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HIROs LIED

This piece focuses on the life of Hiro, a Japanese mother in Berlin who has dementia, and her daughter, from multiple perspectives: the confusion of a dementia patient, the struggles of a caregiver, and the bond between mother and daughter. The work transcends language and race through fantastic moments that make fuu use of theatrical techniques, video, and a live camera, as well as the authentic performances of the two dancers.

Yumiko Yoshioka, who plays the lead role, is a world-renowned Butoh dancer worldwide. Asuka J. Riedl plays the daughter and is a unique and talented dancer, a Japanese-German mix in Berlin and active in Germany, Africa, and other countries. 

This piece is the second in a series of dance theater projects about dementia that Maeno has been working on since 2019, and was premiered in Berlin in the fall of 2021 and later performed again in June 2023 with the support of dementia and care organizations in Berlin.

Direction, Choreography:          Yoriko Maeno

Choreography, Dance:              Yumiko Yoshioka, Asuka J. Riedl

Music:                                      Chikara Aoshima

Stage Set:                                 Mikako Kura

Light:                                        Zuzanna Marczak


supported by: Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft Berlin, Fachstelle für pflegende Angehörige, Verein für kultursensible Pflege (DeJaK-Tomonokai) e.V., Zentrale Anlaufstelle Hospiz (ZAH)

 

funded by Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege und Gleichstellung, Bezirksamt Steglitz-Zehlendorf

『In front of a full audience in the theatreforum kreuzberg, Yoriko Maeno demonstrated the high art of condensing the difficult subject of 'dementia in the family' and bringing it to the stage in dance theater. The Japanese dance method Butoh proved to be particularly suitable for this. The two dancers, Yumiko Yoshioka (mother) and Asuka J. Riedl (daughter), impressed the audience by telling the story of the fun-loving Hiro and her loving daughter in a way that touched everyone - young and old, of all cultures, familiar with dementia or not. Beauty, grace, love, suffering, and pain were close together and caused a rollercoaster of emotions. The magic on stage was further enhanced by the set, the stage design, the "window views", the lighting, and the sound/music.』

(Fachstelle für pflegende Angehörige、19.06.2023、quoted from website)

She is taken by a different song
of memories collaging and collapsing
Her body at the rips of reality
between the memories that hold on
and future that disintegrates

In her body, truth

彼女は様々な歌に導かれる
記憶の崩壊に次ぐ崩壊

現実と記憶との裂け目に立つ彼女の身体は

その中に溶解する未来と真実を掴んで離さない

(Min Yoon, 09.07.2023, quoted from Medium)

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