Shira Hime Ryu -a story of a white lady dragon- (2018)
Choreographed & Performed by Yokko
Music by César Dávila-Irizarry (American Horror Story) Costume by Deepsikha Chatterjee Face-paint Concept by Elena Thomopoulou Lighting by Andy Dickerson Photograph by Warren Archer Video by Geoff Shelton Shira Hime Ryu- a story of a white lady dragon- is a collaboration between Yokko and César Dávila-Irizarry (American Horror Story) This is an exploration of longing and power relations in the realm of remembrance and dreams. The story is inspired by Japanese Dragon Legend and a dream Yokko had. The white dragon is associated with water. Honored and revered for both its destructive and life-giving force. It is believed that unmarried older women are possessed by the dragon deities and its struggles with memories and desires. Women who are cursed because of sins from previous lives.
"Yokko's nightmarish transformation from meek and vulnerable to fiendish and foul and painted a ghoulishly satisfying portrait displaying twisted terror and darkness in ways rarely encountered on stage."
-Cindy Sibilsky, Broadway World (READ FULL REVIEW) BIOS
Yokko is an actor, a Theatre & Butoh Artist from Japan. She has acted in, devised and choreographed a variety of local and international shows, having won several awards, including “Best One-Woman Show” “Best Choreography” for Butoh Medea (United Solo 2014; Theatre Row). Butoh Medea was selected to perform in Warsaw, Poland. (United Solo Europe 2015; Teatre Syrena), toured Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015, nominated “The Asian Arts Award.” It has been touring Europe and the USA. Recent Credits: Lone Wolf Tribe’s Body Concert (Labapalooza!; St. Ann’s Warehouse), SHINKA (PCTF 18; The Clemente), Hide Your Fires (Pan Asian Rep’s NU Works, United Solo 2017; Theatre Row), Palimpsest (Anatomy: Finest Cut; Traverse Theatre, UK). Last Words (The Noguchi Room-Keio, Tokyo). She organizes a festival, UNFIX NYC -creating an awareness of ecology through performing arts-. The artistic director of Ren Gyo Soh (www.rengyosoh.com) MFA in Acting (The Actors Studio).
César Dávila-Irizarry left Puerto Rico when he was 23 years old to pursue studies in sound art and music. After graduating from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he entered the world of sound design for TV and film. In 2011, César became known as the main composer of the theme song of the TV show American Horror Story. Now, with over a decade of experience in sound for motion picture and 6 BMI TV/Film Music Awards, César focuses on composing music that affects emotions discreetly and powerfully by blurring the line between sound design and music. |
Premiered at NY Butoh Institute Fest 18
(Oct. 12-22, 2018) At Theatre For New City |