Contemporary Dance · Spoken Word · Live Violin
AOZUKIN
The Blue Hood
Desire, perception, and the unstable boundary
between the human and the “demonic.”
Ideal Glass Atelier
22 E 2nd St, New York, NY
Sat, Nov 7 — 7PM
Sun, Nov 8 — 4PM
[ About the Work ↓ ]
The Blue Hood
AOZUKIN
Inspired by Ueda Akinari’s Ugetsu Monogatari
A Buddhist monk, once known for his deep spiritual devotion and discipline,
eventually comes to be feared by those around him as a demon.
At what point does a human become a “demon”?
And who is it that sees the demon?
ABOUT AOZUKIN
ABOUT THE WORK — NEW YORK, 2026
For its 2026 New York performances, AoZukin brings together contemporary dance, spoken narrative, live violin, and visual design.
With movement and art direction by Cay Izumi, direction by Taka Matsushita, narration by Melida Rodas, and live violin by Le Fiddler,
this iteration reopens Ueda Akinari’s story through a collaboration across artistic disciplines and cultural perspectives.
Body, voice, music, and space become ways of exploring how desire and attachment shape perception
—and how encounters with others can transform the world we see.
Developed within Cay Izumi’s broader project, Boundary and Expansion, this iteration explores what emerges when an existing work meets new collaborators and a new cultural setting.
ORIGINAL PRODUCTION IN JAPAN
Produced by Tokyo Dolores, the original production drew on approaches to time and space found in Butoh,
bringing together contemporary physical expression, Buddhist ritual and gesture, chanting, spoken narrative, and live shamisen.
The work was developed through collaboration among artists working across physical performance, music, ritual, and visual design. Performances in Kiryu, Japan, were filmed by filmmaker Makoto Tezuka, extending the live work into cinematic form.
ARTISTIC PRACTICE — CAY IZUMI
Cay Izumi is a Japanese performance artist based in New York whose practice investigates how perception shapes our experience of reality, and how the body might open other ways of seeing.
Working across movement, aerial practice, installation, and participatory performance, she explores how desire, memory, culture, and lived experience influence what we perceive and how we relate to the world.
Her recent projects include Embodied Perception Lab, an experimental platform exploring perception through physical and sensory experience, and AoZukin, a performance examining desire, attachment, and the unstable boundary between perception and reality.
The Blue Hood
AoZukin
An Interdisciplinary Performance by Cay Izumi
After the Performance
Stay with us after AoZukin for an artist talk, followed by an after-party featuring guest performances, live music, and DJ sets—a chance to meet the artists and connect with one another.
You are welcome to enjoy the full program or attend the approximately one-hour AoZukin performance only.
Guest Artists — November 7–8
Our two-day program brings together artists working across dance, music, poetry, and visual art.
Chihiro Cute-Beat — Dance
William Vivas — Saxophone
JLash — Live Music
Chi Gold — Cello
Gina Fayazi — Poetry
Experience Lab — Visual Art
More artists to be announced. Please check back for each day’s lineup and the detailed post-show schedule.
Ideal Glass Atelier 22 E 2nd St, New York, NY
Sat, Nov 7 — 7PM
Sun, Nov 8 — 4PM
Doors open 30 minutes before each performance.
Performance duration: approximately 45 minutes.
Each performance will be followed by an artist talk
and an after-party with guest performances.
For professional and press inquiries: Email
ARTISTS
Dance & Art Direction: Cay Izumi
Direction: Taka Matsushita
Narration: Melida Rodas / Violin: Le Fiddler
With support from
Supported byTEN TEN NYC, Stephen Globus, Taro`s Origami Studio
©︎Cay Izumi / Tokyo Dolores