Dancer and choreographer
Pijin Neji has won the inaugural F/T Award, selected from the F/T11 Emerging Artists Program, for his documentary performance,
"the acting motivation".
The judging panel for the F/T Award all voted for their top productions among the
F/T11 Emerging Artists Program.
The votes were assigned as following:
Pijin Neji "the acting motivation" 5 votes
Takuya Murakawa "Zeitgeber" 4 votes
Pure BANANA girls glass "BANAGAKU★☆Super Spunky Sports Autumn Grand Tournament!!!!!" 3 votes
Geumhyung Jeong "Oil Pressure Vibrator" 3 votes
Ka Fai Choy "Notion: Dance Fiction" 2 votes
Peachum Company "Resurrection" 1 vote
LANDSTAGING Theatre Company "River! River! River!" 1 vote
Pijin Neji is a choreographer with Butoh roots and who produces experimental dance works. His piece
"syzygy" received the Yokohama Dance Collection EX2011 Jury Award. "The acting motivation" is a self-documentary based on Neji's own experience with part-time work. It was staged as a fringe project at last year's Kyoto International Performing Arts Festival and for F/T11's Emerging Artists Program he reformed it with a new cast. Utilizing the real life careers and so-called
Freeter lifestyle of actors and artists, it considers the motivation for theatre artists to continue pursuing their dreams in the face of economic challenges.
The judges praised the performance for the way it explored the identity of the performers themselves and the relationship between the arts and unorthodox employment.
The runner-up, Takuya Murakawa's
"Zeitgeber", meanwhile, involved audience members in the role of a disabled person during the performance. The judges praised the piece for, rather than focusing on narrative and character, meticulously exploring issues of caring for the impaired in today's society.