Meet Shoji Yamasaki

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shoji Yamasaki and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shoji, why did you pursue a creative career?
To be honest, it was the one thing in my life that I found myself coming back to repeatedly, which was fascination to movement and choreography. As human beings living on this Earth, we are surrounded by movements, whether that is the morning routine or the pathways you take to get to work, choreography is everywhere around us. My desire is that my work serves as a flower that you happen to stop and smell, drawing oneself to the present moment and be more cognizant of their surroundings. Like the beautiful smell of a flower, I hope my work is something that lingers and not just finishes when the curtain closes, offering a chance for viewers to better understand the world around them amidst the chaotic lives we rush through. I believe that every individual has a light to share with the humanity and for me, having an artistic career was a way to sow those seeds within a larger group of people, carefully planting a seed that eventually grows and shift one’s perspective.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I consider myself as a transdisciplinary creative, fusing a plethora of ideas and concept into one cohesive story. My constant desire to expand has led me to not just dance and choreograph but direct and write for immersive experiences, create short films, and create artist books as well. By spreading my roots in various mediums, I have discovered that every process is a choreographic performance of its own. Whether that is trying to figure out the pathway for the audience to traverse through space, figuring out the camera movement while filming, or binding the pages of an artist book, the art of choreography can take on myriad of shapes and forms, not only in the sense of Eurocentric dance techniques.

My main source of inspiration for my choreography is mimicry because it highlights the movement that we overlook in our everyday lives such as trash blowing in the wind and body language rabbits use in communicating with each other. I have rescued and taken care of abled and disabled rabbits in the past for 15 years and the energetic exchange I was able to have with my rabbits had a profound influence on developing a new dance technique called the Lagomorph Technique. Previously known as “Bunny Jazz,” I taught an Institute Dance Class at CalArts where I incorporated the rabbit body language that rabbits use to communicate with each other. I had my students wear bunny ear headbands and tails as part of the class which really helped them embody and harness the bunniness within.

I am the type of person who LOVES to have everything prepared to a T. I want to make sure I have all the information necessary (and unnecessary at times) so I have the answer to everything. But what I have learned is that no matter how prepared you are for a performance, almost every time, something does not go the way you want, and that’s OK! Earlier in my career, I found myself so stuck in the “vision” in my head of how the piece should look like, and over the years, I have learned that not having everything go exactly the way you want is part of the process that births a newer version of your idea that could not have realized otherwise. I find a lot of mantras infused in the choreographic process that can be reflected into my personal journey through life as well.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One thing I really enjoy about LA is the diversity of cultures coexisting with each other and all year-round beautiful weather! (Ok, TWO things!)

Day 1: Grab a sandwich from Mendocino Farms at The Point in El Segundo for lunch and head over to Manhattan Beach for some picnic by the Pacific Ocean! Explore Downtown Manhattan Beach where boutiques and restaurants line the streets and walk alongside the beach. Around sunset, head on over to The Strand House, right by the Manhattan Beach Pier, overlooking the beautiful ocean, to enjoy some drinks and delicious food!

Day 2: Check out 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica to get some shopping done and grab some food from various food choices available! Walk couple blocks down to Santa Monica Pier and enjoy some classic amusement park rides like the iconic Pacific Wheel! Stop by Fat Sal’s on Gayley Ave for some burgers or sandwiches for a hearty dinner!

Day 3: Go hike up Griffith Park to get up close and personal with the Hollywood Sign (and burn off some of those calories from last night!) Make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen! Go early so it is less crowded. Explore The Griffith Observatory and learn about the cosmos! Also, it’s the iconic scene from La La Land! Go live out your La La Land dreams!

Day 4: Spend a day at Disneyland in Anaheim, since it is the first Disneyland in the world! Or check out Universal Studios Hollywood for more action-packed day! My personal favorite is the Studio Tours Tram Ride!

Day 5: Head over to The Getty Center for a day at the museum and enjoy some brunch overlooking the LA basin! So many Instagrammable spots! Be sure to enjoy the architecture that houses so many beautiful art collections as well!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this shout out to all my friends and family who have believed and supported my path as an artist. Mimi Haddon, Coral Lee, Heidi Duckler, to name a few from a LONG list of people who have sowed a seed within me that has continued to grow into a fruit tree. Without all the experiences these talented artists have offered me, I would not be where I am! To all the friends and mentors at El Camino College, UCLA, and CalArts, thank you for helping me elevate to new heights. My biggest shoutout goes to my middle school Algebra teacher, Ms. Bhaskar, who was the teacher that gave a nudge for me to start dancing. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have had the slightest opportunity to even having this interview. When I first started dancing, I didn’t think it was going to continue THIS LONG!

Website: https://www.shojiyamasaki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shojers/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shojers/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shojers 

Image Credits
Feature Photo – Mimi Haddon, Image 1 – Josh Rose, Image 2 – Qi Liu, Image 3 – Mimi Haddon, Image 4/5 – Sophie Darling, Image 6 – Caleb Coppola, Image 7 – Alexsa Durrans, Image 8 – Shoji Yamasaki