Toru Iwashita

1979 - 1980: Participated in national tour with Sankai Juku.
1982 - 1985: Studied improvisation at Mitsutaka Ishii's dance workshops.
1983: Began solo work.
1986: Returned to Sankai Juku; has performed in all company works since.
1988: Began working with his “dance therapy” at the psychiatry department of Konan Hospital in Shiga prefecture （central Japan）.
1992: Became a member of Japan Dance Therapy Association.
2000 - March, 2007: Taught in the Performing Arts and Image Department, Kyoto University of Art and Design.
Major works:
Houge （Die Gelassenheit）（1988 - ）,
Mimi wo sumasu （Listen） （1989 - ）,
IMPROVISATIONS （1995 - 1999）,
Play! － With Children and Their Parents （1995 - 2004）,
Dance to the Radio （1998 - ）, Die Liebe （1999）.

Iwashita pursues the possibilities of dance improvisation as a form of communication and exchange.　Once in a state of deep depression, Iwashita was fortunate enough to discover his own body. This led directly to an experience of complete affirmation that became the basis for his solo dance; the standing of one body, life-size, in front of spectators, and the birth of a communication with freedom. Iwashita is not simply looking for a transitive way of expressing something but rather an intransitive coming into being. Each performance is followed by a talk and Q&A session with the audience.

One's ability to dance solo is one of the most important aspects of Toru Iwashita's dance. Through performances and workshops, Iwashita is looking for encounters with people, places and regions, thought to have no possible connection with dance. Actual project details are arranged customized to fit each proposal.