in Kamiyama

Official Welcome Party 2010 for the KAIR artists.  A Jazz Orchestra provided the sounds and Yorii Theatre the venue.
WELCOME AND WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT RESIDENCY!

BELOW: Preparing Yorii Theatre for the concert, covering the floor in plastic sheeting.

BELOW: A glowing Sugimoto san kicks off proceedings

Next, the artists introduce themselves.

POH WANG

MIDORI HIROTA

ADAM AVIKAINEN

YUKIE HORI

ILGVARS ZALANS

Introductions, translations and warm-ups completed, the band (I don’t recall the name unfortunately) begin to play accompanied by a graceful bachan dancer with black shiny shoes.  It’s good to watch, like a slowed down MJ but even more unusual.  Raptuous applause follows.

BELOW: A rendition of Thriller is inevitable.

Later, everyone (bar myself, I was taking the photographs see) got dancing…

Now, artists, get to work!