Ishida Dance | Texas Review | Ralph Arvesen
Ishida Dance "as long as there is in me" at the The Long Center for the Performing Arts Rollins Studio Theatre in Austin, Texas on January 14, 2025. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)

Ishida Dance’s highly anticipated winter program, as long as there is in me, showcases a captivating blend of artistry, featuring extraordinary dancers from Europe and North America. This unique evening promises an unforgettable experience, combining four remarkable works, including three world premieres and one United States premiere, that push the boundaries of contemporary dance and storytelling.

Headlining the program is the haunting world premiere of soul-writer, an original creation by Ishida. This evocative piece invites audiences into a dreamscape where a woman briefly experiences the lives of a beloved wife, a sister, and a mother. Through its poetic narrative and deeply moving choreography, soul-writer explores themes of love, loss, and identity, offering a profound meditation on the lives we live and the connections that define us. Ishida is also the choreographer for not your swan lake, a different view of the traditional program.

Adding to the program is the United States premiere of Waltz, a stunning work by Drew Jacoby, an acclaimed choreographer, actor, and former dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) and Ballet Vlaanderen. Known for her distinctive creative voice, Jacoby brings her exceptional artistic sensibility to this elegant and emotionally resonant piece, which captivates with its fluidity and nuance.

The evening also features the world premiere of It’s Happening Now by Mauro Astolfi, one of Italy’s most esteemed choreographers and the visionary Artistic Director of Spellbound Contemporary Ballet in Rome. Astolfi’s work is celebrated for its dynamic energy and rich emotional depth, and It’s Happening Now promises to be a compelling exploration of the human condition, filled with intricate movement and layered storytelling.

This winter program is a rare opportunity to witness critically acclaimed choreography from both Europe and the United States, brought to life by a world-class cast of dancers. Each piece offers a unique lens into the power of contemporary dance to evoke introspection and connect audiences with universal themes, making “as long as there is in me” a must see event for lovers of innovative and meaningful performance.

About Artistic Director
Brett Ishida, a fourth-generation Japanese American (Yonsei), was raised in the small valley town of Porterville, California. Her childhood was spent balancing her time between dancing and working among the citrus trees on her grandparents' ranch. These early experiences, steeped in both discipline and creativity, laid the foundation for her lifelong passion for dance.

At just fifteen years old, Brett’s dedication to her craft led her to leave home after earning a full scholarship to the Kirov Academy and later to the School of American Ballet (SAB). Her professional career flourished as she danced with several esteemed ballet companies across the United States, culminating in her tenure with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montréal. While there, she toured internationally, performing principal and soloist roles in works by celebrated choreographers such as Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, and Didy Veldman, and collaborating on new creations that further enriched her artistic journey.

Brett’s love for the arts extended beyond the stage. Captivated by the power of language, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing: Poetry at UCLA. Later, she earned a Master’s degree in Montessori Education from St. Mary’s College, which fueled her passion for experiential arts education. As an educator and administrator in Texas, California, and Greece, Brett advocated for arts integration in learning and supported children with special needs. These dual passions for storytelling and education eventually converged, inspiring her to establish ISHIDA in 2019—a contemporary dance company with a unique voice and vision.

Brett has quickly become a sought-after choreographer, earning recognition from some of the most prominent figures in the dance world. In 2022, she was commissioned by Julie Kent, renowned ballerina and Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet (and soon-to-be Co-Artistic Director of Houston Ballet), to create a ballet for their NEXTsteps program. Her piece, homecoming, performed at both the June 2022 premiere and November 2022 encore at The Kennedy Center, was hailed as “remarkable” by Pulitzer Prize-winning dance critic Sarah L. Kaufman of The Washington Post, who praised its deeply poignant and poetic themes.

Brett’s work is rooted in a profound connection to timeless philosophical and poetic ideas, often drawing on Greek philosophy and the subconscious memories that shape human experience. Through Ishida, she creates “memory houses” for audiences immersive narrative spaces where themes and characters evolve, mirroring the complexities and enigmas of life.

About Ishida Dance Company
Ishida is a celebrated contemporary dance company based in Houston and Austin, Texas, widely recognized for its groundbreaking artistry and compelling narratives. The company earned a prestigious spot on Dance Magazine’s nationally acclaimed “25 to Watch” list, making it the only United States based company to receive this honor that year. Ishida is renowned for its world-class ensemble of dancers, featuring talent from some of the most prestigious companies across the globe, including Houston Ballet, Ballet BC, Nederlands Dans Theater, GöteborgsOperan, Gärtnerplatz, Les Ballets Jazz Montréal, Ballet Vlaanderen, Theater Basel, and Spellbound Contemporary Ballet.

At its core, Ishida blends the beauty and precision of traditional ballet with the expressive freedom of contemporary dance, seamlessly integrating theatrical elements to create a distinctive and evocative style. The company’s works are deeply rooted in poetic and introspective narratives, offering a fresh and thought-provoking approach to contemporary performance. These narratives resonate with modern audiences by delving into universal and timeless themes that invite reflection and spark existential questions.

Ishida's repertoire explores archetypal patterns and themes of the human psyche, such as betrayal, belonging, love, and loss. These explorations are designed to foster a sense of empathy and understanding, encouraging audiences to approach both themselves and others with greater kindness and compassion. By presenting works that bridge the realms of dance, theatre, and philosophy, ISHIDA creates a transformative experience that celebrates the complexity of the human condition while maintaining the physical beauty and emotional depth of dance as an art form.

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