Finally Opening: DAZZLE's 30th Anniversary Performance "HANA to OTORI -arawa-" - A Masterpiece Human Drama from World-Renowned Innovators ~Genepro Report Arrives!~

The 30th anniversary performance of dance company DAZZLE, "HANA to OTORI -arawa-" (花ト囮 -露-), will be staged from July 2 (Thu) to July 12 (Sun), 2026, at Aruespot (Toyoshima City Performing Arts Exchange Center).

DAZZLE was formed in 1996, centered around Tatsuya Hasegawa, who serves as the leader, writer, and director. With the slogan "Dazzle that belongs to all categories, yet to none," they pursue a unique style that fuses street dance and contemporary dance. They have actively incorporated elements of Japanese pop culture, such as movies, comics, and games, to create highly narrative works. Since 2017, they have also been known as pioneers of immersive theater (experiential performances) in Japan.

For DAZZLE, "HANA to OTORI" (花ト囮) is a representative work with special significance. Since its premiere in 2009, it has been restaged multiple times and has received high acclaim overseas, including an invitation to the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (Romania), one of the world's three major theater festivals. The story, inspired by the Japanese folklore "Kitsune no Yomeiri" (Fox's Wedding), depicts the bond and fate of brothers, unfolding with dynamic dance. This "HANA to OTORI -arawa-" is drawing attention as a new challenge, a re-creation of their representative work from a contemporary perspective, marking their 30th anniversary.

The synopsis is as follows: In a certain closed village in Japan, two brothers, given a special mission, encounter a fox wedding and flee in confusion. However, during the chaos, the older brother lets go of his younger brother's hand. The older brother reaches the designated mansion through the mist and is ordered to care for the owner's son...

The original music by composer Yuki Hayashi, a close collaborator of DAZZLE, along with effective use of subtitles, narration, and visuals, depicts a unique world non-stop for approximately 90 minutes.

What first leaves an impression is the visual impact. The "Kitsune no Yomeiri" presented in the opening is fantastical and eerie. The bridal procession, moving quietly from stage right to stage left at the back of the stage, evokes the boundary between the afterlife and the living world. When the older brother arrives at the misty mansion and steps inside, dancers, like stagehands, freely manipulate shoji screens, and the stage space transforms as rooms change one after another. Furthermore, the unsettling writhing of non-human beings like foxes, butterflies, and spiders, as well as the symbolic depiction of "blood," are unforgettable. Including powerful group dances with Japanese umbrellas and lanterns, the stage design and lighting are fully utilized, and by being inextricably linked with the dancers' movements and gestures, they create DAZZLE's unique worldview.

While all of DAZZLE's works are deeply shaded, "HANA to OTORI" is arguably their masterpiece. The depth of a story revolving around life and death, and the layered complexity rooted in Japan's indigenous world, even if the historical background is not explicitly stated. These are presented as urgent expressions of "now and here" through physical expression that freely blends street dance and contemporary dance. The story of the relationship between brothers, father and son, and the boundary between this world and the next. It is convincing that "HANA to OTORI -arawa-" delves more "openly" into such multifaceted human emotions.

The venue, Aruespot, can be said to be a suitable theater for experiencing DAZZLE's comprehensive art form through physical expression up close. The dancers' breaths and the subtle nuances of their ever-changing movements can be fully enjoyed. The accumulation of spatial direction, honed through immersive theater in recent years, can also be fully felt. While celebrating DAZZLE's 30th anniversary, one should definitely experience this masterpiece that reflects their "now."

Reporting and text: Tatsuya Takahashi Photography: Takayuki Shimizu

<Performance Overview>

DAZZLE 30th Anniversary Performance "HANA to OTORI - arawa -"

July 2 (Thu) - July 12 (Sun), 2026, 14 performances in total

Venue: Aruespot (Toyoshima City Performing Arts Exchange Center)

(Directly connected to Exit 6 & 7 of Higashi-Ikebukuro Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, 10-minute walk from the East Exit of JR Ikebukuro Station, 2-minute walk from Higashi-Ikebukuro Yonchome Station on the Toden Arakawa Line)

Written and Directed by: Tatsuya Hasegawa (DAZZLE)

Creative Director: Koichiro Iizuka (DAZZLE)

Choreography and Performance: DAZZLE - Tatsuya Hasegawa, Kazuhiko Miyagawa, Takehiro Kaneda, Shinji Arai, Koichiro Iizuka, Atsushi Nagumo, Hidefumi Takada, Kazuki Miyake

Performers: Yuto Nagamori, Ichiro Hashimoto, Yura Fukushima, Yuki Motohashi, Koki Yamamoto, Moe Nakagome

【Ticket Prices (All seats reserved, tax included)】

General Admission: ¥11,000

Student Seats: ¥5,500 *Student ID required for entry on the day of the performance.

DAZZLE Seats: ¥14,500 Includes random postcard, for the first 2 rows.

Kyodo Tokyo https://tickets.kyodotokyo.com/dazzle30/

Ticket Pia (P-code 540-814) https://w.pia.jp/t/dazzle30/

e+ https://eplus.jp/dazzle30/

Lawson Ticket (L-code: 31524) https://l-tike.com/dazzle30/

*Preschool children are not allowed to enter.

*Wheelchair users will be accommodated in the general admission and student seating areas. Please purchase a general admission or student ticket and contact the Kyodo Tokyo Ticket Center (0570-550-799 Weekdays 11:00-18:00, Sat/Sun/Holidays 10:00-18:00).

*Resale of tickets for commercial purposes is prohibited.

*Tickets will not be refunded due to performer changes.

*If you arrive after the performance has started, you may be asked to wait until a designated time for the sake of the production.

【Inquiries】

Kyodo Tokyo 0570-550-799 (Weekdays 11:00-18:00 / Sat/Sun/Holidays 10:00-18:00)

Organizers: Kyodo Tokyo, Kyodo Factory

<After Talk>

Venue: Aruespot

After the 5:00 PM performance on July 5 (Sun)

Speakers: Tatsuya Hasegawa, Takehiro Kaneda, Koichiro Iizuka, Kazuki Miyake

After the 2:00 PM performance on July 8 (Wed)

Speakers: Tatsuya Hasegawa, Kazuhiko Miyagawa, Koichiro Iizuka, Atsushi Nagumo

After the 7:00 PM performance on July 9 (Thu)

Speakers: Tatsuya Hasegawa, Shinji Arai, Koichiro Iizuka, Hidefumi Takada

*All attendees of the respective performances are welcome to participate. Please enjoy from your seats following the main performance.

*The after-talk will begin after the performance, once preparations are complete.

*Speakers are subject to change. Please be advised.

*Duration: Approximately 20 minutes planned

<DAZZLE 30th Anniversary Special Talk Show>

Venue: Aruespot

Date and Time: Saturday, July 11, 2026, 7:00 PM start (6:45 PM doors open)

Speakers: DAZZLE Members

(Tatsuya Hasegawa, Kazuhiko Miyagawa, Takehiro Kaneda, Shinji Arai, Koichiro Iizuka, Atsushi Nagumo, Hidefumi Takada, Kazuki Miyake)

Guest: Yasuhiro Senzaki

Ticket Price: ¥2,500 (tax included, all seats reserved) *Includes sticker

Ticket Sale Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026, 10:00 AM ~ First-come, first-served, seat selection available

Reception: Kyodo Tokyo

https://tickets.kyodotokyo.com/dazzle30talk

*A separate ticket for the talk show is required to attend the special talk show.

*Speakers are subject to change. Please be advised.

*Duration: Approximately slightly less than 1 hour planned

Public Relations: Kyodo Medias Media