Nami Yamamoto

Nami Yamamoto, from Matsuyama, Japan, holds an MA in Dance Education from New York University and a BA in Physical Education from Ehime University. Her work has been funded by Creative Capital, Jim Henson Foundation, Suitcase Fund from Dance Theater Workshop and others. She has been inspired by her residency experience at Movement Research, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, and Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography. Her work, Headless Wolf (2017) received The New York Dance and Performance Awards, (the Bessies) for outstanding production. She is a Space Grantee in fall 2019 at Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Gibney DiP Resident Artist in 2019-2020 and an Artist in Residence in 2020 at Center for Performance Research, and receives Satellite Residency Program in 2020 at New Dance Alliance to develop her current work, Trooper’s Brother. Currently, she teaches at New York City public school through Movement Research’s Dance Maker’s program.

She is very happy and honor to work with many young talented dancers at The Wooden Floor ( 2006-2009), New School (2015 and 2019) and BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange (2010). You can see her work at New School at https://youtu.be/XTW_thK8WJc

Capturing the moment photos.

I really value my time in the studio. Long process, a lot of studio time, a lot of physical work before the stage. I am thankful to all amazing collaborators from the past and present. This picture was taken just before the dress rehearsal for Headless Wolf in 2017. Thank you for Ryutaro Mishima to catch the moment.

Headless Wolf (2017) was a very meaningful and important project to me. It took 7 years to develop the piece. Headless Wolf is deeply influenced by my experience of becoming a mother at the same time as losing my father. I am sincerely facing the unbeatable power of fate and have been finding beauty in these two sides of life — birth and death. The performers are Matt Acheson (puppeteer) and his two-foot-tall marionette Idol, 10 pieces of 35 sq foot brown wrapping paper, and Johanna S Meyer, Mina Nishimura, Leah Ogawa and myself. Headless Wolf premiered at Roulette in October 2017 and received the New York Dance and Performance Awards, (the Bessies) for outstanding production.

Headless Wolf (premiere) October 25-27 2017
Roulette
choreographed and directed by Nami Yamamoto in collaboration with Matt Acheson, Johanna S Meyer, Mina Nishimura, Leah Ogawa and Idol
Lighting Design: Asami Morita
Music by No-Neck Blues Band, Keiji Haino
Drum Duet by Matt Heyner, Sean Meehan

Trooper’s Brother is my current project. We have performed this piece at St. Ann’s Warehouse in 2019 as a part of LABAPALOOZA! We were hoping to show another work in progress at Performance Mix in 2020. This piece is inspired by my experience going through the multiple surgeries with Dr. Deborah Axelrod at NYU Langone Medical Center. She is a breast surgeon who dresses up as a kitty cat on Halloween. My relationship to her changed from calling Dr. Axelrod to Deborah throughout my diagnosis process. My observations and interactions to Dr. Axelrod, her nurses, receptionists, surgical coordinators, and colleagues are my inspiration to create this work.

Trooper’s Brother (work in progress)
St. Ann’s Warehouse
May 31- June 2, 2019
Directed and choreographed by Nami Yamamoto
In collaboration with Takemi Kitamura, Leah Ogawa, and Anna Vomacka
Music by Mozart Heroes, Queen

Notes for powerless creature keep going

My days are up and down. Somehow following my routine keeps me going these days. Documentation started on April 5th. That was the first day that I was finally able to let my body move. I am just documenting and making myself alive. I feel powerless…, but I am trying to accept and embrace my powerlessness. Things changed so much, but maybe nothing changed in me. I am not sure.

Big Thank you to all my performers from Trooper’s Brother (Takemi Kitamura, Leah Ogawa and Anna Vomacka). Thank you to my family, Matt, Momiji, and Chibi. Thank you to my friend, Joyce Lim who I check in with every Monday and share a lot of laughs and confusion.

Thank you to Karen Bernard and New Dance Alliance staff for keep going!

Hope everyone is well and safe.

Back to 2020 Performance Mix Festival