English Kanai Keisuke – History – JDS

JDS president : Keisuke / Circus Artist

I was in the fifth grade of elementary school when I first saw a street performer on a street corner in Tokyo.
I was fascinated by these street performers who, without saying a word, attracted everyone, no matter who they were.

After that, I learned tap dancing and performed alone for the first time in Shinjuku when I was in the second year of junior high school.

No one paid any attention to the performance of a nervous amateur who didn’t know how to perform it, and when I was tired and about to go home

“I’ve been watching you work hard from afar,” said the shop assistant across the street as he put 100 yen in my hat.

Maybe I can make it in this field! I thought to myself, and a tiny bit of confidence began to grow in me.

From then on, I began to dream of traveling around the world as a performer, and at the age of 16, I joined a pantomime troupe in Tokyo.

At the time the pantomime troupe was heavily influenced by underground theater, and I wondered if this was really what I wanted to do, so I took a break from the company after just one year.

While I was just hanging around doing nothing, I found out that a world-famous marine photographer was looking for an assistant. I wanted to do street performances overseas, so I took the exam, and after honestly talking about my dream at the interview, I was hired.

As a camera assistant, I traveled to eight countries in Europe and Asia and performed street performances.

I returned to the pantomime troupe after returning to Japan with a strong desire to further hone my skills and become a performer who could perform overseas.
Time passed by in the blink of an eye as I performed in street performances, facility events, school performances, and independent performances.

At that time, I went to see a Contemporary circus performance from France.
What is this?!
I was shocked by the Contemporary circus [Nouveau Cirque] I had never seen before.
From that day on, I set out for France with all my might.

On a que’une vie! (We only have one life!)

Go to FRANCE and world tour

With the help of many people, I entered the 3-year National Circus School at the French National Circus Center CNAC, and graduated as a member of the 13th class. (I was a trainee for the first 2 years and transferred in the last year to graduate.).https://cnac.fr/fr/formations/alumni/keisuke-kanai

After graduating, I toured with the circus Cyrk 13, directed by choreographer Philippe Decouflé. https://cie-dca.com/en/compagnie/spectacles/cyrk-13

I met many friends, and together with my classmates from circus school, we promoted our work and toured 35 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. We performed in some pretty harsh environments, including conflict zones.

And so, 10 years have passed in the blink of an eye as I’ve been traveling around the world, mainly in France.

Return to JAPAN in 2009

JAPAN – JDS /Juggling De Shinshu – Social Circus

In Japan, I took part in many Franco-Japanese exchanges.
In 2010, I went back to Japan.
Since 2014, I have worked with SLOW LABEL as a trainer and circus director on many shows with disabled artists in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama and Singapore.

I danced at the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016.
In 2018 and 2019, I was invited by Cirque du Monde (Cirque du Soleil) to train as a social circus trainer in Quebec. I was also invited to be artistic director of Slow Label and gave an internship in the first meeting of social circus in Latin America in Buenos Aires.

In 2021, I choreographed circus acts for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Since 2021, I have set up JDS (Juggling Shinshu) and produced the inclusive circus show “Moon Night Circus” in 2021, 2022 and 2023. I also organise the “Shinshu Youth Circus” and “Matsumoto Juggling Club” in Nagano.
Winner of Shinshu Arts Council 2022.

In 2024, I will run inclusive circus workshops in Nagano and Fukui with the medical corporation Orange.　I received the Matsumoto City Arts and Culture Achievement Award for 2024.

Moon Night Circus2023 Digest

[Moon Night Circus 2023 & Tsunagaru Circus 2023]Organize by the medical corporation Orange with JDS.

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blog host: Keisuke Kanai/JDS