What was it like participating in the tour?

KAORIalive : I experienced the warmth and kindness of the Vietnamese people, and got a wonderful impression of the country. At the workshop, I was overjoyed to see the expressions on the faces of kids who were not just following the choreography but were going all out and dancing the way they felt, and even if they couldn’t get the moves just right, were setting themselves free and enjoying it. It reminded me of how I felt when I first started dancing!

At the workshop, it was impressive how actively you interacted with the participants. Are your workshops in Japan similar in atmosphere?

KAORIalive : Yeah, they’re always like that! At a workshop, you’re meeting practically everybody for the first time, and many of the participants don’t know each other either. I always feel gratitude that I’ve gotten to meet new people through dance, and within the limited time frame of 90 minutes, I try to build as much teamwork as possible.

At the Hanoi workshop, kids who had never met before, by the end were giving each other high fives or going into huddles all together, and it was really terrific to watch! They were all so free-spirited, and even the youngest kids were full of energy and danced with enthusiasm. The members of Memorable Moment were all excited and giving one another high fives as well.

Another thing that struck me in Hanoi was people’s dramatic reactions to things. In Japan, people can be so shy or lack confidence, it’s like they’re not sure how to react, so it can take time to get people to respond to anything or speak their minds. I try all kinds of approaches to get people to open up. In other countries, though, and not just in Vietnam, when you do workshops people are much quicker to react to things. If they like something, it’s “Yeahhhh!” “Wow!” and so on right away. It’s fascinating how different Japan and other countries can be!

What’s your impression of the dance scene in Vietnam?

KAORIalive : During the workshop I asked questions like “Do you go to a dance studio?” or “Who do you learn dance from?” But apparently there aren’t many dance studios, they watch videos and practice on their own. In Japan there are so many dance studios and plenty of places to practice and to perform, but in Vietnam there are still not many, and I’m sure the number is going to increase from now on. Both at the workshop and at the show, I was struck by how people latched on to things, how eager they were to absorb anything and everything. As long as they have that drive, I’m sure the dance scene will keep growing and getting more sophisticated. I’m looking forward to seeing that.

How do you see the potential of DDA as a street dance-oriented project?

KAORIalive : I think there’s no limit to the potential. It’s wide open, there’s no telling what could be done from here on. It’s only been one year since it started and after finishing the show and the workshop, I have a strong feeling it’s going to get bigger and bigger.