In the arena of artistic production, a publicly run performing arts facility on the Sea of Japan coast is issuing a challenge to Tokyo, the nation's center of cultural activity. The Niigata City Performing Arts Center (Ryutopia) has tapped Jo Kanamori, a 29-year-old star dancer and choreographer, to launch a contemporary dance company to be based at the center.
Kanamori, who went to study in Europe at the age of 17 and whose talent is recognized by such big names as Maurice Bejart, Jiri Kylian and Yorgos Lukos, has signed up for a three-year artist-in-residence program in which he will serve as art director for Noism04, a new 10-member dance company.
The ambitious goal of Ryutopia, says General Manager Shigehiko Maruta, is to effect a dramatic cultural shift. "We would like to change the general cultural situation in Japan, in which Tokyo creates things and local cities buy them and show them to their citizens," he said. "We would like to see a situation in which a city such as Niigata creates artistic productions and sells them to Tokyo and other cities at reasonable prices."