanese Performing Arts before Kabuki
| April 2014 | Workshop presentation for West Vancouver Secondary School, Sentinel Secondary School |
| April 2014 | Lecture and demonstration for AIR Series 67 at Salon Keiko’s |
| 2014 | “Wondrous Tales of Old Japan” for the Carousel Theatre as Movement Consultant/ Production Dramaturg |
Education and Grants
2014 Grant from Canada Council for “Research Japanese performing arts from 800 to 1800 in Japan” in Oct. to Dec 2014, studied Gagaku music and Dance, Kagura, and history.
| 2012 | Grant from Canada Council, BC Arts Council, City of Vancouver, Vancouver Foundation, The Hamber foundation, NAJC for “Medea- 六条” |
| 2011 | Grant from City of Vancouver 125 years anniversary for “Identity-Ancestral Memory” |
| 2009-2013 | Lecture demonstration at Colombia Collage |
| 2010 | Grant from BC Arts Council for “Identity-Ancestral Memory” |
| 2010 | Grant from City of Vancouver for “Identity-Ancestral Memory” |
| 2009 | Grant from Canada Council for “Identity-Ancestral Memory” |
| 2009 | Grant from BC Arts Council for “Identity-Ancestral Memory” |
| 2009 | Grant from NAJC for “Identity-Ancestral Memory” |
| 2007 | Grant from BC Arts Council for “Shinju” |
| 2007 | Grant from City of Vancouver for “Shinju” |
| 2007 | Grant from Granville Island Cultural Society for “Shinju” |
| 2007 | Grant from NAJC for “Shinju” |
| 2006 | Grant from City of Vancouver for “Mothers” |
| 2006 | Grant from Granville Island Cultural Society for “Mothers” |
| 1998 | Grant from Japan Foundation for the world tour of solo show “Bolero” |
| 1996 | Grant from Japan Foundation for the European tour of solo show “Uzume” |
| 1994 | Grant from Japan Foundation for the Canadian tour of solo show “Scene Z” |
| 1994 | Jacques Lecoq (Movement Mime) |
| 1993 | Grant from Ministry of Education for the show – “Dojoji” |
| 1993 | Kazuo Ohno (Butoh), Hideo Kanze (Noh- Theatre Dance) |
| 1990 | Jane Henderson (Clown) in Edmonton Canada |
| 1990 | Peter Baumgart (Ensemble Mime) in Berlin Germany |
| 1989 – 1990 | Gizela Peters (dance technique of Kurt Joorss) in Koln Germany |
| 1989 – 1990 | Milan Sladek (Mime) in Koln Germany |
| 1989 – 1990 | A Member of Japanese Governmental Grant for Artists |
| 1988 | Rubi Shang, Betty Jones modern dance of summer class |
| 1987 | Yuriko Kimura (Graham technique) summer class |
| 1986 | Grant from Japan Foundation for the North American tour of Pierrot-kan |
| 1986 – 1993 | Takeko Sudo Japanese Ancient Dance, Classic Ballet from Michel Decamp |
| 1982 – 1988 | Hiroko-Izumida Ballet School (Modern dance) |
| 1972 – 1973 | Hanayagi Japanese Kabuki dance |
| 1972 | Graduated from Toho Gakuen College of Drama |
Collaborations
| 2013 | “Medea Rokujo” with Peter Hall, Sara Davis Buechner and Paraskevas Terezakis |
| 2010-2011 | “Identity- Ancestral Memory” with Jay Hirabayashi |
| 2008 | “Shinju” with Sara Davis Buechner and Manami Hara |
| 2008 | “Life of Paper” with Pangaea Arts |
| 2007 | “Stories” with Pianist Sara Davis Buechner |
| 2001 | “Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing” with Jocelyne Montpetit |
| 2001 | “Daughter of Snow” with Bulgarian artist, Nicky Sotirov |
| 2001 | “A Human Nature” with dance troop, Rakudo |
| 2000 | “Happy Days” with Bulgarian Director, Dimiter Stefanov |
| 2000 | “Carmen” with Chinese Opera Tenor, Jin Young Zhe |
| 1998 | “Divine Commedia” with Halina Witek |
| 1997 | “Blaubaad” with Artistic Director Halina Witek in Holland, |
| 1997 | “Bolero” with Fuchu City Orchestra |
| 1996 | “UZUME” with Japanese Jazz Trumpet player, Terumasa Hino |
| 1995 | “The Sacred Earth” Canadian Photographer, Courtney Milne |
| 1994 | “Scene Z ” with Artistic Director of Fools Company in NY, M. Russell |
| 1993 | “Dojoji” with Taiko troop “Musashikokufu-taiko” |
| 1992 | “Magical Imagination” with Asuka Strings |
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