(380) Shohei Iwahama, dancer with Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Today on 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by Shohei Iwahama, dancer with Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo, a company affectionately known as The Trocks. We talk to Shohei about his bold decision to move to the United States, why he stepped away from dance before joining the Trocks, and what makes the company's history and identity as an all-male comic ballet company so unique among dance entities in America. If you're in the Houston area, come see the company perform at Performing Arts Houston on Tuesday, January 23rd in the new year. Get tickets at performingartshouston.org.
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TRANSCRIPT
This transcript was generated automatically. It’s accuracy may vary.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:00:04]:
I'm Rebecca King Ferraro.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:00:05]:
And I'm Michael Sean Breeden. And you're listening to conversations on dance today. On conversations on dance, we are joined by Shohei Iwahama, dancer with Le Ballet Traocadero de Monte Carlo, a company affectionately known as the Trocks. We talked to Shohei about his bold decision to move to the United States.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:00:25]:
Why he stepped away from dance before joining the Trox, and what makes the company's history and identity as an all male comic ballet company so unique among dance entities in America.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:00:34]:
If you're in the Houston area, come see the company perform at Performing Arts Houston on Tuesday, January 23. Get tickets@performingartshouston.org.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:00:46]:
Thank you so much for joining us tonight. I think this is our first ever night podcast, so that's a fun change for us. But we're really excited to have you on and joining us. I assume you rehearsed today, right? So you're joining us at the end of your day.
Shohei Iwahama [00:01:02]:
Yeah. So we rehearsed from ten to six. Well, ten to 530 today. And I got home and took a shower and, yeah, just let's, before your rest time.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:01:16]:
So we appreciate you taking time to be with us.
Shohei Iwahama [00:01:18]:
Oh, no problem.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:01:21]:
Well, we always like to just hear with a guest that has not joined us in a previous episode, like the full journey. So we're going to go back to your early training days. What first kind of got you into dance or the arts in general? What kind of gave you that artistic desire?
Shohei Iwahama [00:01:45]:
Yes. So it's kind of a long story. So my parents are musicians. My mom is a pianist. She taught piano. My dad, he used to play the flute in an orchestra, and he used to tour with ballet companies as well. I think it was even before I was born. And my sisters, they also played violin and flute.
Shohei Iwahama [00:02:14]:
And myself actually played the cello as well. But my sisters were taking dance classes. So when I was maybe two or three, I was actually in dance, but doing shanjimans and stuff. I had no idea what I was doing, but I just loved dancing in general. But one day, I think I was four. All of a sudden, I told my teacher that I wanted to quit because I didn't like the bar exercises. So I left dance once and started playing the cello when I was, I believe, nine. And that's what I was doing for a long time.
Shohei Iwahama [00:03:03]:
But when I was 14, I believe one of my classmates, his parents were ballet teachers. So I went to see his ballet recital, and I saw him on stage, and I thought it was really cool. And yeah, I thought that's something that I really wanted to do and I knew that was something that I wanted to do more than playing the cello or doing other things. It just clicked and that's how I started my dance training or ballet training. But my sisters, they didn't really do classical ballet, they did modern dance. So after two or three months I was like, well I kind of miss singing, the more contemporary and modern with more freedom. And I actually switched my studios to the modern dance studio that my sisters used to go to and I had a lot of fun. And when I was 1718 I started placing top three in our national nationwide competitions in a high school category.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:04:22]:
Wow.
Shohei Iwahama [00:04:23]:
And my teacher suggested me to apply for this grant by the cultural agency of Japan. I don't remember what it was called but like a government grant. And she was like well there's not a lot of high school students who apply because they don't want to take a leave of absence to go study abroad. So that was actually for study outside of Japan. And I applied and I got lucky and that's how I came to the United States for the first time when I was 18.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:04:59]:
Wow, that's so cool. How do you feel that your understanding of music maybe has helped you in your dancing, maybe your early training and then as a professional as well for sure.
Shohei Iwahama [00:05:14]:
I think I am really good at figuring out counts some music, some scores. It's kind of weird. It's not always like 123-4567 a. Sometimes there's like twelve, there's like an extra two counts. But also I would say like the flow of music, sometimes it slows down. For example, my husband, he is also a dancer, used to be a dancer as well. He is really smart, but when it comes to understanding how the music slows down, sometimes he was like, how do you count it? I was like well because for me I can kind of see the notes would be written. Yeah.
Shohei Iwahama [00:06:04]:
So I'm able to figure out stuff like that. So I think it definitely came in handy having the music background.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:06:14]:
I'm so mean. That sounds like such a boon to one's career. That sounds like a wonderful thing. I'm wondering now. So once you came to America and you were furthering your training, what kind of steps were you thinking you wanted to take professionally? Where did you see yourself going? What were some of the companies maybe that you were hoping to be a part of?
Shohei Iwahama [00:06:42]:
I actually didn't really have a clear goal when it comes to coming to the United States. So since I was little I had a I guess I would say, like american dream. I wanted to study in the states and live in the states, like watching tv shows, like full house, 91210 back in the day in Japan. So I was like, I want to live there. And also having the grant was a great opportunity. So I just decided to go to the Ailey school in New York City because I didn't really know a lot of schools in the US, but I had a friend who actually went to the Ailee school, so that's how I decided on which school to go to without having a clear vision in the future. But, I mean, I wanted to become a professional dancer for sure. So I was there for one year in their independent study program.
Shohei Iwahama [00:07:53]:
My parents are not very wealthy, so without having scholarships or grants, there was no way I would have been able to continue my education in the states. So after finishing that year back in 2007, I believe I went back to Japan and graduated from high school because I was taking a leave of absence for a year, right. But I was like, I want to go back to the states, right? But no money. So I googled cheapest community college with a dance program, and this community college in Rock Springs, Wyoming, popped up very cheap tuition, I would say. I think it was like $2,000 per semester and $900 for the dorm.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:08:56]:
Wow.
Shohei Iwahama [00:08:57]:
Per semester. And they provided scholarships for international students. So I applied, and I also got their scholarships. And once I got there, I found out I was the only dance major there.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:09:14]:
Wow.
Shohei Iwahama [00:09:16]:
Yeah. But they had a really good musical theater program, so there were students in their dance classes.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:09:24]:
Okay, right.
Shohei Iwahama [00:09:25]:
But when it comes to the level of dancing, it really wasn't nothing compared to the Ailey school, of course, but I just wanted to be somewhere where the studio was available. So I went there for a semester, and towards the end of the semester, we had a guest artist came from. So he was a professor from some Houston State University, which was in Texas, an hour north of Houston, Texas, in Huntsville, Texas. And I told him I was looking for somewhere that I can transfer to, and he called his boss, who was the chair of the department, and he got me scholarships right away. And from the following semester, I was in Texas, which, know, I never imagined myself being in Texas, but, yeah, things happen.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:10:31]:
It just sounds like all of it was like an immense leap of faith. You had an idea of what you wanted. I mean, you wanted to dance in America, but you were just like, I'll do, you know, one baby step at a like, that's so impressive that you. Yeah. Just that level of just. Is that just sort of like a kid's view of the world, or is this just something intrinsic to you? How did you find that?
Shohei Iwahama [00:10:58]:
I think I have always been this way. I am really spontaneous when it comes to something that I discover and decide that I want to do something. Like an example would be it's not related to dance, but when I was in elementary school, I was seeing my sisters getting their ears pierced. But in our house rule, family rule, you had to wait until you go to high school, because in middle school or junior high school in Japan, there are rules in school that you're not allowed to wear, know, accessories like earrings or anything. But I was in elementary school, so they didn't really have the rules. So I did some research, and this is a safe thing to do. And pretty much I presented my research to my parents and I convinced them that I would get my ears pierced. So things like that, that I've always been this way.
Shohei Iwahama [00:12:09]:
I do my research first and then present that to my parents, and they decide whether they allow me to do or not.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:12:18]:
Well, it's funny you said that, because while you're telling this story, I was wondering what your parents were thinking. I know a lot of parents listen to this podcast, and it can be really hard to navigate when your child has a dream like this and wants to take a leap of faith. What were they telling you.
Shohei Iwahama [00:12:35]:
About you.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:12:37]:
Leaving and taking a leap of faith and going to this community college? They didn't know where it was.
Shohei Iwahama [00:12:45]:
I think they have always trusted me. I think that's how they raised me throughout my childhood. I'm not trying to make a sad story or anything, but when I was in elementary school, I got bullied for being effeminate, being gay or whatever, so I didn't want to go to school, so they let me not go to school. But I think I was always communicating with my parents. This is better for me because of XYZ. So I would always try to bring something that could be as equally as good as going to school. I would practice cello, and I will do this.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:13:39]:
And you still have a plan, right? Yeah.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:13:44]:
Gosh, bullying is something I don't think we've talked about on the podcast in a long time. Something a lot of men or young boys rather experience. How do you think that shaped your own experience in dance? Obviously you're saying, like, the arts provided a sort of respite from that side of things, like it was a way to escape a form of escapism. Right. So how do you feel now? Looking back how do you view that period of your life where you were coping with the bullying?
Shohei Iwahama [00:14:24]:
I think I was able to cope with it because I always knew what I liked. So, like, you were just saying, like, escaping in a way, but I knew what I was good at, that those bullies can't not even compete.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:14:44]:
Right?
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:14:44]:
Yeah.
Shohei Iwahama [00:14:45]:
So I guess that kind of tough mentality. I'm not saying I wasn't crying or anything. I was very emotional, and I was crying all the time. I was such an emotional kid, but I always knew there was something for me that I could feel myself and safe, whether that's dance or play music.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:15:10]:
Yeah, I know my experience obviously was so different than what you guys are talking about, but I remember being bullied. Like, some of the kids would be like, oh, you go to ballet. The boys would be mean in that way. But I do feel like I had that same feeling, too, where it's like, well, I'm doing something kind of important. Like, I have this other path and this place that makes me feel safe, and there's other people like me, and so I'm not equating it in the same experience, but I can see how you would feel that way.
Shohei Iwahama [00:15:39]:
Yeah, in a way. I wouldn't say that to myself back in the day, but I was kind of delusional. I felt like I was able to achieve anything if I wanted.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:15:57]:
When you're young, I think, yeah, like.
Shohei Iwahama [00:16:00]:
Being able to believe in something.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:16:05]:
So let's go back to Texas. You're in Texas now. What was your experience like working there? And then what was the next jumping point for?
Shohei Iwahama [00:16:19]:
So, after transferring to the university in Texas, some Houston State University, I did my BFA program, and I got my. That was. I had a really great time because the professor who invited me to go to that school, he had also just founded his own company. So while in school, I was able to perform for his professional company, which was also really important for someone who comes from overseas for visa purpose.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:17:05]:
Visa? Yeah, right.
Shohei Iwahama [00:17:08]:
For example, having, I would say, like an internship, professional experience before graduating university. So as an international student, you get this one year period called Opt, where you can work within your major. So I was able to work right after I graduated, and during that time, I had to apply for my artist visa. But having those performances, like, performance experience already, I think that really helped me getting my visa approved.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:17:58]:
That's something we haven't really talked about much on the podcast either. I'm not even sure how we've skirted around that somehow. But the stuff that you guys have to go through, because the artist visa, as I understand from some of our friends who did it, you have to prove that you have exceptional ability, right. To be here in this country doing dancing. So I remember people writing newspaper articles and press coverage, like, stuff like that, right. To submit and prove. And it's a huge process, right?
Shohei Iwahama [00:18:28]:
Yeah, for sure. Ever since I started dance, I had always saved all the programs, the physical programs, any articles with my name on it. I had saved everything. So by the time I applied for my visa, I had a stack of documents that I could use. Yeah. So knowing that information when I was 18 really helped me.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:19:01]:
I want to just touch on one other thing, that while you were talking about your higher education, I'm thinking, what about the language for you? Was your english really good before you came here? You're doing your whole education in a completely different language.
Shohei Iwahama [00:19:16]:
So I definitely struggled during my first year in the States, which, where I was at the, you know, I didn't really have to do any regular academics or anything, so I was able to get by. But to succeeding the regular undergraduate program, I definitely struggled. I used to stay up until, like, 02:00 a.m. 03:00 a.m. Just to write. I guess it's in my first semester or two, just to write a two page paper. I would go out all nighter, and that was a regular thing to do for sure. But I got used to it by the time I was a senior and I graduated.
Shohei Iwahama [00:20:11]:
But I would say the hardest one was going to grad school for my MFA. That was on a totally different level.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:20:21]:
Yeah. Where did you go for that?
Shohei Iwahama [00:20:27]:
So, actually, I went back to the same university. So between my undergrad and grad had, I think I had like seven years in between. So during that time, I had worked in Texas for two years, and I joined this contemporary ballet company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, called James Sue Ballet. I spent four years there and went back to Texas, and I started my grad school back in 2019.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:21:09]:
Wow.
Shohei Iwahama [00:21:10]:
Yeah.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:21:11]:
That's amazing. Good for you. What made you want to do that?
Shohei Iwahama [00:21:17]:
Grad school, right? Yeah. So after dancing with James, so ballet, I actually retired from dance. Once my body was hurting. I always had really bad back issues, so I thought it was time for me to quit dancing and get a more stable, like, financially stable job. So back in 2018, I stopped dancing and went to school for, I don't know if you know if you ever heard of UX design. It's user experience design. Typically designing software or apps interface based on a user research so I went to boot camp school for three to four months, and I got a job at this digital marketing company for car dealerships. So I got the job.
Shohei Iwahama [00:22:33]:
I was happy at first, but I wasn't really into cars, to be honest.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:22:41]:
You got to take the first job that comes, though.
Shohei Iwahama [00:22:46]:
Yeah. And that year was also. So I got married back in 2018 to my husband, who used to dance together in Minnesota.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:22:58]:
Okay.
Shohei Iwahama [00:22:59]:
We actually left the company together, but he was a canadian citizen, so he had to move back to Canada. But I stayed in the states because I had my green card. So that was our first year not living together, and I had my new career, and I didn't have any time to just move my body in general. I was really busy, so I wasn't happy at all, and I was like, well, I really have to go back, but my back can't handle, especially contemporary anymore.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:23:51]:
No.
Shohei Iwahama [00:23:53]:
So I was trying to figure out the way to go back into getting involved in the dance community again.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:24:02]:
Right.
Shohei Iwahama [00:24:03]:
And maybe like, a year before I quit dancing, one of the professors from the university reached out to me that they had this assistantship available as a ta. But back then, I guess the time wasn't right, so I couldn't do it, I think, because I had to finish my contract or something. But I wasn't ready for grad school back then. But then afterwards, I reached out to her again and, hey, do you remember, right. Yeah. About the assistantship that you were talking about before? So that's how I was able to go back to school as a grad student, and it was really great because it's still the same school. So I was familiar with the people there, but also having seven years in between, their program also grew so much. So, yeah, I think that was the perfect time for me to go back.
Shohei Iwahama [00:25:27]:
And, yeah, I did. My grad school struggled so much. A lot of reading and writing, for sure. Not sleeping at night. Yeah.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:25:40]:
But it's led you to where you are today.
Shohei Iwahama [00:25:42]:
Yeah, exactly. I love being in school. I love studying. I love learning new things. So, yeah, that was great.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:25:55]:
Well, let's get into exactly how you first became interested in the idea of joining ballet Trocadero, or more familiarly, lovingly known as the Trocs. Once you finished grad school, then are you just like, okay, I want to get back into a company. What are my options? How did you get interested?
Shohei Iwahama [00:26:20]:
So my journey was, I think I learned about the trucks back in 2012, like, watching videos on YouTube, and I think I saw their show first time in 2013. It and I was interested in auditioning back then, but I didn't really have my residency, like, my visa stuff secured, so I didn't really bring myself to try. Also, my technique wasn't as strong back then, but I did have a pair of point shoes.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:27:12]:
Point training was something that you were interested in or experimenting with at the very least at that point, because obviously this is an integral part of what your everyday life is now, and it's not something that everyone does before they get into the company, I imagine.
Shohei Iwahama [00:27:30]:
So when I first went to Texas, my ex boyfriend back then, he had a pair of point shoes. So I saw it. I was, oh, I want to do that too. And I got my first pair, and I actually used that first pair for more than a year. I didn't even know what Deadpoint shoes meant. I didn't know what it felt like. So, yeah, I was kind of like, on and off playing in point shoes or sometimes even taking classes. But when I joined James Soul ballet, they let me perform in point shoes for some of their performances.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:28:15]:
Oh, fun.
Shohei Iwahama [00:28:16]:
So during my time at James Soul ballet, I was able to do some point work and learn some more. But still, it wasn't enough to be able to do classical rap like Swan Lake or Sophie or Pakita. Not at all. But when I went back to grad school, I was able to explore in areas that I was more interested in. My school wasn't really a ballet based school at all. We have a really strong modern program, but not a lot of the students are ballet dancers. So most of my research and stuff in grad school, it wasn't not ballet related at all. But for my independent study, I was able to explore some point work.
Shohei Iwahama [00:29:19]:
And I practiced four variations from Paroka, and that's one of the very iconic ballets from ballet chocodero. So I got to do that. And I wasn't really going to go back to dancing full time. That wasn't my plan. My plan was to. After getting my MFA, I would apply for university teaching positions as a professor. But I still wanted to dance. I love dancing.
Shohei Iwahama [00:29:59]:
So I decided to give myself one last chance to dance full time. And another reason chocodero was perfect for me is because, like I said earlier, I wasn't able to do contemporary anymore because of my back, which I did for so many years. And I couldn't really partner anymore. I couldn't really do press lifts and stuff. But I had some experience in point and I loved trocodero, so I thought I should audition.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:30:52]:
Right. Can you tell us a little bit about the identity of the company. It's so unique among companies in America. I'm wondering for some of our listeners that might not be familiar with trocodero, like, what's the kind of rep you do? What's the vibe or style of the company? If you could just give us some insight into the identity.
Shohei Iwahama [00:31:13]:
So the trocodero. We are a comedy ballet company, all men. So all of us do both male and female roles. That also means we also do point work, for sure. So we do make fun of traditional ballet, or maybe sometimes the traditional culture of ballet as well.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:31:44]:
Right.
Shohei Iwahama [00:31:46]:
As we perform. But still, we respect the art. We love ballet. We respect ballet.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:31:57]:
You're making fun of it with great technique.
Shohei Iwahama [00:32:01]:
That, too. But, yes, we take ballet very seriously, and we all respect how female ballerinas traditionally have been approaching ballet. So, yeah, making fun. At the same time, we are still trying to respect. So the typical rep that we do. So we usually have three acts in our shows. First act usually is a white romantic tutu ballet. So typically we do act two of Swan Lake or less.
Shohei Iwahama [00:32:46]:
So feed. So that's our act one. And for act two, we usually have smaller ballets, some balancing parody ballets, dying swan, another very iconic ballet. Yeah. And some powder do like Don Quixote, tarantella, those things. And moving on to act three, we do a little more grand ballets that are more suitable for act two as a closure. Like Pakita, for sure. Wolf is not.
Shohei Iwahama [00:33:29]:
What else? Wait, that's good rhyme on this wedding. Yeah.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:33:35]:
So good comedy being at the core of the company's being, is that something that you had a knack for before you joined, or is that something that you really had to kind of learn on the job?
Shohei Iwahama [00:33:53]:
Okay, this is another thing that's really good for me to tell, I guess. I love comedy. I love stand up comedy and stuff, but I never really consider myself as a public speaker. I have gotten much better at it, especially after going to grad school, like having to do presentations and stuff. But I was never a person to speak in front of people. But I left comedy, but I was always good at making faces, so that came in really handy, too. So I would say, I don't really want to say I'm good at comedy, but natural for you.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:34:47]:
Yeah.
Shohei Iwahama [00:34:48]:
I had always loved doing comedy and making faces, so this came natural. A little more natural. Yeah.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:34:57]:
I'm thinking something.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:35:00]:
Go ahead. I was going to ask about the audition process then. How do they know that that's something? Obviously, that's really important. Maybe you did just take class, but they have to have some sort of idea that you'll be able to perform in that rep. Yeah. The personality side of things. How do they know you were a good comedian?
Shohei Iwahama [00:35:20]:
I actually don't know if they knew, but the Audition process was reaching out to the company, emailing your resume, your photos and videos and stuff, and then you get invited to their company class. So you take class with the current company members and. Yeah, I don't think I was asked to demonstrate anything comedic, but I think typically they can guide you.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:35:52]:
Sure.
Shohei Iwahama [00:35:53]:
Yeah. And if you have some natural tastes in comedy, I think that can be appreciated. Or sometimes you do too much, you can tone it down a little bit.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:36:07]:
Right? Yeah.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:36:08]:
This is making me think of when we did Robbins, the concert. The coaching was just so specific on the timing because it's just making me think it's very similar kind of thing. Right. That something funny happens and you have to nail the timing. So what's the coaching process like to help you guys make sure that you hit all those beats and that the audience is really getting the moments.
Shohei Iwahama [00:36:35]:
So some jokes have been set already from whether it's years back or maybe last year or someone did it and they liked it. But some jokes happen in rehearsal, too. Yeah. But they definitely have specific direction as to. You can take this much time, but maybe not this much time. Yeah. Because I think the nuances in comedy is very subtle, and sometimes it varies depending on the audience, too.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:37:21]:
Yes.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:37:25]:
How much do you feed off of that energy that they're giving you? It is like stand up comedy. Right, where you have to be able to be in the moment and see what's clicking or not, I guess, right?
Shohei Iwahama [00:37:40]:
Yeah. I definitely feed off of the energy of the audience for, like, for me especially, I have been doing jokes one in Swan Lake for about a year. The jokes one is one swan in the core who gets to be a little more crazy and gets kicked in the head and has to fall down on the floor, which I have a blast. Yes. But even though those jokes are set already, sometimes, depending the audience, I have to change. Not changing the joke itself, but how I execute the jokes. Like, do I want to make this gesture a little bit bigger or do I want to take a little more time? So I definitely make those artistic choices within reason, for sure.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:38:47]:
Sure.
Shohei Iwahama [00:38:49]:
Based on the audience, too.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:38:51]:
Yeah.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:38:53]:
So touring is obviously such a big part of what you do. I mean, you guys are just always on the road. I feel like you go pretty much everywhere in America if you live in the States, you're probably within a year, within 100 miles drive of a truck's performance. You guys are really traveling all the time. There's something I think is pretty cool that's happening this year. It's the 50th anniversary, but you'll be returning to performing Arts Houston, which is an organization that presented you on the very first year of the Trocs ever existing. So that's pretty amazing. What's your touring life like and being able to go back to these places that the company has touched on for years and years now?
Shohei Iwahama [00:39:47]:
Well, first of all, it's really great being able to visit places that I have never been to before. For example, Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, like the UK, all these places I had never been to. So that's definitely one of the perks of being a truck, for sure, but also being able to visit places where I have someone that know. Like, for example, when I performed in California, my very first roommate in New York City from 2006, she was able to come see me. Wow. Yeah. And those places and me coming from Japan, I never really went home as often as I wished, maybe like every three years or so. But when Covid happened, I think it was, like, the longest time that I hadn't been home.
Shohei Iwahama [00:40:59]:
I don't think I went home for about four or five years, not seeing my family, parents at all. But when I joined Trocodero, which was spring 2022, my first tour with them was Japan.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:41:18]:
Japan.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:41:19]:
Amazing.
Shohei Iwahama [00:41:21]:
Yeah. So all my teachers, my family members and friends, they were able. Yeah. Come see the special. Yeah.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:41:33]:
When you think about, it's like a really beautiful moment, too. Like, full circle moment. Just going back to your childhood and feeling like you were bullied for this thing that you did that actually ultimately made you exceptional. And now you get to go back and share that, and it's like a full circle moment where you're triumphant and those moments of pain or difficulty as a child end up being so worth it.
Shohei Iwahama [00:42:04]:
Yeah, indeed. Also, spending time with our colleagues is great. It's really rare that you actually love spending time with your colleagues. Right. But I think we are almost like a family. We get to explore together and find good food together and eat together.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:42:39]:
So fun. Yeah. Well, just for our last question, I feel like we're contemporaries, and Michael and I retired around the same time you did your first time. And so I just wonder, for you to kind of have this second life in dance and have this new career at this point in your life, what does that mean to you?
Shohei Iwahama [00:43:01]:
That means. So it taught me that I can still improve because I am 35 right now and when I joined, I think I was 33, about to turn 34. But I didn't really think that you could improve something at this age. I'm sure people who are in their, they're probably like, no, you're a baby. You're still in your 30s. But I didn't really feel that way. But coming into such a very unique environment and a style of dance, including doing point and dancing like ballerina, it taught me I can still try and that still pays off. There will be an outcome.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:44:14]:
Well, thank you so much for joining us. It was so wonderful having you on and we hope that everyone that listens to the podcast will check out the Trox website because you guys tour so much. As I said previously, I'm sure that you guys will be coming to a town near all of our listeners.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:44:30]:
For our listeners that are in Houston, we hope that they will definitely come out and see you at performing Arts Houston on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Oh my goodness. Just right around the corner.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:44:42]:
Here we go.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:44:45]:
Thank you so much.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:44:46]:
Thank you so much.
Shohei Iwahama [00:44:47]:
Thank you so much for having me.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:44:49]:
Thank you.
Michael Sean Breeden [00:44:49]:
I really appreciate it.
Shohei Iwahama [00:44:51]:
Thank you.
Rebecca King Ferraro [00:44:57]:
Conversations on Dance is part of the Acast creator network. For more information, visit conversationsondancepod.com.