UNIT SOUZOU: "Constant State of Otherness"

‘Souzou’ can be written in three ways meaning ‘creation’ (創造), ‘imagination’ (想像), or ‘noisy’ (騒々), alluding to a force by which new ideas are born and take shape in the world. Inspired by these words, the mission of Unit Souzou is to build creative, imaginative works while honoring the history and roots of the taiko art form.

Unit Souzou will be presenting their original work "Constant State of Otherness," a multi-layered performance exploring the impacts of the universal experiences of being "other" and feeling alienated. Through taiko, Japanese folk dance, song, and personal stories, performers guide the audience through a journey inspired by experiences of isolation and displacement that come from not having an easy sense of home.

Rooted in ancestral wisdom and survival, "Constant State of Otherness" resists simplistic translations of language, cultural ways, and the complicated emotions that otherness evokes. By allowing their stories to unfold through the…