Da Dad Dada 

 

The performance “Da Dad Dada” is a self documentary solo performance project which is examining the relationship between a successful musical dancer in the 1960’s, Ken Hara, and the dancer Saori Hala, his daughter.

​

They were related in blood, but never familiar for over 20 years. After his death in 2015 at the age of 84, she started to explore his personal life via the archives of him as a dancer, so that she might know about him, not only as a father but also as a dancer. 

​

Saori dealt with Ken's career archive collected over the last two and half years, culminating in an audio recording of their reunion after 20 years, 3 weeks before his death.

​

ー

​

In 1964, Ken appeared "Asphalt Girl" which is the first Japanese musical film in colour. The moment when Ken was in his prime was also the  greatest age for the Japanese economy. The nation had shown off its power with the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 just to name one example. His brilliant career and culture around it mirrored the feeling of the time.

​

I will turn almost the same age as him when the next Tokyo olympics will be held in 2020. For those two blood-related bodies recent events have changed the meaning of those festivals, most likely not for the better. 

Each festival for two bodies related by blood don't have the same meanings, it could address to a bitter irony for the national power declines with age. 

I am trying to tell the personal narrative between us through social memories and happenings as multiple layers behind personal lives in this project. I published the archive page as a part of the study to portray the meaning of touching with other personal memories.

​

09.06.2018

Saori Hala

​

​