Hiroaki Umeda (JP)
 
Tokyo-based multi-disciplinary performer Hiroaki Umeda studied photography at Nihon University in Japan before turning to dance and real time audio-visuals. Umeda founded his own dance company, S20, in 2000, performing pieces influenced by ballet, hiphop and butoh. He has performed solo internationally and following his first group project with Finnish dancers in 2008, Umeda has been increasingly choreographing for others.
Umeda (1977) was born and raised in Tokyo, and as a child he played soccer rather than taking dancing lessons.  He studied photography at Nihon University before quitting to become a professional dancer. At twenty, he began training in ballet, hiphop and jazz.
With a reputation as one of Japan’s most cutting-edge dancers, Umeda’s talents as a sound artist, video artist and choreographer are sometimes overlooked.  His work is created to be ‘experienced’, the large-scale video projections and reductive electronic soundscapes create an immersive environment.
Umeda has choreographed theatre pieces, and collaborated with musicians including Toshimaru Nakamura, Robert Lippock (To Rococo Rot) and SUGI.
 
> hiroakiumeda.com
 
Appearances:
> CTM.10 > Opening Night