(J) Contemporary dance venues & others

コンテンポラリーダンス会場・その他

主要な公共劇場では、年間のプログラムにコンテンポラリーダンスや舞踏、あるいはオルタナティブなダンスのためのスペースを設けていることがよくあります。数多くのフェスティバルでも、伝統的な舞踊から舞踏まで、ダンスが特集されています。ごく一部のスペースはダンスカンパニーによって運営されており、ほぼ専らダンスを上演しています。

ダンス作品を上演する公共劇場
– New National Theatre Tokyo hosts the Japan National ballet, features mainly classical or modern ballet, with some trials in contemporary dance, while sticking mostly to classics of contemporary dance. Program for the next season is announced in February – in 2026, highlights are a performance Friends of Forsythe in March 2026 and the Ballet Coffret in February, which is always high value.
– Setagaya Public Theatre regularly invites foreign troupes, like Peeping Tom from Belgium, or in the circus/choregraphy category Raphaelle Boitel in the 2025/26 season, and also presents Japanese new companies like Mowimowi.
– Headed by Ryohei Kondo, a leading choregrapher and dancer, the Saitama Art Foundation presents many Japanese companies including The Condors and occasionnaly Noism, but also invites world famous choregraphers – such as Akram Khan in 2025/26 and Boris Charmatz of Wuppertal Tanztheater.
– KAAT in Yokohama has occasionnally good performances for Japanese contemporary groups and buto, and is central for YPAM.
– Ryutopia, in Niigata, hosts Noism, one of the most distinguished Japanese contemporary dance companies in activity, with Jo Kanamori at its head.

自社スペースを持つ民間団体
– KARAS, by Saburo Teshigawara, a renowned contemporary dancer, which presents a new work every quarter in Ogikubo.
– Kagurazaka Session house, is an art and dance studio, which turns into a dance theater at week-ends, presenting many different genres. Ryohei Kondo sometimes presents intimate works there, and Mademoiselle Cinema, the resident company, always stages intriguing choregraphies.
– Dairakudakan, company of Maro Akaji, one of the first dancer to enter Butoh world from outside the direct circle of Hijikata.

舞踏カンパニー
– Tanaka Min, one of the early founders of buto
– Wakaba Coffee, stages fascinating creations in alternate spaces, definitely worth a try, if you are not afraid of fringe. Connected to an all women group, Wozme.
– Sankai Juku, when not abroad, also performs in Japan. Latest performance in octobre 2025 in Tokyo.

演劇祭
– YPAMin Yokohama dedicates a quarter of its program to dance, including competition at Yokohama Dance Collection. Lately also features more and more Korean companies.
– Japan Choregraphers Dance Network has a yearly program focused on West Japan. It alternates Enjoy Dance Festival in Kobe (March) and Kyoto Dance Choregraphy Award (February), each other year each. Finalists are then produced in Ueda (Nagano, August), Okinawa (September) and Kitakyushu (February), and there is also an associated event in Matsuyama (December).
– Kyoto Experiment, each year around October, has a wonderful program and heavy focus on contemporary dance, with many foreign companies visiting.
– TominFes, in Tokyo, from February to March, and Tokyo Autumn Meteorite.

プロ/劇団・ダンスカンパニー向け
– If you are looking for a space to rent, the go-to resource is Stage Corich theater lists. It is in Japanese only but presents all availables venues with capacity, localization, for the choice of a location for you next show.
– JCDN has a defined calendar for recruitment of competing domestic dance companies (see above).

Also check the blog for recommended performances and our short history of Japanese contemporary dance, as well as new programs for 2025/26 and current quarter recommended contemporary dance, butoh and theater.