Noted Japanese dancer and choreographer Moriyama Kaiji will give solo performances in Ha Noi on Thursday and Friday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Viet Nam-Japan diplomatic relations.— File Photo

HA NOI (VNS)— Noted Japanese dancer and choreographer Moriyama Kaiji will give solo performances in Ha Noi on Thursday and Friday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Viet Nam-Japan diplomatic relations.

He will perform the Global Handwashing Dance for children at Doan Thi Diem Primary School as part of World Hand-Washing Day launched by the UNICEF. He will also hold a session with students of the Viet Nam Dancers College.

Moriyama Kaiji visits Viet Nam on this occasion as a Culture Ambassador appointed by Japan's Culture Administration.

The event is jointly held by the administration and the Japanese Embassy in Ha Noi.

Kaiji first began his career with a musical theatre company in Japan, before moving to the world of professional choreography.

He has worked with a number of leading contemporary dance companies and innovative Japanese choreographers such as Kota Yamazaki, Yukio Ueshima, and Aki Nagatani.

He was acclaimed for his performance at the 2001 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he was described by Kelly Apter of The Scotsman as "One of the most talented dancers at this year's Fringe. It's worth going for him alone." He was then selected to represent Japan at the Little Asia Dance Project with his piece "Lamazuella", before touring Australia, Chinese Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Seoul and Tokyo.

In January 2005, his latest production and US solo debut "katana" (sword) was reviewed by Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times as "a dance of amazing concentration by an amazing dancer."

Kaiji has also appeared in high-profile TV commercial films, while his first film project, Cha no Aji (The Taste of Tea), directed by Katsuhito Ishii, was the first Japanese film to open Director's Week at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.

Since April 2004, he has appeared on Japan's public broadcasting station NHK in "karada de asobo (let's play by body) ," which is an innovative TV programme for kids, televised nationwide everyday. – VNS