Kana Muramoto & Daisuke Takahashi | Page 10 | Golden Skate

Kana Muramoto & Daisuke Takahashi

mikeko666

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
It sure sounds and looks intriguing. But this is extremely surprising and very short notice. It was probably planned for a while, but put on hold due to the pandemic? Hopefully they can run the shows safely (on the bottom of the website it says that masks are mandatory and that there will be temperature checks; additionally I hope they won't sell the max. capacity of seats to allow for enough distance between audience members).
I believe that they (USM, the management office of Dai, Shizuka, Kanako and Kana) started working on this project soon after Hyoen 2019 was finished just like they started on Hyoen 2019 as soon as Hyoen 2017 was finished, and booked Yokohama Arena. They might have initially planned a show as complex as Hyoen 2019, but decided to make a less complex revue-type show instead because their production time would be limited with Dai being in Florida with Kana training for ice dance and this COVID-19 pandemic.

I hope there will be a livestream because many people living outside big cities are still reluctant to travel.
 

synesthesia

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Country
Germany
Finally, I uploaded KanaDai's appearance on Kenji's Room. Now we have a more complete picture of how their partnership came about! (I found some of the details quite surprising.)

Part 1 (23 February 2021): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rWYK7mrAk7W5Hi-T5TuZFQfIyE_KGcvO/view
Part 2 (2 March 2021): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZHe8w5sP7N8p__jdsrC-3XD0mAY-Ti3m/view

(Partial) Transcript of the first part: https://news.jsports.co.jp/skate/article/20190310219913/
(Couldn't find a transcript of the second part so far.)


(Partial) transcript of the second part: https://news.jsports.co.jp/skate/article/20190310219949/?p=1


DeepL translation (I once again put the original Japanese text in brackets where the translation was unclear):

Figure Skaters' Oasis♪[KENJI's Room] KANA MURAMOTO & DAISUKE TAKAHASHI Part 2

Figure Skating Talk by J SPORTS Editorial Team




Looking back on your debut at the NHK Cup


KENJI:
There were many difficulties. And your debut competition was the NHK Trophy.

Takahashi: There were a lot of things before the competition that didn't go smoothly and we didn't have much time.

Muramoto: To be honest, we didn't even know if we would make it to the NHK Trophy.

Takahashi: We made the rhythm dance in the middle of September, and we had a badge test before that. Kana-chan didn't have it last time. We had to practice for that, and we couldn't come to do/create the choreography because of Corona, so the rhythm dance was made in September. [そっちの練習をしなくちゃいけなくて、コロナもあって振り付けにも来れないというのもあって、リズムダンスは9月になっちゃって。]

KENJI: You weren’t nervous, you were more impatient.

Takahashi: I was in a hurry.

Muramoto: But about two weeks before the NHK Trophy, everything came together, we had a great practice, and I was/we were able to push myself/ourselves pretty hard, so I was really looking forward to it a few days before we went back to Japan.

KENJI: You finished 3rd, how did you feel after your debut competition?

Takahashi: I was so nervous. Just like that.

KENJI: When you started practicing the rhythm dance, I knew you were nervous, and your costume was The Mask, so I was going to say that I think Daisuke Takahashi will get more nervous from here, and his face will turn green and become more like The Mask, but I thought you would get angry if I said it, so I stopped.

Takahashi: That's about it really (laughs). I only remember being nervous.

KENJI: How were you doing, Kana?

Muramoto: I was just looking forward to it... I was nervous to come back to ice dance after 2 seasons, but I was looking forward to it more, I was just having fun. I tried not to think too much about the result, it was a miracle to be able to ice dance with you, and this NHK Trophy was our debut, so I was so happy, and I just wanted to have fun.



Looking back on the second round at All-Japan Figure Skating


KENJI:
In your second competition at All-Japan figure skating, were you more relaxed with The Mask compared to the NHK Trophy?

Takahashi: In terms of having fun, I enjoyed All-Japan. [the following two sentences made no sense in the translation / original: 戸惑いというか、曲に入る前もそうですけど、作り込んで入るじゃないですか。公式練習も全部作り込むじゃないですか。] NHK Trophy was the first time for me to do a pre-competition warm-up [in ice dance], so I was thinking too much at the NHK Trophy because there were so many firsts for me. I felt like I couldn't cope with the confusion. But I could digest/had experienced it once, so I knew what it would be like at All-Japan, so I wanted to attack in All-Japan. We had talked about how we should show our skills/perform in an attractive way, so I went there with that in mind and had a lot of fun. [試合前のアップをしたのもNHK杯が初めてだったから、その持っていき方とか、初めてが多すぎてNHK杯は考え過ぎてました。戸惑いに対応しきれないまま終わったという感じだったんですけど、一回消化できたので、こんなもんかと分かった上での全日本だったので、全日本は攻めて行こうみたいな。やっぱり魅せて行こうと2人で話していたので、その気満々で行ってたからめちゃくちゃ楽しくやれました]

KENJI: You had a little accident in the official practice of the rhythm dance. I was right in front of you, so I was shouting. Was your leg OK, actually?

Muramoto: At that moment, I thought it was over, to be honest.

Takahashi: I really thought it was over.

Muramoto: It was really bad, wasn't it?

Takahashi: I still have that feeling. I felt like I was going to squirm.

Muramoto: But thanks to my right foot/leg being underneath it [the left leg], it didn't go in completely, but when it did, it turned upwards from the side, so it was saved in a lot of ways and it didn't become a big problem. [でも、右足が下にあってくれたおかげで、完全にインしなかったんですけど、ちょうど入ったときも横から上に外旋したので、色々セーブされて大ごとにならなくて済んだという。]

Takahashi: In the video my legs are floating, so I really thought I was putting all my weight on it.

Muramoto: It was really heavy. His muscles are getting bigger and bigger, so I was like, "Ooooh!

Takahashi: I'm really sorry...

KENJI: You finished 2nd in the All-Japan Championships, how do you look back on it?

Takahashi: After the first round, I felt like I had (only) got to know ice dance a little before the second competition. I think I could feel/understand what it means/is needed to be a good/captivating ice dancer in All-Japan, so I'm really happy to have finished these two competitions, and it made me think more clearly about what I want to do in the future. I know where I/we can do more to attract people, to communicate while connecting with each other. I'm still worried about my lifts and spins, but if I can do them with confidence, I can focus more on my turns, and if I can do that, I can focus only on my passion and produce something good. [お互いのコネクションをしながら人に魅せる、伝えるということを、どこに自信を持っていけばもっとできるのかが分かって、リフトとスピンに関してはまだ不安があるんですけど、そこを自信を持ってできたらもっとターンなどにもフォーカスできるし、そこができてくれれば、パッションだけにフォーカスを持っていって良いものが出せるなと思うので、これは順序だなとより明確に思えました。]

KENJI: I know I shouldn't be saying this, but you're talking a lot today.

Takahashi: Yeah, I know! I've been talking for a long time, and I'm sorry. Kana-chan, please talk (laughs)

KENJI: Hearing what he just said, is there anything you want to do, Kana-chan?

Muramoto: After All-Japan, I was so frustrated, and on the day of the competition, we practiced really well, and I felt like everything was ready. If it hadn't been for that accident, things would have been different. But after All-Japan, I had confidence that I could do well with Dai-chan.




About the programs


KENJI:
In the finished rhythm dance program, is there any particular moment that you want people to pay attention to?

Takahashi: To be honest, for me it's the midline step.

Muramoto: Midline for me too!

Takahashi: I think the two of us have a good groove in the midline step.

KENJI: I like the middle part of the mid-line, from the slide. It's really cool.

Muramoto: That's Marina's obsession. She never missed the slide from Mohawk, right?

KENJI: What is the highlight of the free dance?

Muramoto: I like all of it, but I think the beginning is my favorite.

KENJI: I like when Kana-chan sits down and puts her hands here (in front of her face) before it starts.

Muramoto: I always get goose bumps myself when Dai-chan takes his hand away and gets into this position. "Ah! It's starting!” I always get goosebumps when the song starts.

Takahashi: At that point I’m thinking “Spin! Spin!” [coming up], so I'm too anxious. My favourite part is the choreo step. That's where I think there's still room to grow, I think we can be both light and strong, so it's a place where I think we can make it even better. We haven't been able to show it in the two competitions yet.




On ice dance getting more attention


KENJI:
Now that you're doing ice dance, it is getting a lot of attention, isn't it? You must be happy about that.

Muramoto: No, I'm so happy. I can't thank him enough. I'm really happy. Because ice dancing has never been covered like this. Of course, there are skaters who have made ice dance big in the past, but he will get more attention, and people who don't know ice dance will have more opportunities to see it. I was surprised that people don't know ice dance as much as I thought. Not only us, but I want people to know how good ice dance is. There are many couples/teams in Japan, and there have been many in the past, and I want people to see many different couples/teams.

KENJI: What do you think is the charm of ice dance, Kana-chan?

Muramoto: I'm always asked, but it's hard to put into words....

Takahashi: Kenji, what do you think is the charm of ice dance?

KENJI: I want people to relax and watch it slowly, like watching a stage performance or a movie. Of course you want to know about the technique, but I think the charm of ice dance is that you can forget about that and watch it with a sense of elegance. Of course it's a sport, but I think the artistic side is stronger. Also, I think the appeal of ice dancing is that children can do it, and adults can do it too.

Muramoto: I think the process of working together with someone is one of the charms of ice dancing. It's twice as much fun, and I find the process of working with someone else on everything fascinating. I think it's unique to ice dance that two people can create a piece together.

Takahashi: In singles, you express yourself alone. There are things that can only be expressed by one person, but there are also worlds that can only be expressed by two people. Pairs is like watching a circus with a storyline, Ice Dance is like watching the main characters in a drama or a movie, I think each has its own charm, Single, Dance and Pairs. Ice Dance is about the pursuit of skating, even a single turn. That's why you can study it for a long time. I think it's difficult to immerse yourself in one thing for a long time on your own/by yourself, but I think ice dancing is the most attractive way to enjoy skating for a long time, because we can pursue it together.




Future goals


KENJI:
Please tell us your enthusiasm for the future.

Takahashi: From the start, we've been aiming for the Beijing Olympics in 2022, and we'll never get there unless we win the All-Japan Championships in 2021, so that's what we have to aim for. So I think I have to give it my all/best.

Muramoto: Likewise, I think this year is really crucial, so we will have to definitely stand in the middle of the podium at All-Japan at the end of this year, and I will do my best to achieve my goal of the Beijing Olympics in 2022.

Takahashi: It's rapid growth, isn't it? We have to grow fast.

Muramoto: I really want to do my best, so that I have no regrets.

KENJI: I'm afraid of you getting injured, so please take care of yourselves and practice hard. We are all cheering you on as hard as we can.




After the recording


Muramoto:
I hadn't heard directly from Kenji what he thought about Kana and Dai-chan forming an ice dance couple/team, so it was great to hear that.

Takahashi: I didn’t hear before what Kenji thinks about ice dance in general. I'm sure he's told the media, but when I heard it directly, I myself think Ice Dancing can be continued for a long time and I didn't know/understand it until I thought about it, but Kenji has been doing it for a long time, and I've seen him do it, so I thought he'd be able to say it right/he said exactly what I was thinking. [メディアの方には言ってると思いますが、直接聞いたときに、僕自身もアイスダンスはスケートの中でも長く続けられるものだと思うし、それを僕は考えないと分からなかったけど、賢二先生は長いことやられているし、見てきているので、パッと的確なことを仰られるなと思いました。]




What was the talk like?

Muramoto:
It's the kind of talk that always makes me want to skate/practice harder afterwards.

Takahashi: Kenji and me were active (competitors) at the same time and we were in the same competitions. I'm 34 now, but Kenji-sensei was in his 30s and I was in my teens [??? this bit is odd since Dai was 22 when Kenji turned 30 – did he make him older or is DeepL way off? :LOL:] when we competed at the same time, so I'm over Kenji-sensei's age at the time, so there’s a lot of history. I think it's a talk where we could look back. Kenji has skating experience, so he may feel differently about what we say than those who don't [have skating experience], so I think it was a talk where we could exchange a lot. [僕は賢二先生と一緒に現役をやっていて、試合で同じ部屋だったりもしました。僕も34歳になりましたけど、賢二先生が30台とかで僕が10台とかで一緒に試合に出てたので、その当時の賢二先生の年齢を僕は越えていて、本当に歴史って色々あるなと。結構、振り返りができる部屋だなと思います。賢二先生はスケート経験者ですし、経験していない方とは違って、僕たちが言ったことに対しての感じ方が違ったりするときもあるので、そういった意味で気付いたら色々話しちゃうみたいな、そんな部屋になっていると思います。]



_____________________________________________________________________

This is the second edition of the popular series dedicated to the costumes that decorate the beauty of figure skating. Costumes are one of the devices to express the world view of the program. This time, we will show you the beautiful and gorgeous costumes with photos of the performances. We will also present a ranking of the most popular costumes voted by fans on Twitter. The Costume Collection features Daisuke Takahashi and Tatsuki Machida. In an interview with Mr Machida, he talks about the role of costumes in artistic sports and reveals for the first time the secrets behind the making of his own costumes.​
Interviews:
Rin NITAYA: "I'm happy to feel that I like this season's costumes the best."​
Shizuko Orihara (costume designer): "Through the costumes, I feel like I am watching the growth of the athletes."​
Yuka Nagai: "It's the beautiful costumes that make the athletes shine."​
Yuna Shiraiwa: "For me, costumes give me confidence and courage."​
Ernesto Martinez: "It's important that the wearer and the soul of the costume are in harmony."​
Benoît Richaud: "I want my clothes to feel like part of my body."​
Kana Muramoto: "I want our clothes to form a picture when the two of us stand together."​
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara: "The choice of materials and design for the pair's unique skills."​
Special:
Fans' favorite costume ranking​
Interview:
Tatsuki Machida's costumes are stage sets with the magic power of transformation​
Features:
Daisuke Takahashi's Costume Collection
Minako Orihara (折原美奈子): For the moment you enter the world​
Mentoshi Hara (原孟俊): The one and only skater Daisuke Takahashi's costumes
Costume Collection
Carolina Kostner/Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte​
and others​



 
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deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
still 20min to go but soon my bath time... ;)

Happy 35th birthday, Daisuke! :hb::hb:
And sorry Kana, belated Happy birthday to you, too!!! :hb::hb:

Stay healthy and continue surprise us, fascinate us with your gorgeous skates, please! :love::cool::jaw::rock:

ETA Thanks a million for all precious updates on Kana and Dai. :) All is well with everyone here. :ghug: To synes, very sorry for not replying you earlier. Thx as always for your sweet words. :)
 
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synesthesia

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Country
Germany
ETA Thanks a million for all precious updates on Kana and Dai. :) All is well with everyone here. :ghug: To synes, very sorry for not replying you earlier. Thx as always for your sweet words. :)

It's great to read you again, deedee! :ghug:

_________________________________________

Happy birthday, Dai-chan!!! 🥳🥂


"I would probably prefer to regret what I did than what I didn' do." - D. Takahashi, 2018, Re-start documentary (translation by izayukam)

Keep doing your thing and "don't even try to fit in" as your friend Takeru Kobayashi-san said.

It is precisley because you always strive to broaden your horizon and to defy expectations that so many people are inspired by you. ❤️




Dai's ig-story with his friends' birthday messages (incl. Kana, Takahito, Dice, Miki and Kanako):

[ig-story expired]



La Bayadere by kiwiegg 🥰:




ETA

Benoit Richaud:

 
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synesthesia

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Country
Germany
It's been quiet in here. Hope everyone is still doing ok. I feel very drained myself tbh.

Maybe these updates can help to cheer those of us, who need it, up a bit. :)



On 22 April JSF published the initial list of athletes that will be reinforced next season. Kana and Dai will receive B level funding on the basis of their placement and scores at Nationals last year:

https://twitter.com/figureskatingm1/status/1385117083315294208

_________________________________________

As SkyCourt continues to sponsor them, Kana and Dai will be featured on a public bus in Tokyo for a year as part of a D-color/Grand Maison Gotenyama advertising campaign:

https://ameblo.jp/nishidamiwa/entry-12671738091.html

https://twitter.com/skycourt50/status/1388050834043273219

_________________________________________

JBpress published an interesting interview/article about the creation of Kana's and Dai's RD and FD costumes. Satomi Ito says that she was very surprised and even worried by the request since she didn't have any experience in creating ice dance costumes. She says that Dai especially had a lot of input into the process since, according to her, he is not only very knowledgeable about costume design requirements, but also very objective and has a good sense of which styles work for him / for his body type.

Part 1: https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/64863

Part 2: https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/64864


Summary of the main points:

  • Ito says she's happy that ice dance is receiving more attention now, because she loved ice dancing even before she started making costumes for figure skating. She fell in love with it when Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder caught her eye at the 2007 World Championships in Tokyo, where she saw ice dancing for the first time.

  • Out of Delobel's and Schoenfelder's programs her favourite is "The Piano" from the 2007-2008 season, based on the 1993 film. She was impressed that they incorporated sign language in the performance (in the movie the female protagonist is unable to speak, so sign language is used).

  • She liked that the design of ice dance costumes is more flexible/versatile than those in singles (e.g. the length of the costumes, the use of accessories and hats).

  • Being asked by Kana and Dai to create their costumes was the most surprising thing that happened to her in 2020.

  • Ito had already designed costumes for Satsuki Muramoto's students. She then went on to create Kana's costumes for her performances in "Ice Explosion" ("Feeling Good" and "Beauty and the Beast").

  • At first she was only commissioned to do the FD costumes. Because she had already created two costumes for Kana, she had a general idea what kind of style would suit her, but she was worried about designing a costume for Dai. She says she really liked Dai's costumes in singles and that they had a very particular cut and combination of materials, so she had a strong image of them. She says her costume designs have a completely different style and so she wondered, if Dai would accept that and what his fans would think.

  • Dai initially requested a FD costume in navy or black. But Marina Zueva said: "Since Kana's dress is pink, Daisuke should wear bordeaux to match the colours."

  • Mikeko already mentioned that his FD costume had a lot more threedimensional embellishments at first, but they had to be removed, because Kana's dress kept getting caught during lifts. It made Ito realise how difficult it is to make ice dance costumes.

  • The fittings for Kana's and Dai's costumes were done at the same time, so that they had the opportunity to exchange their opinions (e.g. Kana would say "that colour looks good on you" and Dai would advise that Kana's dress should be of a certain length).

  • When they realized that the illusion mesh on Kana's dress didn't match her skin tone and it was too late to fix it before the NHK Trophy, Dai advised to add a few small sparkling stones, to create an illusion of blending in with her skin. Ito feels that he is looking at it from the point of view of the costume designer.

  • Ito was then commissioned to also provide the RD costumes. The original design was changed after the NHK Trophy, because they felt that Kana's and Dai's costumes created an unbalanced image when they stood next to each other.

  • For the yellow shirt, they initially had about six different subtle colour variations that were then narrowed down by holding a mirror up next to Kana's costume.

  • One thing Ito learned during the production process was the extent of Dai's knowledge of costumes, which helped her a lot.

  • Ito attended both the NHK Trophy and Nationals, but she was (almost) too nervous to watch Kana's and Dai's performances, because she worried that any of the decorations might fall off their costumes.

  • She later rewatched videos of the performances and felt more relaxed. She loved the FD especially. When she had first listened to "La Bayadere", she had thought, that it's "such a difficult ballet piece". When she saw the completed program, she thought the way it ended up was amazing and innovative and she wanted to rewatch it all the time. She says she loved the chemistry between Kana and Dai.


__________________________________________

In one of his recent ig stories Shingo Nishiyama expressed his admiration for Kana's and Chris' feat of being the only Japanese ice dance team to have ever medalled at 4CC. Translation of Shingo's ig story:

"I was reading the pamphlet for the Four Continents Championships, and I noticed that all of the ice dance medalists of all time were from the USA and Canada, and Japan was the only exception! It made me think again that Kana-chan and Chris have done a great job!
I wish I could be in this group one day!
"

Screenshot:


________________________________________

For the conclusion of Mao's “Thanks tour” at the Yokohama arena (where Hyoen will also take place) on 27 April, Daisuke, Shoma and Kanako sent these beautiful flower arrangements (I guess USM had them arranged on their behalf), that were on display at the venue:

https://twitter.com/NamoradaRus/status/1386668257126592512

_________________________________________

A couple of Hyoen updates:

Daisuke Takahashi talks about his feelings on the revue-style ice show "LUXE”
This is a new kind of ice show: "Hyoen 2017 -Basara-", a collaboration between figure skating and Kabuki, and "Hyoen 2019 -Like the moonlight", which depicted the world of "The Tale of Genji" on ice. In "LUXE," the team that has created ice shows with a new sensation has reunited. In "LUXE," Daisuke Takahashi, who is also an active ice dancer, plays the role of a prince in the Land of Light and travels around the world. We asked Daisuke Takahashi about his enthusiasm for the show.
--This is the third production in the Hyoen-series.​
Daisuke: Actors, singers, and ensemble members will put on skates, and we skaters will sing, dance, and act, so we are both taking on new challenges, which is what makes Hyoen unique. This time, as in the previous two productions, we had the participation of TeamLab for the projection mapping. The fact that we are able to project projection mapping on the ice and perform various acts on it is also something that is unique to Hyoen, which is hard to find in other ice shows.​
--This time, you will play the role of the "Prince of the Land of Light" who travels to various countries and regions.​
Daisuke: Last time, there was a lot of theatricality, but this time, it's more about expression, and there are not so many [spoken] lines. The skaters and other performers will play several roles. I think it's a challenge, and an interesting experiment, to express the differences between countries and regions through skating, since there are different scenes in South America, Europe, and Asia, so it's quite difficult to change your mind in a short time. Up until now, I have experienced playing the same role all the time [throughout one performance], but [this time] there are times when I have to switch it up more and more. If it looks the same all the time, it's not appealing. It will be a challenge to find a way to make it look different, and if I succeed, I think it will be very interesting. There are a lot of scenes where I work with various people, so I want to change the atmosphere each time. There are scenes that are a bit BL-like [Does he mean what I think he does? Are we about to get "Experimentation" 3.0? 😇], I'll be playing a matador in a scene in Europe, and I'll be dancing with my ice dancing partner, Kana Muramoto, and there will be a wonderful theme song by Ayaka Hirahara and a cool performance by Reon Yuzuki in the skyscraper scene.​
--Ryou Harada, who is newly participating in the composition, scriptwriting and direction, is a director of the Takarazuka Revue, which has a long tradition of revues. And Mr. Kikunojo Onoe, the supervisor and director of the show, mentioned during our interview that there might be overlaps between the prince's journey through the countries and Mr. Takahashi's life as a skater.​
Daisuke: I myself have seen the Takarazuka production of "For the people - Lincoln, the man who sought freedom", written and directed by Mr. Harada, but I have never seen a "Takarazuka" revue. In that sense, this is my first experience. As the title "LUXE" implies, what you believe in has the most value. I myself, when I retired and came back, wanted to focus on figure skating, and to do so for as long as possible. As I've had various experiences, without one thing I believed in, I couldn't move on, I didn't know what to choose, I felt like I was overwhelmed by various evaluations. In such a situation, I finally found something I believed in and was able to move forward. “LUXE" has the meaning of "luxury," and I think it's a very timely performance for me because I've been able to spend my days feeling what's important in my life and what enriches my heart. I am sure that the audience will be able to understand what I am feeling if I try to do it with my own heart, and I am very grateful to the company for recognizing my feelings and creating this performance. Mr. Harada came to see the previous two installments, so he knows what "Hyoen" is all about, and he is participating in this production. I'm looking forward to seeing how he will add his experience from Takarazuka and change "Hyoen". The first production was directed by Koshiro Matsumoto (then Somegoro Ichikawa) and incorporated the best of kabuki, and the last production was directed by Amon Miyamoto and was very interesting too. The color of the play is completely different each time, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how Mr. Harada will prepare it this time.​
--Do you feel that collaborating with people from other genres has influenced your own expression in any way?​
Daisuke: It's very difficult for me to say which of the things I've experienced so far has had a positive effect, but I think it's definitely had a positive effect. The first time, I was shown the world of kabuki and I felt that the kabuki form and the power of the kabuki actors were wonderful as I worked with them. Koshiro-san is a very busy man, coming to our rehearsals late at night while working on the stage, and then going on stage again the next day. His stamina is so great that he can't say he is tired. I was impressed by his attitude of devoting his life to entertainment. Last time, I tried singing and dialogues for the first time, and I didn't know how I would feel when I tried acting, but after trying, I realized that I really like acting. Whether I'm good at it or not, is another thing. (laughs) But it made me realize once again that this is the kind of entertainment world I want to pursue. I've absorbed a lot of things in this way, and I'm sure this revue-style ice show will be another piece that will give me something to think about.​
--While you are still active as an athlete, you are also active in ice shows.​
Daisuke: I'm still a beginner in ice dance, and last year I participated in my first competition. Now we're entering the Olympic season, and to be honest, I don't have much time to rehearse this piece, but I don't think it's always important to rehearse. Of course, practice is very important, but you never know where experiences like this one will come in handy. It may come in handy right away, or it may not. But I'm sure it will be a plus for me to continue figure skating. I'm really looking forward to see how I'll change after doing this show with all my might. It's going to be hard, but I can see the positive side of it, so I think I don't feel much anxiety or difficulty to manage both. I want to perform for as long as possible in the future, and I think that competitions and ice shows are all part of the same process.​
--You yourself switched to ice dance from singles, but you must have a different way of teaming up with others who have experience in singles than with [those who have experience in] ice dance.​
Daisuke: It's the first time I've noticed this since I started ice dancing, but now I'm experiencing how difficult it is to perform with others. I think it's difficult for single skaters to realize this, since they've never experienced it before. But as I've experienced it before, I think I'll be able to support them this time, in terms of responsiveness. I think that if single skaters work together, there will be a different way to show it from ice dancing, and even if they work together, I think they can express various things, such as synchronicity, or on the other hand, repulsion/opposition/resistance.​
--You're also going to try your hand at singing [again], so I'm sure there will be a lot to look forward to.​
Daisuke: I play a prince, and I'm told that I’m going to be the next king. But I don't want to be a king myself, I want to see various things and decide my future and the path I want to take by myself, and that's where my journey starts. That's why the story progresses in an exciting way. I'm looking forward to the scene where Yuzuki-san wears a black tailcoat because it's said to be really cool. I'm also looking forward to listening to Ms. Hirahara's singing every day. As I did last time, I listened to her as an audience member backstage, and I was so moved by her singing that I cried while acting. I'm happy to be able to feel that again this time. Seiji Fukushi and Kazuki Namioka were enemies in the previous installment, but this time they are playing the role of followers/detectives who are told to follow the prince by Tokuma Nishioka. I'm also looking forward to seeing them get along well. I've never done an ice show with a detective-story like this before, so I'm really looking forward to what kind of acting/performance I/we/they will do.​
-- What kind of moment do you feel the joy and happiness of skating yourself?​
Daisuke: It's not fun. (laughs)​
-- You don't enjoy it?​
Daisuke: It's hard, it's really hard. (laughs) But when I perform in front of an audience and get a reaction from them, it's very addictive, and I think that's why I keep doing it. I think it's a joy to feel the happiness of the audience when they see my performance.​
-- "LUXE" is going to be fun for everyone, from people who have never been to an ice show to people who love figure skating.​
Daisuke: For those who haven't seen skating live, the sense of speed can't be conveyed on TV, and the sound of jumping and coming down, the power of it, will definitely be more enjoyable than through the screen. Also, I think that the cold air has a very positive effect on the story and the narrative. For example, a beautiful sad song can go well with the cold air, and music and skating are very integrated, so expressing music in a sense of speed is something that is very interesting to watch. In addition to skating, we also sing and take on various challenges, so I think it will be interesting to see what we can do. For those who like figure skating, it's really different from a regular ice show. Although there are many story-based overseas ice shows, they are rare in Japan, so I think it's a work for fans to feel the potential of figure skating.​

 
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mikeko666

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Kana and Dai have been back in Japan working on the production of LUXE.

Here is an interview of Dai. He plays Prince of Light, who refuses to take his father, King of the Sun's throne, and embarks a journey and travel all over the world.

This is an interview of Ayaka Hirakawa, who wrote and sings the theme song of LUXE. According to her interview, Kana and Dai will skate to L' aigle noir. Ayaka will play the Queen of Sheba, and she and Dai will sing the final song in duet.

Those costumes look so gorgeous. :love:
 

synesthesia

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Country
Germany
Today's Hyoen special 🥰 (thank you so much, meowmix!):



ETA:

Dailymotion-link: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x815o3p



ETA 2:

This morning Daisuke promoted Luxe live on ntv's "Shu-ichi" with a "virtual in-studio" appearance (he was in a separate room inside the studio building):

https://youtube.com/watch?v=LzTAJrVPwEA (thanks, uni!)

_____________________________

Luxe group picture on Miwa Nishida's ig account:

 
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synesthesia

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Country
Germany
Oh my, the show looks stunning! :love2: Didn’t expect less after the last two productions. I can't wait to watch it tomorrow!

Spice published a synopsis with a couple more pictures from the dress rehearsal (also incl. Akiko, Nobu and Kanako):
https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/287214

A few more clips from Going!:

I'm especially looking forward to Akiko’s floor dance with Reon Yuzuki, Keiji's and Dai's Miroir/Narcissus scene (now we know what Dai meant by "BL-like" scenes 😏) and his skate with Kana to “L' aigle noir" – it's such a gorgeous chanson.


________________________________________

Some other tidbits about the show:

Translation:​
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the medical staff who work so hard every day of the Corona pandemic, and I would like to thank everyone who came to see us, despite the anxiety they must have felt.​
We are very happy to be able to hold this event in a situation where it is very difficult to organise entertainment. With so much news looking backwards, I hope that people were able to lose track of time and have some fun.​
This show is a tour of the world, so there were a lot of costume changes. Also, it was hard to get used to singing. It's not easy to travel these days, so I hope this show has made people feel like they've been to these places.​
We have been working on our rhythm dance program and we are trying new spins and lifts. During the training camp of LUXE, I was able to train every day with my partner and the rest of the team. We’re going to relax a bit in Japan and then come back to Florida to start training again.​
I know that Corona is still making things difficult, but I/we will do what I/we can to make things better and look forward to seeing you all again at shows and competitions.​
Thank you for your continued support!​
It's a bit of a shame that the attendance is relatively low, albeit not surprising, considering they went ahead with the show in the current situation on such short notice (re. its announcement). It probably also didn't help that Luxe is the third ice show to be held at the Yokohama Arena in a short timespan after Stars on Ice (April 22-25) and Mao's "Thanks" tour (April 26-27). In addition Prince Ice World was held at the Shin Yokohama Skate Center (May 1-5). So I suppose the market was already saturated in the Tokyo/Yokohama area and since the state of emergency was extended, people likely and understandably were hesitant to travel from all over the country, especially because there's the option to watch the show in cinemas and on tv tomorrow.

It looks like with Luxe they once more created an extraordinary show with a sophisticated production value, which deserves to be seen by more people. Kudos to chairman Dai and the entire team for running the shows in spite of the difficulties to bring people a bit of entertainment and joy. Judging by Dai's words above, everyone involved in the organisation/production probably knew what to expect. I'm sure the next installment (in 2023?) will be well attended again. In 2019, all 6 shows of "Hyoen - Like the moonlight" at the same venue were close to sold out (45.000 tickets in total).

Going by what's posted on social media the cast seem to be enjoying themselves – that's the most important thing! Love Kazuki Namioka's banter with Dai-chan while Dai’s make-up is applied. Edit (17 May): In today's episode Kazuki "interviews" Dai and Keiji. (On a side note: I hope Dai keeps the longer hair this time – it suits him really well. ☺️)
 
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synesthesia

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Country
Germany
More pretty Hyoen photos:




Great backstage pictures from several cast members' sns accounts (among them Shizuka, Nobu, Akiko and Kanako):

https://twitter.com/Mariakko2010/status/1395173568254722048 (accompanied by Akiko's warm words for Dai: "Our beloved leader, Dai-chan, who has led the company full of love and kindness. I am really excited by his continuous evolution. I'm rooting for you!")




Dai-chan's sweet "thank you" message – posted yesterday ❤️:



Translation (with DeepL):

"The 3 days and 6 performances have come to an end. It went by really fast.

We had a lot of difficulties because we didn't know if we would be able to perform in the difficult situation of the Corona pandemic.

I am very grateful to all of you.

I would like to thank all the members of the company, the staff and everyone who took part in LUXE. I couldn't have done it without you all! I am so happy to have met this company.

Thank you!

And most of all, thank you to all of you who came to the show, to all of you who watched the broadcast and to all of you who waited for LUXE, even though there were many of you who couldn't come because of the situation.

So many of you have given us so much power!

We look forward to seeing you all again, somewhere, someday!


Thank you for three days of happiness...
"


____________________________________________________

About Luxe (I watched the broadcast on the 17th):

The show was packed with so many highlights that I don’t even know where to start. It’s so, so gorgeous and extremely addictive – a journey through sumptuous sceneries and a richness of moods.

Each performer had their moment to shine and was not only given scenes and characters perfectly suited to their strengths, but also opportunities to step out of their comfort zone:
  • Former Takarazuka star Reon Yuzuki wowed with a daring aerial opening number.
  • Shizuka was perfect in her portrayal of a deadly Amazon flower, a classic femme fatale.
  • Akiko shone in her elegant floor dance with Reon especially.
  • Ayaka Hirahara carried the show with her amazing, powerful, versatile voice and did so on the ice as well as sitting on a perch in lofty heights under the venue ceiling.
  • Kanako and Nobu skated a bit in Kilian hold in the "Rêves" scene. Their highlight was "Brise" though, in which Nobu portrayed a Caribbean man and Kanako a seagull. The on ice projections were absolutely perfect in this scene.
  • Kana proved her versatility in many different roles. She stood out in her fiery Flamenco "duel" with Shizuka and in her lovely "L' aigle noir" duet with Dai (feat. a rotational lift). 🤗
  • Dai's portrayal of a proud matador was spot on and extremely entertaining – a perfect balance between swooninducing allure and almost campily exaggerated machoism. :biggrin: In the finale he had an entire song to sing this time – "Lay off my hope" – giving it his all and managing really well.

To me the two standouts among no shortage of highlights were Dai's and Keiji's duet "Miroir" and Dai's solo scene "Phénix" for the utter brilliance of the choreographies (shout out to Kenji M.!), display of smooth skating skill, the quite daring theme in the case of "Miroir" (of course Dai has tackled BL themes in other productions, but Keiji revealed a new side of himself, unleashing his inner "eros" ;) very convincingly and proving to have been the perfect choice for the part), emotional depth and sheer beauty of the overall staging. Everything was perfectly integrated in these two scenes from Dai’s and Keiji’s intense feeding off each other in "Miroir" and Dai’s deeply profound delivery in "Phénix", to the haunting musical scores and stunning projection mapping (especially in “Phénix”). An intoxicating experience that I badly wish I could have witnessed in person!

Imo Luxe proves once more that the Hyoen brand is unparalleled in terms of ambition and innovation both visually and thematically in the landscape of the Japanese ice show market and deserves each and all accolades. I deeply wish that there will be many more Hyoen productions in the years to come! :pray:
 
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mikeko666

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Hi :) , sorry for not posting for awhile.
I watched the show at Yokohama Arena on Sunday, May 16.

All I want to add is that the Narcissus was an absolute masterpiece, a pure work of art. Everything was exquisite, the skaters, choreography, music and projection mapping. Dai and Keiji were so beautiful just like they came out of a Michelangelo's painting. The performance was so sensual and thrilling that everyone in the audience was holding the breath from the beginning to the end trying to interpret the story.
 
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