Daisuke Takahashi

[synesthesia]

Some nice photos from Yamato Tamura's Instagram.
Dai with Yamato and Kenji.

Thanks for sharing, yugra! I wonder, if Yamato was serious about coincidentally bumping into each other (you never know with Yamato ).

_________________________________​

Dai’s new show was officially announced today! It’s called “Kassouya” and will be held 10-12 February at the renovated Ovision Ice Arena in Fukuoka (the same venue the 2nd stop of Ice Explosion was held at).

“Daisuke Takahashi, who retired last season, returns to Fukuoka with a new show produced by himself! 75 minutes of non-stop, turbulent skating where the skaters show off their craftsmanship! We invite you to a new world. "Kassouya" will bring the ultimate entertainment on ice to Fukuoka. Please come and enjoy it with your own eyes.”

Tentative cast announcement (more skaters will be added/announced later):

• Daisuke Takahashi
• Kana Muramoto
• Kanako Murakami
• Kazuki Tomono
• Sota Yamamoto
• Koshiro Shimada
• Sena Miyake

[So there are a couple of top skaters after all! ]



Date and time:

• Saturday 10 February 2024 (11:00 / 14:30 / 18:00)
• Sunday, 11 February 2024 (11:00 / 14:30 / 18:00)
• Monday (public holiday), 12 February 2024 (11:00 / 14:30 / 18:00)

Venue:

Ovision Ice Arena Fukuoka
1-15-30, Chishiro, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka


Official website: https://kassouya.jp/
Official instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/kassouya_official/

_________________________________​

The men’s cosmetic brand “Lab Series” hosted an in-store pr event at the Isetan Shinjuku department store on 5 November, where fans had the opportunity to win a "30 seconds rendezvous" with Daisuke. 60 participants were chosen by lottery among those, who purchased 11,000 yen worth of products on the day of the event.





According to fan reports, Dai was very handsome and cheerful while handing out Lab Series sample sets, signing autographs, shaking hands and chatting, making the lucky ladies (and reportedly some gentlemen too!) go weak at the knees.

https://twitter.com/164cm50kg/status/1721151959644946675

Some of the things that fans were able to find out:

• Dai won’t direct the new “Hyoen”-production, but he will direct the new show in February (at the time the title had not been revealed yet)
  
  
• He assured once again that he will keep performing for as long as possible
  
  
• He also confirmed that he’d like to learn several different pattern dances with Kana
  
  
• Kana wants to try a tango one day, so he thinks they’ll give it a shot in the future
  
  
• Upon being asked, Dai confirmed that he is currently happy and content

One fan reported that they told Dai that he was the reason they learned how to identify ice dance elements and how the scoring works (I can relate ).

_________________________________​

The 3rd part of the talk between Tadahiro Nomura and Daisuke is up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_iKjj5hDRc

_________________________________​

Sumitada Moriguchi about Daisuke in an interview after Eastern Sectionals:

“I really admire his expression, his sharpness of expression, the way he attracts the audience, and so on. I really admire his great power of expression.

　Also, his range of expression in every song is so wide. I think that no matter which songs we decide to use in the future, there will definitely be at least two songs that we can use as references. I respect him a lot for having worked with so many different genres of programs.

　I also have great respect for Daisuke's humanity. I hope to become someone like Daisuke Takahashi, who is cool, kind to people and can embrace many people. I hope to become such a person.”

Source: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20231105/k00/00m/050/219000c

_________________________________​

Team Lab gave an online presentation yesterday about their development of the projection mapping for “Hyoen” (specifically for the 2021 spin-off production “Luxe”) at the “CGWORLD 2023 Creative Conference“:

https://cgworld.jp/special/cgwcc2023/event/teamlab/


Team Lab pioneered the implementation of the technology in the context of ice shows in Japan. In 2017 “Hyoen” was, to my knowledge, one of the first figure skating shows in the world (along with “Opera on Ice”) to use projection mapping to project elaborate "set designs" onto the ice.

In 2016 there was a "test run", in which Dai performed to the song "GIFT" by the band “Mr. Children”, synchronizing his movement with the pre-created images (the performance was posted in this fan fest previously):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDTGLIwijnE


Since then, the technology has come a long way, so that the performers no longer have to try to memorise and match a pre-defined path. For “Luxe” the skaters’ boots were equipped with sensors that triggered the rendering of the images in real time, in accordance with the performers’ movement. In addition, the on-ice projections were triggered not only by movement, but also by sound/music. The most stunning display of this advanced form of projection mapping was showcased in the climax of the show, the "Phénix" scene, in which Dai (the prince to be king in the story) appears to be leaving a trail of flames.


I'm curious, if the technology has made another leap since then and whether it will be used in the new "Hyoen" production next year.

 

[synesthesia]

On Saturday (November 11) Dai, Kana, Satton, Rika Hongo and Takahito Mura led a skating class for beginners of several ages at the Swan Skating Rink in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture – the only prefecture in the Tohoku region without a rink meeting international standards for official figure skating competitions. At present the Swan Skating Rink is the only indoor rink in the prefecture – however, Sakata City plans to close it at the end of the current fiscal year due to its age.

The campaign was organised by the JSF with the aim of promoting the opening of new ice rinks in the prefecture.




Videos:

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/836260

https://twitter.com/wElcOmeD8376/status/1723826321069912356

https://twitter.com/wElcOmeD8376/status/1723468140678697331

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=ETIGuwkqf4WH_z6Z&v=lruAiRRrsas&feature=youtu.be

高橋大輔さんらトップスケーターが講師のスケート教室 酒田｜NHK 山形県のニュース

【NHK】バンクーバーオリンピック・フィギュアスケートの男子シングルで銅メダルを獲得した高橋大輔さんなどトップスケーターが講師を務めるスケート教室が…

www3.nhk.or.jp

https://twitter.com/ogawat0802/status/1723208407778463757

The following article contains more details – the 2nd part is an interview with Kana and Daisuke about ways to promote figure skating and Dai’s new show (he also explained the origin of the title "Kassouya"):

https://digital.asahi.com/articles/ASRCC46QVRCBUZHB009.html?ptoken=01HEYFDYRXV1PK97RZP61M790K


DeepL translation:

Daisuke Takahashi and others give back with skating classes: 'I hope there will be more rinks in rural areas'

Ogawa, Takahiro 11 Nov 2023, 14:15


Figure skater Daisuke Takahashi came to the only indoor ice skating rink in Yamagata Prefecture. Yamagata is the only prefecture in the six-prefecture Tohoku region without a rink where official figure skating and other competitions can be held. The Japan Skating Federation organised a 'basic skating class' on 11 November, with the aim of raising momentum for the opening of new rinks in the prefecture.


"Okay, bend your legs and stretch them out."

At the "Swan Skating Rink" located inside the Sakata City Gymnasium, Mr. Takahashi, the special lecturer, gave instructions to the children while showing them examples, which elicited cheers. Some children skated smoothly and beautifully even though it was their first time, while others – even though they fell – smiled, saying "Wow, it's fun!"

The five invited instructors were Takahashi, who won Japan's first medal (bronze) for men at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Kana Muramoto, who was part of the ice dance team ”Kanadai'' with Mr. Takahashi until last season, and professionals Rika Hongo, Satoko Miyahara and Takahito Mura. Around 60 people, ranging from first-graders to adult beginners, took part in the skating classes. For the retired skaters, these promotional activities are a way of 'giving back' to the skating world that has supported them.

In the second half of the article, we will also introduce a question-and-answer session with Daisuke Takahashi and Kana Muramoto, who are full of thoughts on 'giving back'. They also talked about the ice show "Kassouya" scheduled for next February.

Mr Takahashi says: "I had a good time. By having many rinks in the region, the number of competitors will increase, and if the number of competitors increases, there will be good athletes competing among them".

The Swan Rink is the only indoor skating rink in the prefecture. However, the city plans to close it at the end of the current fiscal year due to its age and other factors. Since the closure of a private indoor skating rink in 2017, the prefecture – as the only one in the Tohoku region – has been without a rink of international standard (60m x 30m) for official figure skating and other competitions.

In addition to Swan Rink, there are skating rinks in both Yamagata and Tsuruoka cities, but both are outdoor rinks and do not meet the standards for official competitions.

We would like to see a year-round indoor rink in Yamagata. In response to calls from the prefectural skating federation and other sports organisations, the prefectural government last year initiated the 'Ideal Rink Study Council' (chaired by Professor Hirohisa Yamada of Yamagata University), which held five rounds of discussions and presented its options in a report at the end of March this year. The two options are (1) to use the ice all year round as a skating rink, but cover the ice with insulation so that it can be used for other events depending on the conditions, or (2) to put ice only in the winter, and use it for other events in other seasons.

Based on these two directions, the prefecture is currently carrying out basic research into project costs and economic effects. The Swan Rink, where the class was held this time, is open only in winter. According to the Prefectural Planning and Coordination Division, it is expected to be more expensive to put up ice all year round if only annual costs are looked at, but there is a possibility that entertainment revenue could be generated beyond the cost, so it is necessary to examine the situation carefully.

At the regular county assembly meeting in February next year, the project hopes to report on the progress of the survey and propose additional surveys for the next year and beyond. Based on the additional research, the government also intends to consider details such as the location and timing of the installation.



Daisuke Takahashi talks about the origin of the name ‘Kassouya’.


After the class, Mr Takahashi and the other skaters were interviewed by the press. The main exchanges were as follows.



--What did you think of the skating classes?

Muramoto: "In my competitive life, I didn't have much time or opportunity to get to know everyone. I am glad that I have the opportunity to show people how fun skating can be. When children skate, even a little, and their eyes light up with 'wow', it cheers me up too. It went by so fast, but it was a fun time."

Takahashi: "I had a lot of fun during the last hour or so. I teach little kids, but it's not often that I work with beginners like this, so it was interesting to see the different expressions and reactions of each skater, some just enjoying skating, others trying their best, and I learnt a lot from them. There was also the fact that the ice was freshly covered, but the atmosphere was very calming and warm."



--In the region, some skating rinks are closing, like the Swan Rink in Sakata. What do you want to contribute as a skater?

Muramoto: "I think it's important to skate together through these skating classes. I think it will be a very special time for the children to see skaters who have competed at the top of their game together and skate together on the ice. I hope that through this, the attraction and fun of figure skating will be conveyed to them. I think that skating is sometimes seen as a high-level world on TV, but there are also ice shows and so on. In other countries, even if you can't jump, you can audition for an ice show by skating. I want to show people that figure skating is not just about competing at a high level, and I want to convey the various attractions of figure skating through familiar ice shows.

Takahashi: "The number of people competing will increase as more rinks are built in the regions, and as the skating population grows, there will be better skaters competing among them. There are kids with great talent everywhere, so it would be a blow if rinks were to disappear. I myself am a skater from a regional/rural area, so I am happy that people from other regions have come out, and I hope they don't disappear.

I think figure skating is still a sport that is hard to feel close to. I have heard that there are many people who don't know where the next rink is. I think there are still a lot of possibilities for how to make skating more accessible to people, through skating classes and other ways to get in touch with skating. I think it will be important to cooperate with the Japanese federation and coaches to find new forms and to do this in various regions.”



--What is the origin of the name of the ice show 'Kassouya' scheduled for February next year?

Takahashi: "There have been a lot of ice show (title)s in English, such as 'XX on Ice', so since I am going to have only Japanese skaters, I decided to use a name that sounds Japanese. We are craftsmen, professional craftsmen, right? So I named it ‘Kassouya', which means 'skating craftsman', and 'skater's craftsmanship'.



--What do you want to say to the audience?

Takahashi: "I am thinking about the composition from now on, but in addition to the main skaters we are looking for members such as students and working people. I'm thinking of bringing together skaters who have never experienced an ice show before, and we have some top skaters, but we're thinking of doing it for about 75 minutes with no intermission, intertwining with each other. We want to create something new like that, something you've never seen before. We're also trying to keep the price down, so that people who are seeing the show for the first time can easily come and think it's cool, so I hope you'll look forward to it."

_________________________​

Does it sound like Dai is taking the “Ice Explosion” concept of connecting the performances with seamless transitions even further?

It's definitely an interesting concept, and it's really wonderful that he's giving skaters with virtually no show experience such a high-profile opportunity. It has the potential to spark even more interest in young skaters to take up the sport when they see that, as Kana said above, there are many avenues and career paths within skating beyond competing at the highest level.

The “Kassouya” ticket prices range from ￥6,000 to ￥12,000, which is about half the average prices for Japanese figure skating shows. For example, tickets for "Ice Explosion" ranged from ¥9,000 to ¥25,000, depending on the day and time (of course, tickets for elaborate productions like "Hyoen" are even more expensive). This could enable more people to go see a figure skating show, maybe some of them for the first time (I suspect that family members of the skaters would like to come too).

_________________________​

First year junior Iori Horino (Hachinohe FSC) said in a recent interview that he was inspired by Daisuke to take up skating after he had watched him compete on tv as a two year old:

https://www.daily-tohoku.news/archives/197394


It’s nice to know that Dai’s impact is lasting among Japanese juniors and even novices, like young ice dancers Miu Takeuchi & Haruki Tsuchiya, who call KanaDai their idols.

_________________________​

The 4th and final part of Tadahiro Nomura x Daisuke Takahashi is up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D-5kNZyYdg

_________________________​

After being featured in the lifestyle magazine “Kateigaho” many times, the January special edition will mark the first time Dai is going to be on the cover. The magazine will be available from December 1.

 

[deedee1]

from 'FRAU': part 1 https://gendai.media/articles/-/120257
part 2 https://gendai.media/articles/-/120258?media=frau

ETA: In depth interivew, really interesting and fascinated to read. Dai talks about his next ice show 'Kassouya (滑走屋)' and his big dream to create a figure skating 'Company' in future, even a bigger dream to launch a permanent ice rink, not a temporary rink like the usual ice shows, for that company. Very impressive! Fingers crossed his dreams will come true in the future!

 

[deedee1]

Shizuka x Daisuke x Akiko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqgfEKwv2q8

 

[deedee1]

Daisuke talks about his new ice show '滑走屋 (Kassouya)' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ysKztqulo

 

[deedee1]

Some video clips on the upcoming Prince Ice World show where Dai will skate 'Tango de Roxanne' with Prince members

- YouTube

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[synesthesia]

Some video clips on the upcoming Prince Ice World show where Dai will skate 'Tango de Roxanne' with Prince members

- YouTube

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www.youtube.com

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There's footage from today's premiere - love his chemistry with Hirokazu, they're both charismatic and such good dancers. Dai also successfully landed a 2 Axel and attempted a 3 Lutz! It's wonderful to see him jump again - I just hope his knee is ok.

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

www.youtube.com

KanaDai - Birds/Makeba:

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www.youtube.com

Press conference and part of Birds/Makeba:

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www.youtube.com

 

[Arriba627]

Here's my favorite Dai costume!

 

[synesthesia]

Here's my favorite Dai costume!

The Birds/Makeba costumes are quite flashy, aren't they? Dai’s costume is of course not complete without Kana’s:

https://twitter.com/megumi08142/status/1748314464695546105






Tbh, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of them when they were revealed last year. After seeing the program for the first time at Friends on Ice, the concept made sense and now I've really warmed to them. I particularly like the crop tops. Unusual costumes for an unusual program!

____________​

Here's another video of the Marin x Dai press conference:

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I thought it was cute and funny that Marin called her senpai "Dai-chan san". Although they have known each other well for a long time, I guess she wasn't sure if she should address him as "Dai-chan", as everyone (including the media) usually refers to him, or if she should choose the more polite form in front of the press.

 

[demarinis5]

Thanks all for the video clips. Looks like a great show and I loved the theatrical number to Moulin Rouge!
Oh my Dai skating to Roxanne my main man still got it!!!!

 

[synesthesia]

I uploaded Dai's "Tango de Roxanne"/ the "Moulin Rouge Medley", KanaDai's "Birds/Makeba" and the finale/meet & greet from today's full live tv broadcast of PIW :

• Tango de Roxanne/Moulin Rouge Medley (Dai landed a 2A and a 3F today! ): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FqQj2afbcNyaAZ98Nt9uKHEKoi5CGmcS/view?usp=drive_link
  
  
• Birds/Makeba (once again Dai was successful on the 2Lo!): https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Ke7YnTemH_DLviv3Hszemh5fQbIW30a/view?usp=drive_link
  
  
• Finale/Meet & Greet (does anone know, if this was the first time the PIW Meet & Greet was shown on tv?): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JsGosAPTZCvkWJMsRM4vct4Q4lcNq69P/view?usp=sharing

_____________________________​

There has been so much Dai content lately that I didn't have time to post. Thank you, deedee, for keeping us in the loop on some news!

Here's the most important stuff that happened over the last couple of weeks that wasn't posted yet:

• Fuji Tv One broadcasted a documentary on Daisuke (as part of the series "Star Athlete Documentary"), consisting of old performance footage combined with a new interview (at the beginning there's brief footage of him watching skaters at Sectionals, recruiting cast members for "Kassouya"): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y4bdDEPJawZ73gMgsezi6rRD0-GNQlbt/view?usp=drive_link
  
  
• The Kassouya ig account is getting updated frequently and ads for the show have been spotted in Fukuoka (and at PIW in Tokyo). Dai's cast photo:
  
  
  
  
  
• Dai has been promoting the show relentlessly on tv and radio talk shows since December. I uploaded most of his tv appearances onto google drive:
  
  
  • December 4, 2023, Kaere Monday: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GcipYZpZUs_eGHqYybg0e_rVBTiqvgvZ/view?usp=drive_link
    
    
  • December 15, 2023, Asaichi (warmly recommended! Contains a close look at his Rach and La Strada, as well as KanaDai's Soran Bushi costumes, Shizuka's stories about him, clips of Dai's off-ice workout, behind-the-scenes of the Kassouya promo-shoot, brief footage of Daisuke working with Kana on her solo number for Kassouya, words from his first coach and Emi Hirai (who has known Dai-chan from a young age since they trained in Kurashiki together as kids), photos of Dai's apartment in Tokyo (he moved from Osaka to Tokyo last year) and messages from fans):
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CF3bZyf-jK6vuCgYO7E1sQo9XAgv_Yrp/view?usp=drive_link
    
    Here's the clip of the behind-the-scenes segment of the Kassouya photo-shoot :
    
    
    
    
    
  • December 17, 2023, Our Era - Shizuka x Akiko x Daisuke (a youtube link was already posted above by deedee):
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/11feDgRHrr1CFBnGGDYdSzqceVJ2QZTEE/view?usp=drive_link
    
    
  • December 17, 2023, One hour sense (short promotional clip / Mercedes Benz ad):
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ljzZNZlE_hWiIYSaTkLS2PAwpHnK9w2A/view?usp=drive_link
    
    
  • January 7, 2024, Oshare (the male host is Dai's good friend, actor and singer Ikusaburo Yamazaki): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q4rcRB3yxQ0elUTclmaqSWezYYLyZUU7/view?usp=drive_link
    
    Content summary:
    

    Guest: Daisuke Takahashi, three-time Olympian, figure skater and ice dancer.
    
    He is friends with MC Ikuzaburo Yamazaki. As soon as they appeared on stage, they tried their hand at shooting a short video together. The talk also covers everything from his addiction to men's nails to his stoic skincare regime, as well as candid confessions about his new life in Tokyo. And then there's his ice-dance partner Kana Muramoto, and the secret stories from his friends from university. The message from his mother, who has continued to support him, was very moving. We caught up with Takahashi-san's emotions as he continues to evolve to a new stage in his life after retiring as an athlete.

    Source: https://www.ntv.co.jp/oshareclip/articles/2617qd17dum1lky5n9h7.html
    
    
    
  • January 14, 2024, Kokoro Lab with Kana and Daisuke:
    

    Kokoro Lab_14.01.2024.mp4

    drive.google.com
    
    
  • January 21, 2024, Kokoro Lab with Dai only:
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IuZCfRSYyaDUYf7LyFa-azGyNSTL3ivb/view?usp=drive_link
    
    
• I lost count how many radio shows Dai appeared on exactly. I think this youtube playlist contains most of them - the automatic translation feature works reasonably well (tysm to luv flapper for the uploads! ):
  
  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyrawYvv4MQ7Qd1xiGGN6v0d9EH7V6L38

_____________________________​

I don't know if everyone has heard that Kanako Murakami announced today that she got engaged (although on her ig account it looks like the wedding has already taken place). She appeared on the talkshow "Gyoretsu" (broadcasted today) with her (future) husband. Dai (who is close friends with Kanako) recorded a congratulatory message, which was played for the couple during the show:

Kanako Murakami_Dai's message_Gyoretsu_21.01.2024.mp4

drive.google.com

On December 15, 2023 Kanako and Dai appeared on the show "Bananaman’s Gotcha Gourmet!" together:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1poDg84eFJcMLaGOGVC423DJogn_4hRkY/view?usp=drive_link

Kanako promoting "Kassouya": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuPx1TlY0F8

_____________________________​

Last, but not least - Hyoen was officially announced to take place June 8-11!

DaisukeTakahashi on Instagram: "氷艶 hyoen 2024 開催決定 主演：高橋大輔 会場：横浜アリーナ 日程：2024年6月8日・9日・10日・11日 詳細coming soon #氷艶 #hyoen #ひょうえん #高橋大輔"

8,649 likes, 293 comments - d1sk_t on December 27, 2023: "氷艶 hyoen 2024 開催決定 主演：高橋大輔 会場：横浜アリーナ 日程：2024年6月8日・9日・10日・11日 詳細co..."

www.instagram.com

 

[deedee1]

Thank you so much for all these updates, synes!!!

 

[demarinis5]

Thank you synes, much appreciated and your are the best Dai fan!!!!

 

[synesthesia]

Thank you synes, much appreciated and your are the best Dai fan!!!!

Thank you, dear demarinis, but... can I present you and deedee with an award for longest standing Dai fans on GS instead? I was reading through some of the first few pages a few days ago and realised (again) that you've both been cheering for Dai and lovingly contributing to his fanfest since the beginning of this thread (and I'm guessing you've been following his career since way before).

Dai is blessed and it speaks volumes about him that he has such loyal fans (I know he has many fans who have supported him since his junior or maybe even novice years to this day).

_________________​

Regarding “Kassouya” Dai-chan has announced that this time fan recordings will be allowed throughout the show. Which is lovely, but unfortunately could mean that there will be no TV broadcast (of course this is just my speculation – maybe there will be a broadcast at a later point). Anyway, this means we’ll definitely get to see most of the show, which I’m extremely grateful for. Wouldn’t wanna miss the debut of Dai’s (and also Kana’s) new solo program, which I'm very excited about!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2rN_zzJ-CP/


Part of the Kassouya cast at rehearsals:

_________________​

There’s also news on Hyoen 2024. Information on the theme, main cast and further personnel was published yesterday! The show will be based on Kenji Miyazawa’s fantasy novel “Night on the Galactic Railroad” and directed by renowned theater director Amon Miyamoto again (like 2019’s “The tale of Genji”). Apparently this year’s production is going to be a musical with songs written by J-pop duo “Yuzu”. The songs will be performed by the cast, led by Daisuke and musical actor Ryūnosuke Onoda.


The other cast members announced so far are:

• Shizuka Arakawa
• Kana Muramoto
• Ehara Masahiro
• Marie
• Eliana

Personnel:

• Directed by Amon Miyamoto (director of Hyoen 2019 - The tale of Genji)
• Screenplay by Riko Sakaguchi
• Theme song / Songs in the play Yuzu
• Songs and arrangements Kenji Kawai (this is very intrigueing – are they using his music as additional score between the main songs?)
• Choreography and movement by Onoe Kikunojo (who was involved with all previous Hyoen productions too)
• Choreography by Kenji Miyamoto
• Costumes by Atelier 88%
• Art direction and design by Hideyuki Taguchi (RAM)

Official website: hyoen.jp




This article contains further information on the production:

https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2312480/full/



Machine translation:

Yuzu to perform in the third instalment of 'Hyoen' starring Daisuke Takahashi and directed by Amon Miyamoto. Ice show based on the motif of 'Night on the Galactic Railroad'.

On 29 January, it was announced that artist Yuzu will appear as a special guest artist in the ice show “Hyoen 2024- The Kiss of the Crossed Stars”.


“Hyoen" expresses the desire to create a glamorous stage that conveys Japanese culture in a way that has never been seen before, through the beautiful and supple performances and emotional expression that only figure skating can offer. The sound 'en' in Hyo-en also expresses the will to challenge to 'perform' beyond the common sense of figure skating and the wish that various 'connections' will be made through the project. The ice show will be a story-based ice show that combines sports and Japanese culture, and will showcase the charms of Japan to the domestic and global audience.

The first show, "Hyoen 2017 - Basara", was a collaboration with Kabuki, one of Japan's most popular cultural arts. With Matsumoto Koshiro (then Ichikawa Somegoro) as the director, it attracted around 40,000 spectators. The second production, Hyoen 2019 – Like the Moonlight / the Tale of Genji, said to be the world's oldest full-length novel, was directed by Amon Miyamoto, and attracted around 42,000 spectators with genre-crossing performers including Takahiro Matsumoto, Reon Yuzuki, Ayaka Hirahara and Tokuma Nishioka.

For this third production, Yuzu has written the theme song and will appear in all performances as a special guest artist (appearing and singing in some of the performances). The entire story will be coloured by Yuzu songs sung by the cast. The collaboration is a new challenge for both the cast and Yuzu.

The story is based on Kenji Miyazawa's masterpiece “Night on the Galactic Railroad”. The production will be directed by Miyamoto following the show in 2019, and the script will be written by Riko Sakaguchi, who is active in various genres including TV drama, film, animation and theatre. Various elements, mainly figure skating, but also music and theatre, will be fused together to create a magnificent and heroic dream picture scroll-like world.

Takahashi is enthusiastic: "I will do my best to make everyone's life richer by bringing to the audience's attention the miracle that we have created together with these great artists.”

Yujin Kitagawa of Yuzu says: "After receiving the offer, I met with Amon-san, where I received an incredible amount of passionate power from him, and the next day the prototype for the song was ready. It's the first time for Yuzu to be involved in ice skating, so there are some unknowns about what the stage will be like, but I'm looking forward to seeing Yuzu's music resonate in a new way on the ice rink and reach the audience.

The show will run for a total of four performances at Yokohama Arena from 8 to 11 June. In addition to Takahashi and Yuzu, the cast includes Ryunosuke Onoda, Shizuka Arakawa, Ehara Masahiro, Kana Muramoto, Marie and Eliana.

TV ad:

https://twitter.com/wElcOmeD8376/status/1752529867487482025


Ryunosuke Onoda’s first steps on ice:

https://twitter.com/RyunosukeOnoda/status/1752166740996530398


_____________

Unrelated to Kassouya or Hyoen, but needs to be posted because he looks simply gorgeous here :



Thank you to all kind fans for sharing their pictures on twitter/X!



Dai with Marie Ogawa and Hirokazu at PIW:

https://twitter.com/rimachan2015/status/1749616507993329988

And with Kiki Nakanishi and Hirokazu:

https://twitter.com/611Sk8/status/1749308087641714742

____________________

​

In other news: Dai's 3rd D-Color project with SkyCourt has started:

ããD-colorãããã¸ã§ã¯ã第ä¸å¼¾ããã¶ã¤ãã¼é«æ©å¤§è¼æ°ãå§åï¼

ã覧ããã ããããã¨ããããã¾ãï¼ãD-colorãããã¸ã§ã¯ã第ä¸å¼¾ãã¹ã¿ã¼ããããã¾ããï¼ä»åã¯SKY CRAFT Lab.ãã¼ã ã®ãã¶ã¤ãã¼ã¨ãã¦ã2é¨å±ç®ã¨ãªããã«ãªããã¼ã·ã§ã³ã«ææ¦ãã¦ãããã¾ããããã¸ã§ã¯ãã¹ã¿ã¼ãã«ããããé«æ©æ°ããã¡ãã»ã¼ã¸ãå±ãã¾ãããã¾ãä»å¾ã®ããã¸ã§ã¯ãã®é²æãå®æã¾ã§ã®é...

www.youtube.com

初！現地調査へGO | D-color-持つ人、住む人のために、イメージから考える

____________________

​

Junior skater Naoto Nishimoto wearing an exact replica of Dai's "Rock'n'Roll Medley"-costume at the National Festival Winter Games (which concluded today):

https://twitter.com/purplearashi/status/1751513500915298643

____________________​

Will post more news in the KanaDai fan fest soon...

 

[synesthesia]

The last preparations for Kassouya are in full gear – yesterday an open rehearsal was held at the Mitsui Fudosan Ice Park Funabashi :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXd0yU8ujq0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0kD-FIf-c8



Article with 30 rehearsal photos:

https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202402050000956.html


Machine translation:

Employing young people, low price, short time, ”Kassouya'' produced by Daisuke Takahashi. Public practice.

An open practice session for the ice show "Kassouya", produced by professional figure skater Daisuke Takahashi (37), was held on 5 February, with enthusiastic preparations for the show to be held at the Ovision Ice Arena Fukuoka from 10 to 12 February.

'I can't even think about my solo number.' His eyes widened and he smiled wryly. At the performance, he will unveil his first new solo number in four years, but his mind is now occupied with the production of the show itself. Since his retirement as an ice dancer last May, he has been struggling to put into this show all the inspiration he had felt until then.

“I thought, ``I have to decide this too.'' There were also discoveries that made me realize, ``Oh, there are so many different things.'' There are parts that are really fun, but it's hard work. I feel it's interesting to see things taking shape and becoming more and more visible."

On this, the third day of general practice, they spent about two hours checking a part of the 14-minute opening sequence over and over again. Surrounding him were skaters younger than himself. Active skaters scouted by Takahashi himself are lined up, ranging from high school to university students to working adults.

I wanted to put on a show with only Japanese skaters.

Regardless of his fame, he went to the competitions himself and called up athletes who could skate with speed and power, one of the themes of the show.The name “Kassouya” isn't a performance group, but I thought it would be good to have a name that would be taken to mean something like that."

The intention of gathering young skaters was also to bring out their appeal so that they could continue skating as professionals even after they had finished their career as active skaters. The show is also a way of expressing the hope that, as a group of professionals, this show will be a platform for the future.

In fact, the show is different from conventional shows, and we are planning to deliver a new experience to the audience, and at the same time, raise awareness among young people. The choreography is by Yuma Suzuki, a former member of the Shiki Theatre Company and the head of Tokyo Panorama Theatre, who is renowned for her original stage direction, and who, having worked together on the 2019 ice show “Hyoen”, wanted to create a stage that was not bound by conventional frameworks.

The composition of the piece you've seen today is something you don't see very often. The movements are also very detailed.

Takahashi himself takes on the task of translating the choreography he has conceived on the floor onto the ice, trying to embody an unknown charm beyond its complexity. I hope that learning these movements will help current athletes in their competitive careers and beyond. He makes use of his experience as an ice dancer as well as a singles skater.

In producing the show, he also focuses on ease of viewing. Tickets cost between 6,000 and 12,000 yen. The price was set lower than for other shows.

"It can't be helped that it's more expensive because we have to put ice on it. But this time we didn't invite any international skaters, so we could keep costs down. We thought about where we could lower the cost to the max.”

We want to lower the hurdles and reach out to a segment of the audience other than the traditional fans. Based on this, the time has been shortened to 75 minutes, with three performances a day.

“We thought two hours would be too long for non-fans. If we increase the time slots, we think we can attract a wider range of visitors, and they can also do other things during the day. We thought about making it easier to come."

Advantages for the audience and the performers. Taking into account both sides, he takes the lead role in the production.

:





The Kassouya cast arriving at the rink for practice today:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2_Rs1VBRpz/




Dai and the choreography team modelling the Kassouya hoodies :

___________________________
​

Tatsuya Lacey, Dai’s (as well as Kana’s and Kanako’s) physical trainer interviewed Daisuke for his podcast “Inspire”. It's a long talk that touches on many topics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSMzxCq4pfk

Contents:

2:08 When did I start to take up Figured Skating?

7:26 When I started to take figure skating seriously

19:00 Dealing with slumps

32:10 Injuries

36:40 The LOWest of all

58:33 How the couple got together

1:06:04 Struggles

1:13:05 Thoughts on training

1:18:56 Where things have changed in my body

1:19:39 Muscles you want to build

1:19:54 Training I'm addicted to

1:20:05 Have your leg muscles changed since changing to ice dancing?

1:21:20 The training I'm not good at

1:22:06 Give me some blackmail (?)

1:22:48 Has your training changed since returning from Florida?

1:23:29 Advice when injured

1:25:01 Essential training

1:27:26 Is Kana Muramoto your rival?

1:30:05 Do you get nervous?

1:36:11 Announcements

The automatic subtitles are quite funky this time. From the table of contents this looks like an interesting talk. Some of these topics were covered in past interviews, for which there are fan translations, so we have at least some context. It would be interesting to know, if Dai’s thoughts and feelings changed over time.

One of the things I could make out was how much Dai struggled as a newscaster / interviewer, how much his self-confidence was affected by it and how after watching Nationals 2017 he decided to return to skating to regain his confidence (which he of course has talked about many times before).

Another point that his fans may be aware of is that he started taking figure skating seriously as a competitive sport when there was only one spot for the Olympic Games in Turin and he had to work hard to earn it (to him figure skating was more a hobby / a passion until that point).

The part about teaming up with Kana seems to line-up with what he said in the new KanaDai book (which I started reading through machine translation last weekend). He basically thought that Kana was "crazy" for asking him to partner her since he thought that she had the potential to aim high (even higher than with Chris) and therefore should try to find an experienced partner instead of an aging singles skater with zero ice dance experience (his words – not mine! )

___________________________​

Haru Kakiuchi, who finished 7th in the men’s event at the Winter Youth Olympic Games named Daisuke as the skater he looks up to / aspires to be like:

https://twitter.com/ytkkyr1n/status/1753251706471878972

___________________________​

An interview with Keijo Kadowaki, one of the "Kassouya”-ensemble skaters (conducted by Dai's former training mate, Aki Sawada):

https://4years.asahi.com/article/15143193

Now that he has finished all his competitions for the season, he is practising every day in preparation for his appearance in Daisuke Takahashi's ice show “Kassouya”, which will open on 10 February in Fukuoka City. When information about the show was first released, his mother contacted him and said, "They are looking for skaters to perform in the show, why don't you apply?" However, Kadowaki himself thought that it was too presumptuous for him to apply, so he passed on the idea.

However, after the East Japan Games in November last year, he received a direct offer from Mr Takahashi and decided to perform as an ensemble skater, saying, "If you have chosen me, I will perform......". I'm happy that he watched me in competition," he says, "but I'm determined to do my best in the role I've been given so that I can live up to his expectations."

Many of the ensemble skaters who will perform are athletes who train in the Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu blocks. In particular, the only rink in the Chugoku-Shikoku region that is open during the off-season is in Okayama Prefecture, where the skaters are old acquaintances who see each other often. He said, with a twinkle in his eye, "I'm looking forward to working together with the skaters I know so well."

 

[synesthesia]

Dai and Kana (from 3:52 to 7:09) promoting Kassouya (although for the most part other topics were discussed) on Fuji tv this morning (also contains brief footage of the gorgeous photoshoot for fashion magazine Numero Tokyo):




This is a partial transcript:

https://mezamashi.media/article/15155539



A local tv station broadcasted this interview with Dai, Kanako and ensemble skaters Maria Egawa and Shunya Matsuoka (corrected his given name) live from rehearsals at the Ovision Ice Arena this morning:

https://twitter.com/yukko_1022/status/1755775987697262658




Following the open rehearsals on Monday there were a ton of practice reports in several print newspapers as well as online news outlets. Now we also know that Dai-chan initially wanted to hold “Ice Explosion” again, but since a lot of international skaters weren’t available in January / February (due to competitions) he came up with the “Kassouya” concept with an all Japanese cast. He only started working on the concept in November and, other than the creation of the choreography, is responsible for every aspect of the show, including its marketing. It is clear that Dai pours his heart and soul into this project – it’s just beautiful to see him being this passionate and joyful. I so hope that “Kassouya” will be a success!


I particularly recommend this two part article from gendai media – it sums up how the show was conceived and gradually took shape with quotes by Daisuke, Kana and choreographer Yuma Suzuki:

https://gendai.media/articles/-/123983

https://gendai.media/articles/-/124057



I think these paragraphs sum up perfectly what Dai has in mind with Kassouya. I absolutely love him for this, skaters of his stature with this mindset are extremely rare. Skating needs more people like him :

According to Mr Takahashi, one of the aims of this show is to nurture the next generation of skaters. Usually, ice shows are mainly for skaters who have won world titles, and skaters who have not yet achieved international success do not have the opportunity to participate. This time, Takahashi personally visited domestic competitions and selected young, unknown but talented skaters as ensemble skaters.

[…]

The performance will be limited to domestic skaters and the main skaters will be narrowed down, but the ensemble skaters were selected from a large number of students to give it more power. At the same time, this will also lead to the aforementioned development of younger skaters who will be responsible for the future of the skating world. As well as growth through practice and performance experience, Takahashi's big goal is to create a place for talented skaters to skate after they retire. If “Kassouya” is successful it can be developed in many places / locations in the future.

[…]

The aforementioned staff member said that Takahashi's determination and behaviour are extraordinary. “I think it's very significant that he knows both when skating was not yet popular and when it was at its best. After the Corona disaster, the situation in the entertainment industry changed while the number of ice shows increased, but he is not afraid to try something new and is trying to reform the industry, thinking about the future of skaters and creating shows that can survive after this. This time, as he is also the general director, he was aware of the reality of budgets and costs, and he was worried about how to make tickets cheaper, so he took a rough look at what we could cut back on.

For example, stage lighting and other aspects related to the content and quality of the show can never be cut. However, the ensemble skaters shared a room, and the main skaters had a room large enough to hold all their boots. The food has also been rethought and simplified to rice, vegetables, meat and fish to cut down on the cost of catering. Above all, the skater himself [Daisuke] asked for a substantial reduction in his own fee. I strongly felt his extraordinary passion for the skating world and for “Kassouya”.

Complete machine translation of part 1:

I've never seen Daisuke Takahashi like this! First time to produce a full ice show... 'Preparedness' shown in practice.　

Report on the open practice session at "Kassouya".
by Akiko Tanaka

Writer Akiko Tanaka, who interviewed Daisuke Takahashi in November 2023, attended an open practice and press conference on 5 February. She attended the press conference and reports on the heated scene just before the event.


When I entered the rink side, male skaters dressed in hoodies with the black “Kassouya” logo were in the middle of practising as an ensemble on the ice. A fast-moving formation, with the two groups dancing individually, intersecting and then breaking off. It looks quite difficult, but the black group looks somewhat like ninjas as they tackle the unique and cool choreography.

One thing that stands out is Daisuke Takahashi's movements, who divided the group into two groups, one led by Daisuke Takahashi and the other by Kazuki Tomono, who taught the skaters detailed movements as the practice progressed. The overall choreography is created by Yuma Suzuki, a former member of the Shiki Theatre Company and a close friend since Hyoen, who now runs the Tokyo Panorama Theatre. She instructs everyone with a microphone at the rink side while striking large poses herself, which Takahashi models on the ice.

The women's team joined the formation halfway through, with Kana Muramoto and Kanako Murakami leading the ensemble skaters in danceable moves. These were part of the opening program, which lasted a whopping five songs and 14 minutes.

What surprised me, in addition to the coolness of the choreography, was the closeness of the members and the density of their rehearsals. You can watch former world champion and legend Daisuke Takahashi, who skates the ensemble moves many times, up close for long periods of time and get to watch his moves almost on a one-to-one basis. This is a tremendous asset for young ensemble skaters.

According to Mr Takahashi, one of the aims of this show is to nurture the next generation of skaters. Usually, ice shows are mainly for skaters who have won world titles, and skaters who have not yet achieved international success do not have the opportunity to participate. This time, Takahashi personally visited domestic competitions and selected young, unknown but talented skaters as ensemble skaters. The show will feature many ensemble scenes, which is not possible in a normal show, and the individual performances of the main skaters will be connected in a flowing, fast-moving and varied way.


At the press conference, Takahashi said:

“At first, we wanted to make a fast and powerful show, so we chose skaters with a sense of speed, but Yuma Suzuki's choreography is so interesting that it has become more danceable than at first, and everyone is struggling with it (laughs). It's only been about a week since the whole group got together to practise, so it's a race against time to get it all together, but it's gradually coming together, so if we can complete what we have in mind and get the whole thing snapped together, I think we can show something wonderful and you can feel the power of everyone. It's tough now that I'm a full time producer, but it's still interesting to make new discoveries and see the things I've been thinking about taking shape."

While stressing the difficulties, he seems to be having a lot of fun.

Since 3 February, all members of the team, except for Sota Yamamoto, who was competing in the Four Continents Championships, have gathered for a general practice session. On 5 February, the third day of the gathering, some of them were still struggling with their unique choreographies, but the motivated atmosphere of everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun. The young ensemble skaters were also actively engaged without fear. This must also be the atmosphere created by the conductor.



A staff member on the organising side said:

“I can sense that Takahashi himself is taking on the challenge with a determination that has never been seen before: "If we don't make this year's Kassouya in Fukuoka an absolute success, it won't lead to the next one. I can see it in his face, in his eyes and in everything he does."



Ticket prices and number of performances to make it easier for audiences to come.

Daisuke Takahashi is not only taking on the role of general conductor for the first time for Kassouya, he is also taking on a variety of new challenges: the first is overall direction; the second is the selection of the ensemble music, which will be performed by the skaters. All 15 pieces of music used in the ensemble were selected by himself. He creates his own vision of the world, paying close attention to the details of the posters and programme content. He asked Yuma Suzuki, who is active on the floor, rather than an ice specialist, to choreograph the embodiment of this world-view.

The choreographer, Yuma Suzuki (third from the right in the photo), is a close friend with whom a relationship of trust has been established through Hyoen starring Takahashi.


To offer cheaper ice show tickets for audiences.

Ice shows are conventionally expensive due to the costs involved in putting up ice. However, this time, in order to allow as many people as possible to see Takahashi's challenging and fresh ice show, the ticket prices were lowered to 6,000 yen for the lowest and up to 12,000 yen for the highest, which is a significant reduction for an ice show. To make it easier for first-time visitors to come, the number of 75-minute performances, which can be seen all at once, has been increased to three per day, and efforts are also being made to keep revenues down.

“The price and time slots were designed to make it easier for people who have never been to an ice show to come, not to mention those who have been to ice shows before," he says. “If they like what they see and want to go again, it will lead to new developments and we will be very happy.”

The performance will be limited to domestic skaters and the main skaters will be narrowed down, but the ensemble skaters were selected from a large number of students to give it more power. At the same time, this will also lead to the aforementioned development of younger skaters who will be responsible for the future of the skating world. As well as growth through practice and performance experience, Takahashi's big goal is to create a place for talented skaters to skate after they retire. If “Kassouya” is successful it can be developed in many places / locations in the future.



He also asked for a significant reduction in his own fee...

The aforementioned staff member said that Takahashi's determination and behaviour are extraordinary. “I think it's very significant that he knows both when skating was not yet popular and when it was at its best. After the Corona disaster, the situation in the entertainment industry changed while the number of ice shows increased, but he is not afraid to try something new and is trying to reform the industry, thinking about the future of skaters and creating shows that can survive after this. This time, as he is also the general director, he was aware of the reality of budgets and costs, and he was worried about how to make tickets cheaper, so he took a rough look at what we could cut back on.

For example, stage lighting and other aspects related to the content and quality of the show can never be cut. However, the ensemble skaters shared a room, and the main skaters had a room large enough to hold all their boots. The food has also been rethought and simplified to rice, vegetables, meat and fish to cut down on the cost of catering. Above all, the skater himself asked for a substantial reduction in his own fee. I strongly felt his extraordinary passion for the skating world and for “Kassouya”.

In addition, the selected ensemble skaters are said to be extremely enthusiastic and conscious. The ensemble choreographies were sent to the skaters via video before the practice on 3 February, but they all practised on their own before the day of the assembly, making sure they had the choreographies in their bodies before taking part. After practice, they returned to the hotel and gathered voluntarily, without being told by anyone, to watch the video and check the choreography together.

At the press conference on the 5th, four of the ensemble skaters, including Kosho Oshima, Yuto Kishina, Sakaki Miyake and Yurina Okuno, all expressed their joy at being chosen as “Kassouyas”. The opportunity to see Daisuke Takahashi's performances, movements and attitude towards training up close and personal. They were also able to receive almost one-on-one coaching from him. It was impressive that each of them said in their own words that they wanted to make the most of this in their competitive life and in their future lives.

The staff member mentioned above also had the following to say about Takahashi's thoughts on the ensemble skaters.

Yuma Suzuki's astonishing choreography was arranged so that it could be realised on the ice, and Takahashi and Kana Muramoto worked hard from early morning till late at night, which itself took about a month. While respecting each other's opinions, they searched for a place where creativity on land and ice could coexist and gradually create a chemical reaction.

In order to teach this to the ensemble skaters, Takahashi and his assistant Muramoto both put all the choreography for the parts they do not perform into their bodies before going through the whole rehearsal. He is not the type of leader who says 'I am the leader', but he is the type of leader who shows it through his attitude and actions, so that those around him see his back and naturally follow him.


We also asked Kana Muramoto, who is a member of an ice dance couple [with Daisuke Takahashi] and also plays a supporting role in this show, about Takahashi's overall direction this time.

“This time, Dai-chan is really enthusiastic, and I'm very happy to be involved in the process of creating a show from scratch for the first time, and it's going to be a novel show like nothing I've ever seen before. We have been doing ice dance competitions together for three years and have exchanged many different opinions, but this time Dai-chan is in a completely different mood from that again. It's not that I'm scared, but when Dai-chan speaks in front of everyone, the atmosphere becomes tense in a friendly way, and I myself feel a sense of tension. It's a new and different image of Dai-chan that I've never seen before, and as a producer, I feel that he has something wonderful to offer."

Daisuke Takahashi is so determined and passionate about "Kassouya".

So, how is the actual content and choreography going to be? On the 5th, there was a press conference with Yuma Suzuki, who is in charge of the overall choreography, and we heard some interesting stories. The second part of the interview with Takahashi and Muramoto about the content will be published on the 9th.

Complete machine translation of part 2:

Daisuke Takahashi's "power of persistence" is amazing... Testimonies from the "Kassouya" partners.

Report on the open training session of "Kassouya", Part 2

by Akiko Tanaka


Daisuke Takahashi will lead the ice show "Kassouya" at the Ovision Ice Arena Fukuoka from 10 February. An open practice session was held just before the show on 5 February, where Daisuke Takahashi and Yuma Suzuki, who is in charge of the overall choreography, also held a press conference. What kind of world are they creating together?

In the first part, we reported on the unexpected "inner world" of Daisuke Takahashi, who gives the impression of a lovable character, with a focus on the story of Yuma Suzuki, who is in charge of the overall choreography. In the second part, we get closer to what's inside, including comments from Daisuke Takahashi and Kana Muramoto.



Kanadai's Kana Muramoto talks about Daisuke Takahashi and choreography.

As a behind-the-scenes helpmate, Kana Muramoto assists in various tasks, saying: "I really enjoy working together to create things. During our three years of ice dancing together, we discussed and experimented with various choreographies with Dai-chan and (coach) Marina, and that process is still alive today. I also feel the joy of seeing what we have done so far take shape. I also want to be a choreographer, so I'm learning a lot about how to move many skaters in a group number, and how to turn the formations around, and I'm very impressed, so I want to support what I can.

Dai-chan is also good at understanding shapes, and immediately understood the overall concept that Yuma-san had created, with its unique shapes. “I didn't understand it at all until I actually saw it (laughs). When you transfer choreography from land to ice, there are problems and some things are impossible, so it's always difficult to adjust. But I think the great thing about Dai-chan is that he wants to be as close to Yuma's image as possible. We worked out in detail how far to go and how far to compromise, and it was a really creative time."



”Daisuke has an amazing ability to pursue things."

Yuma Suzuki similarly felt that Daisuke Takahashi's "persevering power" is amazing.

“I thought that Daisuke was someone who had always been fighting against the world," she said. It's really hard work to transfer dance choreography from land to ice, and it's not easy to make it equal. Daisuke is always trying to bring out the best of the dances. My dance is very detailed, and it's really difficult to make use of the counts and nuances on the ice. If I have a count of 10, a normal person would be able to do 2. It feels like it's OK if you put it all together, but Daisuke not only matches 10 counts with 10 counts, but also adds the goodness of skating to it, increasing the number of counts to about 13. Working together, I was happy that we could have such a close communication and I could feel Daisuke's love for “Kassouya”.

I've been involved in various musicals and stage productions, including the Shiki Theatre Company, but I'm really excited to be working on skating, as I've never worked in such a creative environment with such a different genre before.

The opening of this year's show is an unprecedented 14 minutes comprised of five songs, although the format is purely performance-based and flows without the traditional introduction of the skaters and the applause that accompanies it. The composition of five songs is beyond the concept of an opening, as for most shows it is usually around five minutes long, although it depends on the show.

Daisuke told me at the beginning that he wanted to use these five songs for the opening and that he wanted to create a consistent flow with a sense of speed, so I connected the five songs to form one opening song, and before I knew it, it was 14 minutes long. There is a lot of movement, so I heard the skaters say 'my legs are cramping', and I think it's really hard work. I think the audience will be absorbed in the rich, breathless opening 14 minutes, where every single movement and pose is something they've never seen before, and you can see that this kind of expression is possible with skating."



'What I experienced in ice dance is alive now.'

As a producer, Takahashi is committed to conveying Yuma Suzuki's choreography to the skaters.

“Yuma's choreography is very detailed, and the slightest difference in the curves changes the shapes. If the shapes shift, the next move won't match, so it's difficult to communicate that to everyone. But I think that my experience of ice dancing and communicating with Kana on a daily basis is now coming alive for me. If I had only had singles experience, I think I would have been even worse at communicating than I am now.

“In the ensemble choreography, couples' movements are also included,” Takahashi continues.

“During the rehearsals as a whole, we all have a lot of trouble with lifts and so on in the paired numbers. But it seems interesting when they try it, and I am impressed when they can do it. Active skaters don't often have the opportunity to practise as a couple, so this could be a valuable experience for them."

According to the organising staff, Kana Muramoto also teaches couples' skills such as lifting to everyone. “Teamwork is becoming more cohesive with every practice session, and Kazuki Tomono is playing a part in this. As an elder brother, he teaches the younger skaters greetings, manners and how to behave in an ice show. I remember that during an open practice session, on the rink, Mr Takahashi called out to Kazuki, "Kazuki, hey! and there were quite a few scenes of Mr Takahashi calling out to Mr Tomono and relying on him.”

Unfortunately, ensemble skater Kazuki Hasegawa has to miss the show this time due to illness, but his understudy, Juki Nakanishi, has been helped by him in practice and in many other ways for the past month. Haruna Watanabe, Yuma Suzuki's choreography assistant, has also been assisting Yuma in the cold at the rink side for the past month.



”I tried something I wanted to try anyway.”

We asked Ms Muramoto about the highlights of the show.

“Being able to experience the process of a show that Dai-chan creates from scratch together is not something you get to experience very often. I'm excited to finally see the whole ensemble when the whole thing comes together. The ensemble skaters are dressed all in black. I am glad that the younger skaters are working hard, but they are so enthusiastic that I am worried that they need a little break. There seems to be a sense of happiness and responsibility that Dai-chan himself went to see the competition and chose them, and the younger skaters are all very eager to make this show a success.

What I feel with the tag-team of Dai-chan and Yuma is that their worldviews are a great match. The show has formations and speed that I have never seen before, and the show develops so fast, I urge you to watch it as if you were riding in a sports car, buckled up and speeding through. There are so many different developments that you won't be able to blink, and you may have to watch it several times to get the full picture. This time, there's no one side facing the front, so I hope you'll enjoy seeing it from all angles."



Lastly, I asked Daisuke Takahashi how many appearances he would have in addition to the opening, solo, and finale.

“Even in the ensemble, I have a few turns, like everyone else. Even when I go into solo parts, they flow in such a way that it's hard to tell, so you might not be able to tell at first. I tried a lot of things I wanted to do with “Kassouya”. It's pretty much put together, so I'm looking forward to seeing the audience's reaction to the skating performed by a group of professional Kassouyas.''


“Kassouya”, which is filled with Daisuke Takahashi's grand thoughts and dreams, will forge the future of the skating world.

_______________________​

Some additional information is given in these articles:

https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/79310

https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/326165


https://www.nikkansports.com/premium/sports/figure/news/202402060000466.html

Machine translation of the first part (the rest is missing since it’s a paid article):

Daisuke Takahashi talks about his new ice show "Kassouya" as a skater and producer.

The ice show “Kassouya”, produced by professional figure skater Daisuke Takahashi (37) will open on February 10th at the Ovision Ice Arena. On the 6th, the practice in Tokyo was made public, and Kengo Abe, who has covered Takahashi since he was an active skater, was there. This is his first ambitious project, from the planning stage to the selection of people and the choice of music. The low-cost, short-time style is also innovative, but it was also a time that made you feel the reason why young skaters were chosen and the thoughts behind it.

2024.02.06 14:25
Kengo Abe


Intensive confirmation work

The “Kassouya”-skaters wearing matching hoodies with colorful kanji characters on their backs lined up vertically, facing each other at a close distance. When the music starts, the skaters begin swinging, facing each other, passing through the narrow space between them. Rather than just gliding through, it involves complex movements. After a few checks, some skaters crossed paths and fell over.

The top skaters in Japan, all of whom have the level to compete in the All-Japan Championships. Despite falling and getting the back of their hoodies completely white with ice, they looked like they were having fun and repeating unfamiliar moves.

“That sucks!' Sorry!" It was Takahashi who laughed and apologised, as two rows of skaters intersected and seemed to unleash themselves further into the rink, when he too fell over.

The hoodies are the same colour, black, but one of them has a different design, perhaps to make it easier to see where he is in the show itself. His back was also completely white, but like the youngsters a year older than him, he looked apologetic, frowning, but somehow happy.

“Are you alright?' There were times when he politely called out to each person like that.

Suzuki, who is in charge of choreography, demonstrated the movements from the rink side, and Takahashi re-enacted them, and everyone repeated them. Such scenes were frequent.

Looking at the side of the rink, we see Kana Muramoto and Kanako Murakami working together on some detailed hip-hop-style moves.

This scene, which was shown to the press, was part of the 14-minute opening sequence. After confirming the group dance of each team, the one with Takahashi and the one with Muramoto, the two teams were fused together at the end of about two hours of practice. However, the song is still only a few minutes long.

The show lasts for 75 minutes, non-stop. What kind of perfection can be seen ahead of brushing up at this density? Expectations are high here too.



The hardships and joys of being a producer.
The hard work has made him lose a bit of weight.

While overhearing these stories, I waited for the interview after practice, thinking that Takahashi's fall likely had a lot to do with his physical condition, and imagining how difficult it must be to produce.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!” Wearing stubble and sometimes almost leaning against the wall behind him, and when responding with a smile, there were times when he pondered for a while. Although he was feeling tired, his eyes were shining from beginning to end, and he responded for about 20 minutes, giving the impression of being full of energy.


--You said that you took September off completely after announcing your retirement in May last year.

Takahashi: Actually, I had no intention of doing this at the time. I was thinking of doing "Ice Explosion" again, but due to the season and other competitions, I wasn't able to invite the skaters I wanted to. I was thinking of not doing it this year, but then a venue became available, and there are not many ice shows in Fukuoka, so I had a chance to do "Ice Explosion" in May last time, and the venue became available, so I thought maybe we could do something. So we thought, "What can we do? We thought about what we could do in the short time we had. Instead of inviting overseas skaters, I thought that if we could get only Japanese skaters, for example skaters who don't compete in international competitions, even though there are international competitions at the same time of year, to participate, we could do it in February. Then, I wanted to do a show with only Japanese skaters, including those in the current All-Japan Championships class and university students. But we only started working on it in November, so we were really on the edge, and it was very difficult at times. We wanted to try something new with the choreography and asked a non-skater choreographer to choreograph the numbers other than the main skaters’. We had a lot of discussions and finally came to this stage.


--You also work as a producer, which must be both fun and difficult at the same time?

Takahashi: No, it's fun, but it was quite difficult to do it in such a short period of time. Since the year-end and New Year holidays were in between, there were times when I couldn't move, so there were many parts that didn't go smoothly. Also, I hadn't been involved in that kind of thing before, so there were discoveries like "I have to make decisions here too" and "Oh, there's so much to do". There are parts that are really fun, but it's also hard work, but I also learn new things, and I can see them gradually taking shape. It's interesting when you can see it taking shape.


--I heard that you were very particular about the design of the pamphlet.

Takahashi: First of all, since the name (Kassouya) is only used by Japanese people, so I thought it would be okay if it wasn't written in English. The name itself is more about showing the atmosphere of the show, and although we're not a performance group, I thought it would be nice to have a name that would be taken with that meaning. I thought it would be great if it became something like ”XX of the Kassouya''. I wanted the flyers to go in the direction of, ``It's a skating show, but is it skating?'' and “what are they going to do” kind of vibe, so that's why the flyers were made like that. For brochures, skating brochures often have pictures of people skating, but I tried to summarize them as a whole instead of skating. I tried a few different things. It's like I wish something like this existed, I want to see something like this, etc., and I was wondering what kind of reaction I would get, so I started giving form to what I wanted to do. . So there were some parts where I had to make other people do things that were a bit troublesome, like skating (smiles), but everyone was still very cooperative. But I think it turned out to be something wonderful.


--For example, you mentioned troublesome things.

Takahashi: For example, taking the trouble to have the photographs taken for the brochure. Also, normally it takes three days to finish a show, but we have a lot of choreography done on land, so there is time to put it on the ice. Since we couldn't get together because of the competitions, I would send them videos and ask them to prepare for the show. The Tokyo kids who are able to participate in the practice sessions are invited to attend. We used a large number of skaters this time, so I think the burden was quite heavy on them, having them act as substitutes and so on.


--I think you saw everyone, including the ensemble skaters, in person and talked to them. Did you have a clear image of who you wanted to skate with and chose the ones who fit your needs?

Takahashi: This time I wanted the skaters to have a sense of speed. I picked skaters who could skate powerfully and strongly. In the planning process, the dance became quite danceable, and the dance was difficult. But there were also a lot of kids I hadn't had much contact with, so I think it was difficult, but when I picked them, I didn't yet know how this show was going to turn out. But I chose the skaters with the greatest emphasis on strength/power.

[…]

This is an interview with ensemble skater, Seiya Tsuboi, who switched from ice hockey to figure skating after witnessing Dai winning his Olympic medal in Vancouver on tv - Dai's reason for casting him is quite interesting :

https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202402080000766.html


Machine translation:

Civil servant skater Seiya Tsuboi, who admired Daisuke Takahashi, was scouted for ice show appearance for his 'appealing/sexy standing posture'.
[16:27, 8 February 2024]

Seiya Tsuboi (23), a public servant figure skater who works for the Tomakomai City Office in Hokkaido, will appear as an ensemble skater in the ice show "Kassouya" (10-12 February, Ovision Ice Arena Fukuoka) produced by Daisuke Takahashi (37), a professional skater. He will perform with Takahashi, who he admires and who inspired him to start competing.

Tsuboi, who continues to compete while working as an employee of the Tomakomai City Hall Secretarial and Public Relations Department, has been appointed as an ensemble skater for the ice show "Kassouya" produced by Takahashi. Due to the Local Public Service Act's prohibition on side jobs, he cannot receive any compensation for his appearance, but he co-stars with the skater who inspired him to start competing. "There aren't many opportunities like this. I want to steal all the good things and put them to good use in competition," he said enthusiastically.

In November last year, Takahashi's agency contacted him with a request to appear in the production. He was scouted because he (Takahashi) "felt his (Tsuboi’s) standing posture was sexy". On that day, the city's website was down and restoration work was in progress. Looking back, he said, ”I was half overjoyed'' at the good news despite my busy schedule. Once the work was done, I finally felt it. I'm glad I continued skating without giving up."

After watching the 2010 Vancouver Olympics on TV, where Takahashi won the bronze medal, he was captivated by Takahashi's rich expressiveness and switched from ice hockey. ”There is no one who can match Daisuke Takahashi in terms of sex appeal,'' he admires. He arrived in Tokyo on the 4th to join the general practice for the performance, and on the 7th moved to Fukuoka for a series of last-minute rehearsals. Upon meeting his idol, he expressed his surprise at his undiminished expressiveness, saying, ``His skating is even better than what I've seen on video.''

During the general practice, he enthusiastically said, ”There are still some things I can't keep up with, but I want to do my best to have everything in order and give my best by the time of the actual performance.'' As an ensemble skater, he dances unified choreography with multiple performers. “I want to give a performance that catches the audience's attention while valuing the atmosphere.'' He radiates sex appeal that rivals Takahashi and captivates the audience.


Born 19 June 2000 in Tomakomai City. In his third year at Tomakomai Hokko Elementary School, he admired Daisuke Takahashi's skating and switched from ice hockey to figure skating, joining Shiratori FSC to begin competing. He graduated from Komadai Tomakomaki High School and Hokuyo University, where he placed 10th at the 23rd East Japan Championships with 150.06 points. Family: mother and grandmother; 167 cm, 60 kg.

__________________________________​

Part of the Kassouya merch that will be available at the venue:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3AF3XWBWBO



I don’t usually post Dai or KanaDai fan art, because there’s simply so much of it that it’s a bit overwhelming, but I thought this recreation of the official “Kassouya” poster was too charming not to post :

 

[KiraraChin]

Can I just say, I'm just in awe of Daisuke's vision and hard work - this show is such an interesting and innovative way of promoting skaters and skating.

I'm also amazed by his leadership skills, because everyone involved in this project is clearly passionate about it. I'm especially grateful to Daisuke for the trust and responsibility he seems to have placed onto Kazuki, as you know things haven't been easy since Nats, but for him to have this experience and even help Daisuke, it is something truly invaluable.

That reminds me, during the National Winter Sports victory ceremony, a fan who was there in person saw that Kazuki and Sena took to the side to take pictures together. The fan wondered if they were spending a lot of time together because of the Kassouya rehearsals, and wrote: 'Dai-chan, the team you formed is also here'. I thought that was super cute, and it says a lot that the Kassouya cast is being seen as a 'team' even before the show starts.

 

[synesthesia]

Can I just say, I'm just in awe of Daisuke's vision and hard work - this show is such an interesting and innovative way of promoting skaters and skating.

I'm also amazed by his leadership skills, because everyone involved in this project is clearly passionate about it. I'm especially grateful to Daisuke for the trust and responsibility he seems to have placed onto Kazuki, as you know things haven't been easy since Nats, but for him to have this experience and even help Daisuke, it is something truly invaluable.

I think it's a fairly ambitious project, but Dai is known to love a challenge and you can really see how he thrives as a general producer/director.

The competition is pretty stiff with the sheer amount of ice shows in Japan. It's not easy to find something to set your project apart, so I really admire Dai's ability to think outside the box and look for ways to innovate the market. Kassouya shows that this does not necessarily require a large budget, but rather imagination/creativity. I also think that Dai is good at attracting talented people to his projects to help him realize his visions.

Kana has already participated in the realization of the last Ice Explosion production and is again involved in the creative process this time (music selection and editing as well as helping him to transfer the choreography onto the ice). If there is a sequel to Kassouya, I can very well imagine that Kazuki could take on a role in the production process too, if he is interested. I also wouldn't be surprised if he puts on his own shows at some point. Didn't he already organize a show in Osaka some time ago? (Unfortunately I haven't seen any footage of it.)

Regarding Kassouya, I'm extremely excited to see what the result looks like. I think we'll find out in a few hours!

...as you know things haven't been easy since Nats...

The competition among the Japanese men is very tough and this can be frustrating, especially for an amazing skater like Kazuki, who, if he competed for any country other than Japan, would be on the Worlds team as a default, but I'm sure, regardless of competitve results, he will have a prolific pro career once he retires – I'd say he was born to be a show skater, after all!

That reminds me, during the National Winter Sports victory ceremony, a fan who was there in person saw that Kazuki and Sena took to the side to take pictures together. The fan wondered if they were spending a lot of time together because of the Kassouya rehearsals, and wrote: 'Dai-chan, the team you formed is also here'. I thought that was super cute, and it says a lot that the Kassouya cast is being seen as a 'team' even before the show starts.

Thank you for this, I hadn't read/seen this account. That is indeed very cute!

_______________________________​

Here's a sneak peak at one of Dai's new costumes for the show from today's dress rehearsal – could be the costume for his new solo program, maybe? His aura is stunning in this photo :






A few more:

• https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/image/756029/
• https://www.sanspo.com/article/20240209-B55P6JIA5JKFNKPB5JFHZ4KKCY/photo/MUGWOPMHUNJZVOZ4OM5B3MMXF4/
• https://nishispo.nishinippon.co.jp/article/816566
  
  

Kana and Dai:

アイスショー「滑走屋」リハーサル　高橋大輔さんプロデュース ［写真特集8/10］ | 毎日新聞

「滑走屋」公開リハーサルで演技する村元哉中さん（左）と高橋大輔さん＝オーヴィジョンアイスアリーナ福岡で2024年2月9日、吉田航太撮影

mainichi.jp

_______________________________
​

ETA:

Another practice report with photos from the dress rehearsal:

「まばたきする暇もない」高橋大輔　疾走感とパワーとダークな世界、そしてエロス（田中 亜紀子）

2月10日から幕をあける、高橋大輔さんが初めて総指揮をとるアイスショー「滑走屋」のゲネプロが会場となるオーヴィジョンアイスアリーナ福岡にて行われた。今回はメインスケーターを絞り、高橋大輔さんが国内の試合を見て、才能のある若手をアンサンブルスケーターとして採用するなど、スケートの普及と育成に向けて様々なチャレンジをしている。そして、陸のダンスの振付師、鈴木ゆまさんを振付師に迎え、斬新なショーになるといわれているが、さて、どうだったか？　ライターの田中亜紀子さんが速報を伝える。

gendai.media

Dai's solo number is a flamenco! (I guess Nagamitsu-sensei will be very happy about this.) From the article:

And Daisuke Takahashi's first solo program in five years is a flamenco choreographed by Pasquale Camerlengo. Today, he performed no jumps, but he skated so eloquently that even a single swing of his arms had a meaning. After ice dancing, the singles skater Daisuke Takahashi was back with even more power. He laughed at the press conference, saying "I don't know why I had such a hard program choreographed, and why I decided to perform it at such a difficult time."

 

[demarinis5]

Dai is skating a Flamenco choreographed by Pasquale, OK I am now officially dead

 

[synesthesia]

From the clips on social media, Kassouya looks super cool. I'm so jealous of everyone, who can experience it in person!

(Btw., Koshiro had to drop out last minute due to illness. I wish him a speedy recovery!)



Opening sequence in 8 parts:

https://twitter.com/aiai12310/status/1756166113447297266

Dai-chan's flamenco - I love that it's not your obvious music choice (apart from the Habanera intro).

Intro (feat. Sota and Sena):



Flamenco (without the intro):



From the way he has to work hard in his solo (it looks like he's been having some trouble with the spins today, especially in the first show), you can see how demanding the show is. Dai is on the ice during most ensemble numbers, I think, so it takes a lot of stamina. He also said he didn't get much sleep during the past two weeks or so, because he was working from early in the mornings to late in the evening with Kana on the choreographies.


Clips with a focus on Dai:

https://twitter.com/aiai12310/status/1756275844358848715

https://twitter.com/cocodoko116/status/1756273350031323415

https://twitter.com/purplearashi/status/1756174788572442885

helloagain20180701 on Instagram: "最後の力を振り絞って舞う姿に胸がいっぱい💧 楽の日を思うと今から震える どうか元気に駆け抜けられます事を♥️ #滑走屋 #KASSOUYA #高橋大輔"

125 likes, 0 comments - helloagain20180701 on February 10, 2024: "最後の力を振り絞って舞う姿に胸がいっぱい💧 楽の日を思うと今から�..."

www.instagram.com

Kana, Dai, Kazuki and Kanako:

https://twitter.com/k_ai_d/status/1756170395076718610

Focus on Kana and Dai:

https://twitter.com/cocodoko116/status/1756169883828760733

Finale:

https://twitter.com/rin3536j/status/1756171139142000912

Dai-chan's speech:

https://twitter.com/D1SK000/status/1756161920439333286

https://twitter.com/naoko_1986/status/1756159002101322042