Hello! It has been a while since I last posted an article in English.
I have a special announcement to share this spring.
I received a Jury Award (Honorable Mention) for Shapes of the World at Just Sense It: Taiwan Inclusive Deaf Arts Festival 2026. I am deeply honored to receive my very first award as a dance artist.
Our project, Shapes of the World, explored the relationship between the deafblind body and dance. My collaborator, Sakura Sky, is a deafblind tactile designer and performer, and together we created this unique work.
As an art form, we combined dance, movement, tactile sign language, and our own shared language. Throughout the creative process, we communicated through tactile sign language and Japanese.
This collaboration introduced me to new values and perspectives through Sakura’s ideas and imagination. Their way of perceiving the world often went beyond what I initially expected. As I followed their stories and experiences, I realized that a shape may exist even if it is different from the one I had imagined. It still exists—simply within Sakura’s perspective. I came to see this as a form of aesthetics.
This project was also my first opportunity to try to describe aesthetics in words.
In the end, I could only explain it through what was happening, what I experienced, and how I felt. There may be no single answer, but I believe this artistic inquiry can lead us toward new artistic values by paying attention to what we have not yet noticed or understood about deafblind experiences.
Can we witness the world as it is seen and felt by someone else?
While exploring this aesthetic vision and how to share it with others, I was reminded that every person experiences beauty differently. To truly share our perspectives, we need dialogue—we need to sit together and communicate through one another’s languages.
This project taught me to respect every language: sign language, tactile sign language, spoken language, and, of course, dance.
I would also like to express how honored and delighted I am to receive this recognition from a festival in Taiwan. Taiwan holds a special place in my heart.
One of my former classmates, Chin-Yueh, was from Taiwan and had a profound influence on my life and artistic journey. We studied dance therapy together in London. After completing her final thesis, she passed away peacefully.
I often wonder how she might be celebrating this award with me from heaven.
My sincere thanks go to the festival organizers, the judge members, the Deaf community, Sakura and their mother, and everyone who has supported me along the way.
This recognition encourages me to continue creating inclusive spaces where everyone can express themselves freely and authentically.
Thank you again for this incredible honor. I look forward to sharing more of my journey from Japan in the future.
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Our award article is from here (Click here)
(only Taiwanese but our project title is in English)
Our Dance dialogue; how?
Click here for our dance footages (English narrated)
More images you want?
You can see some from the first article about the award
(Japanese only)
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【日本語あやかことば】
台湾の受賞報告を、英語でお伝えいたしました。
執筆を始めた時に、文章の方向は「美学」について進んでいきました。
応募する際に、悩み、一番時間をかけたトピックであります。
皆さんは「自分が美しい」と感じるもの、
語る機会はありますか？
上手く語ろうとしなくてOK!
ダンスと対話で活動しています。
興味の湧いた方、ダンスの経験の有無は関係ありません。
是非1度ご参加ください。
最新の予告はこちらから
