MIKIKO
Born
Mikiko Mizuno (水野幹子)

(1977-08-11) 11 August 1977
Tokyo, Japan
Other namesMikiko-metal
Occupation(s)Choreographer, dancer
Known forDirector of Elevenplay; choreographer for Perfume, Sakura Gakuin, Babymetal
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Mikiko Mizuno (born 11 August 1977),[1] known professionally as simply Mikiko[2] or Mikikometal (both stylized in all caps),[3] is a Japanese dancer and choreographer. She is the director and principal choreographer[2][4] of the high-tech[5] dance troupe Elevenplay, and also works with performers such as Perfume,[6] Sakura Gakuin,[7] and Babymetal.[3] She was a production consultant and choreographer for Tokyo's handover presentation at the 2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.[8]

Early life

Mikiko was born in Tokyo, Japan.[9] The youngest of three sisters, her family moved to Hiroshima when she was two years old due to her father's job transfer.[9] Her home in Hiroshima was located along the Peace Boulevard where the Hiroshima Flower Festival was held every year in May,[10] where she observed the process of building the framework of the stage. As her father worked at an advertising agency, she was able to see live performances and the work behind the scenes,[10] and she learned about the choreography profession when she saw a live performance of Yomei Club from backstage.[11] As a member of the baton club at Yasuda Girl's Junior High School, she participated in the Flower Festival stage and parade and began dancing in front of people, and started hip-hop dancing in high school.[10][12]

Career

In 1996, at the age of 19, Mikiko began teaching dance based on her experience in ballet and street dance.[13] In 1999, at the age of 22 and while still in college, she became an instructor at the newly founded Actor's School Hiroshima.[10][12][14][15] Her first students included the future members of Perfume, who were then in the fifth grade of elementary school.[16][17] Mikiko has choreographed most of their songs, both as part of choreography lessons at the school and after Perfume left for Tokyo.[17][18] The school holds two recitals every year, one in the spring and one in the fall, and she created choreography for about 50 songs a year for the students.[12]

In 2000, Mikiko became a back-up dancer for MAX and formed the dance group VAX.[19]

In 2005, at the age of 28, Mikiko signed a management contract with the Amuse Inc. talent agency, which had also signed Perfume two years prior, and moved to Tokyo to focus on creating work.[18] She was recruited directly by Amuse chairman Yokichi Osato after he watched the stage play DRESS CODE, in which Mikiko worked on production, direction, and choreography.[12] In order for her to become a theater director, Osato instructed her to move to New York to study stage production and improve her sensibility.[19][20][21] While in the United States, she continued teaching dance to Perfume and other artists via video messaging.[13][19] When she returned to Japan in 2008, she was unaware that Perfume already had their breakthrough hit with "Polyrhythm".[19][22]

After returning to Japan, Mikiko continued choreographing and formed Elevenplay in 2009. Since the formation of Sakura Gakuin in 2010, she has choreographed all the songs for the group and its sub-units, including Babymetal. In 2012, she choreographed the fashion show "CanColle!" organized by the fashion magazines CanCam and AneCan.[23][24][25]

In 2014, Elevenplay and Hatsune Miku performed as the opening acts of Lady Gaga's ArtRave: The Artpop Ball concert.[26]

In 2016, Mikiko was in charge of the artistic part of the Olympic flag handover ceremony at the 2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.[8] In the same year, she choreographed the "Koi Dance" for the ending of the TBS drama The Full-Time Wife Escapist.[27][28][29]

In 2017, Mikiko was appointed into the planning committee of the 2020 Summer Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. However, it was announced on 23 December 2020 that the committee had been disbanded due to the "simplifications" necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had also caused the event itself to be delayed to July 2021.[30]

On 31 December 2020, Perfume and Babymetal performed in the 71st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen. It was the thirteenth appearance of Perfume and the first for Babymetal.[31][32]

On 26 February 2023, Mikiko directed GIFT, the first figure skating solo show ever held in Tokyo Dome. The show was created, produced and performed by professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.[33]

Awards and honors

In 2014, Mikiko choreographed and directed an advertising video for Isetan that won the Good Design Award.[34]

In 2015, Perfume's performance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival won the Prime Minister's Award/ACC Grand Prix in the interactive category of the ACC CM Festival. For this performance, Mikiko created the storyboard and advised artist and frequent collaborator Daito Manabe of Rhizomatiks and others on lighting and camera work.[35][36]

In 2016, Mikiko choreographed the music video for "Cold Stares" by Nosaj Thing, which received the Award of Distinction at the Austrian Prix Ars Electronica awards in the Computer Animation/Film/VFX category.[37]

In 2017, the Digital Media Association of Japan awarded Mikiko with the Jury's Special Award during the AMD Award '16.[38][39] She was also selected as one of Vogue Japan's "Women of The Year".

In 2018, Mikiko and singer-songwriter Chisato Moritaka were inducted into the Fourth Women of Excellence Awards.[22]

Style

Mikiko's main objective is to show the beauty of the dancer's body and personality,[13] which was inspired by the differences in body types and cultures she witnessed while in the United States.[40] She uses everyday gestures in her choreography and sometimes deploys advanced technology such as projectors, drones, LEDs, and moving semi-transparent screens.[41][42] The choreographer who has influenced her the most is Bob Fosse, who has an "aesthetic of subtraction".[43]

On choreographing the dance for heavy metal, scriptwriter and producer Chiaki J. Konaka remarked that Mikiko's influences included the signature blast beats and guitar solos of the genre. For example, the riding dance in the intro of Babymetal's "Road of Resistance" is a visualization of the Gladstone drumming technique, and the dance in general is also synchronized with the guitar solos.[44]

Perfume's choreography is influenced by science fiction imagery and emphasizes upper body and robot-like hand movements.[45] Much of the cutting-edge technological aspects, such as drones, are proprietary technology developed in collaboration with the experimental digital art firm Rhizomatiks and tested by Elevenplay before implemented in Perfume's shows.[41]

The choreography in the "Koi" dance describes the sound of the instruments and the lyrics through movement. Gen Hoshino described the choreography as "magnifying the charm of the song and its ability to communicate to the listener many times over.[46]

References

  1. ↑ "逃げ恥「恋ダンス」振り付け／MIKIKO氏略歴 - 五輪・一般ニュース : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 "MIKIKO | CHOREO-DIRECTOR". www.mikiko0811.net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 "『ぴあMUSIC COMPLEX Vol.4』にBABYMETALと宇多田ヒカル | BARKS". BARKS (in Japanese). 4 April 2016. Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "ELEVENPLAY". ELEVEN PLAY (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Watch a Modern Dance Battle Between Drones and a Human". Creators. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  6. ↑ St. Michel, Patrick (10 January 2019). "Perfume goes back to dance basics ahead of Coachella debut". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  7. ↑ Inc., Natasha (13 February 2017). "さくら学院が"13人"で恋ダンス、森ハヤシ39歳「いい人生だった」 – 音楽ナタリー". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. 1 2 "Shiina Ringo to Help Produce Tokyo's Handover Ceremony at the Rio Olympics | ARAMA! JAPAN". ARAMA! JAPAN. 26 January 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  9. 1 2 ""恋ダンス"生みの親にして今、注目度NO.1の演出振付家・MIKIKOに密着". 毎日新聞. 20 April 2017. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 4 「ゆかりの人物インタビュー」 演出振付家 MIKIKOさん [[Interviews with people associated with the company] MIKIKO, director-choreographer]. Chugoku Shimbun. 5 May 2017.
  11. ↑ "Perfumeの振付師・MIKIKOの"裏側好き"をつくった原体験「ドキュメンタリーやメイキングが大好きだった」 | 【2月毎日更新！】一流の秘密、30問30答・MIKIKOさん". Best Times. 12 February 2017. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Perfume、BABYMETAL、恋ダンス......カリスマ演出振付家・MIKIKOの才能を見抜いた"ある人物"とは | 【2月毎日更新！】一流の秘密、30問30答・MIKIKOさん" [Perfume, BABYMETAL, Koi Dance ... Who is "the person" who saw the talent of charismatic choreographer MIKIKO?]. Best Times (in Japanese). 1 February 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 "Perfumeの振付師MIKIKOの新たなる挑戦！ ダンスカンパニー「イレブンプレイ」と初公演「dot.」に迫る". white-screen.jp インタビュー. 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  14. ↑ "Perfume 今一番知りたい素顔 cross×talk". BOMB: 23–26. May 2008.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  15. ↑ "第40回 演出振付家 MIKIKOさん". www.j-wave.co.jp (in Japanese). 31 December 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  16. ↑ 音楽シーンで"振付師"の存在感が高まっている理由 アーティストとの深い関係性から探る [Why the presence of 'choreographers' is growing in the music scene: Exploring the deep relationship with artists.]. リアルサウンド. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  17. 1 2 "Perfumeのすべてを知り尽くす演出振付家・MIKIKOが明かす感謝の気持ち「なにがあっても助けようと思う」" [MIKIKO, the director-choreographer who knows everything about Perfume, reveals her gratitude: "I'm going to help them at any cost"]. Best Times. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  18. 1 2 森樹 (22 December 2007). "Perfumeを生み出す力——"第4のPerfume"たち のっち×MIKIKO". Quick Japan. 75: 69–71.
  19. 1 2 3 4 MIKIKO (10 October 2008). "演出振付家　MIKIKO 〜BALANCE CONTROL〜". Tokyo Dance Magazine (Interview). Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  20. ↑ "演出振付家・MIKIKOのブレない信念「万人に受けなくても、たったひとりの人生を左右するものを作りたい」". Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  21. ↑ "MIKIKO – アミューズ オフィシャル ウェブサイト". Archived from the original on 31 October 2010.
  22. 1 2 "Women of Excellence Awards: MIKIKO". Nikkei Business Publications. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  23. ↑ AneCan編集部ブログ – CanCam・AneCanモデル大集合で記者会見 Archived 31 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine、AneCan編集部ブログ – 総集編「Canコレ！の軌跡」、動画アップしました！21分の番組仕立て！ Archived 27 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ "蛯原友里、押切もえ、久住小春らが"踊るファッションショー"開催 Perfume振付師が指導". Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  25. ↑ Takebata, Naoki (19 March 2012). "女子のお祭り 花盛り 東京ガールズコレクション". Asahi Shimbun Digital. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  26. ↑ "Tokyo-based movement group to perform at Federal Way PAEC Feb. 1". Federal Way Mirror. 31 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  27. ↑ "New 'Love Dance' takes Japan by storm, thanks to a Japanese drama and a handsome J-Pop star". Japan Today. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  28. ↑ 新垣結衣ドラマを録画視聴率1位に 「恋ダンス」振付師 Archived 11 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine – デイリー新潮、2016年12月8日
  29. ↑ "「逃げ恥」ガッキーの"恋ダンス"が悶絶級「ポッキー以来の衝撃」「可愛すぎるなんてもんじゃない」". Modelpress. 12 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
  30. ↑ "【会見レポート】椎名林檎やMIKIKOら参加の「東京2020オリンピック」総合演出チームが解散、簡素化のため体制見直し" [The "Tokyo 2020 Olympics" general direction team, which includes Sheena Ringo and MIKIKO, has been disbanded, and the structure has been reviewed for simplification]. Natalie Music (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  31. ↑ "NiziU、瑛人ら10組初出場／紅白出場歌手一覧 – 音楽 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  32. ↑ "MIKIKO先生 on Instagram: "（毎度遅ればせながら） 明けましておめでとうございます 2020年は決断の多い年でした 特別な年に得た学びを胸に 今年も清く正しく美しくしなやかに生きて参ります 🤳2021年明けて直ぐに撮影した3世代集合写真（ズっ友写真）を記念にポスト♡愛おしや..."". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  33. ↑ "Gift – Ice Story 2023". Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  34. ↑ "2014 Good Design Award". Japan Institute of Design Promotion. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  35. ↑ "インタラクティブ部門 入賞作品リスト". 全日本シーエム放送連盟. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  36. ↑ "PerfumeのSXSW—真鍋大度とMIKIKOが語る舞台裏". 日本テレビ SENSORS. Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  37. ↑ "WINNERS 2016". ARS Electronica. Archived from the original on 1 July 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  38. ↑ "第22回 AMD Award '16 受賞作品一覧". デジタルメディア協会. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  39. ↑ "BABYMETALが「AMD Award」優秀賞受賞、MIKIKOは審査員特別賞". ナタリー. 株式会社ナターシャ. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  40. ↑ "Perfumeの振付師・MIKIKOに訪れた転機「辞める楽しさと苦しさ、どっちを選ぶ？と迫られてるような一年間だった". Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  41. 1 2 Byford, Sam (29 March 2019). "Behind the scenes with Perfume, Japan's most futuristic pop group". The Verge. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  42. ↑ Herman, Tamar (1 September 2016). "Perfume's High-Tech, High-Fashion J-Pop comes to New York this Weekend". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  43. ↑ 「引き算の美学を学んだ」Perfumeダンスを生んだ演出振付家・MIKIKOが影響されたアーティスト | 【2月毎日更新！】一流の秘密、30問30答・MIKIKOさん [Artists who influenced MIKIKO, the director-choreographer who created the Perfume dance "I learned the aesthetics of subtraction" Updated every day in February! Secrets of the best, 30 questions and answers, MIKIKO]. Best Times. 20 February 2017. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  44. ↑ Konaka, Chiaki J. "『Road of Resistance』考 3". Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  45. ↑ "Is J-pop girl band Perfume destined for US stardom?". South China Morning Post. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  46. ↑ "社会現象"恋ダンス"人気のヒミツは？". NHKジブ5時. 1 March 2017.
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