Running with the bulls during the annual San Fermin fiesta in the Spanish city of Pamplona, or joining a traditional Ainu festival on Lake Akan in Hokkaido, may seem unusual ways for a choreographer to research — but not if the artist in question is Motoko Hirayama.
Often cited as Japan's foremost contemporary dancer, Hirayama spoke frankly about her methodology when conducting research.
"I'm most comfortable with the uncomfortable," she said. "I need things that keep me on edge, wondering if I'll live up to the challenge."