When Yayoi Hirano arrived in Vancouver in 1992 on a performance tour she was billeted with Roy Kiyooka, an Order of Canada recipient with a long and storied career as an artist and teacher. She spent two weeks living in his Strathcona duplex and was introduced to many of his friends and acquaintances including Kokoro Dance’s Jay Hirabayashi. Remembers Hirano, “The organizer of the festival said, ‘You are so lucky to stay with him. He is a one of the greatest Japanese Canadian artists in Vancouver.’ But for me, coming from out of town, he was just the same as anybody, he didn’t have an air of importance or anything like that. Thinking back to those days, I really admire him as a real artist.”

That admiration stayed with Hirano over the years and last year, when she was casting about for ideas for her next work she settled upon a piece she calls Identity – Ancestral Memory, inspired by the life and art of Roy Kiyooka. The piece is choreographed by Jay Hirabayashi and features Hirano, Hirabayashi, Carolyne Chan and Tomoko Hanawa, with video participation by, among others, Harry Aoki, Roy Miki, Linda Ohama, Judy Nakagawa and Takeo Yamashiro.

Identity – Ancestral Memory
Inspired by the Life & Art of Roy Kiyooka
April 22 – 24, 8pm
Centre A, 2 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
Symposium April 24, 1pm
Free Admission. Information: 604-739-7760