TEHRAN-Iranian director and choreographer Kamyar Salehpour will collaborate with Dai Matsuoka, the Japanese Butoh artist and a member of the Sankai Juku troupe, in a joint project.

According to the media and publicity consultant of the play, Sara Haddadi, the performance, produced by Mohammad Hossein Tootoonchian, will be staged in the second half of the year.

Regarding the joint event, Salehpour said: “The main goal is to bridge different styles of choreography to create a new form of performance in the realm of movement and form. We also seek to provide an opportunity for mutual learning and growth”.

To select the final performers for this project, a joint workshop with the presence of both designers will be held in 16 sessions. The chosen performers will be selected to play roles in this artistic production.

The collaboration aims to convey a message of solidarity and cultural exchange between Iran and Japan to the world, marking a starting point for more artistic collaborations between the two nations.

Kamyar Salehpour's career as a theater and film director, choreographer, actor, performer, yoga instructor, and specialist in Eastern therapies and complementary medicine includes collaborations with prominent figures such as Bahman Farmanara, Arvand Dashtaray, Iman Afsharian, Mahan Heidari, Hamidreza Naeimi, and others. 

He has also taught at institutions like 8mm Film School, Karnameh Institute, Mahan Institute, Samandarian Academy, and Sima Tirandaz Academy. He has participated in training courses in Poland, Germany, China, Lebanon, India, Tibet, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Bulgaria, and more, and has held various workshops in cities across Iran as well as in China, Poland, Lebanon, and Turkey.

Dai Matsuoka is a Butoh master and choreographer based in Tokyo. He holds degrees from Kuwasawa Design School and the Faculty of Culture at Sophia University. He has been a member of the renowned Butoh dance troupe Sankai Juku since 2005, and has traveled to more than 30 countries with the company. 

He also runs the organization LAND FES in Tokyo, producing site-specific choreography events and filmed content online.

Photo: Kamyar Salehpour (L) and Dai Matsuoka

SS/SAB