Today we’d like to introduce you to Azuki Umeda.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’ve been injured for quite a while now – I have torn my ACL, MCL, and meniscus (lateral and medial) all at the same time from falling off a flip. It was a disaster… this made me lose a lot of opportunities to dance with my pre-professional company during high school at that time, but it did not make me lose my passion for dance. I gained a lot more with dance, including dance choreography. I have figured myself out to be able to dance with a wheelchair, crutches, chair, everything. It was a wild ride for me. In addition, my parents had to move back to Japan due to work, and it has been a tough life for me. However, my dance support has been endless once I moved to Chapman University. It has been one of the most influential experiences in my life thus far. I am gaining so much from it.
Please tell us about your art.
I love feeling the music. I love musicality, and I think I listen to music differently – in a way that I listen to all of the textures and matching every beat with every movement. This is because of watching so many YouTube videos of dancers. not in particular. I have listened to music nonstop, and I tried my best to improvise with every music. It was hard, but I persevered every time. With my improvisation, I have experimented with creating movement with music, and it has been one of the coolest things I have done. I have been teaching at studios for a year now, and having people do my choreography has been huge for me.
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
As a dancer, it has been extremely difficult. Dancers are so-very-into social media, and it has been the ONLY thing we focus about. Yes, it makes sense that Instagram videos are nice to promote dance videos, but we have been focusing on the VIEWS and the FOLLOWERS. When we did not have YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, yes, it has been difficult to find videos that inspire others, but I believe it is important to come to class with an open mind. In dance these days, we always see high-tech cameras and cool editing to post a great video. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE watching these videos… but I think we are missing the love and the heart that goes behind everything. We should at least put our phones and cameras down and have a class where we don’t have any filming. Just have fun and enjoy why we are here.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I have done my work at Chapman University, as well as choreographing various studios. I also post some improvisation videos on my Instagram! I am going to be showcasing my work at RAWoc, which is an art exhibit for all art forms. I recently showcased my work at Club Jete, which is a monthly dance showcase in LA, which was super cool! Chapman has given me endless opportunities to be able to showcase my work in front the student body. I have done contemporary/hip-hop fusion dance choreography to modern dance choreography (which was a challenge for me!!). I wish to showcase my work more, so that you all can watch!
Contact Info:
- Email: azukiumeda@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/azookster
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/azuki.umeda
- Twitter: twitter.com/azookster
Image Credit:
@kristinlewisphotography
@artistssimplyhuman
@radixdance
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