Hideo Arai（DANCE-LABO KARADAKARA）

1966: Born in Saitama prefecture.
1987 - 1996: As the leader of Denki Kyokuba-dan performance group, he explored the relationships of the urban environment and body expression through outdoor and street performances.
1989 - 1998: Studied Noguchi Taisou（Body awareness / movement）with originator Michizo Noguchi in order to learn more in-depth about the human body.
1997 - : Started dancing and also started performance tours in many places, including in Canada, Malaysia, Hungary, Germany and throughout Japan. He has performed long-term joint production pieces with artists around the world.
2006: Started part-time teaching “The Body as the Origin of Art” at Yamagata University.

Many of ARAI's works are mainly outside-theater dance performances and collaborative works with live Japanaese flute, biwa, and organ music. Recently he started a workshop, “Body Workshop”, which is designed for the elderly, children and families at various places. ARAI considers the workshop as one of his important art activities, he wants to create new interactive environment, develop improvisational potentials and create new way of promoting arts.

Performances that are away from globalism and market principles, − for example, a performance which children can buy their tickets with their allowance; performances that can make it possible to communicate through dance with people who have different tongue; performances with animals and plants; performances with scenery. Arai wants to present performances which make people and himself feel fun to be alive.