UK-based artist Nicole Vivien Watson visited Ise City in Mie Prefecture, Japan, in October 2019 as part of the Ise City Residency 2019 programme. The residency was a collaboration between the British Council and the Department of Industry and Tourism Ise City, inviting six UK-based artists to Ise City, home of Ise Jingu, one of the most important and prestigious Shinto Shrines in Japan.

‘Shore, Sea & Land-Lines’ is a film that was inspired by the artist’s experiences in Ise and interactions with the community.

Introduction to the film by the artist

‘Shore, Sea & Land-Lines’ is a short film documenting Surface Area Dance Theatre's Director and Choreographer Nicole Vivien Watson and collaborating Sound Artist Tom White’s visit to Ise and time spent with the Ise Ondo Folk Dance Society and members of Ise's d/Deaf community. The film is strongly influenced by the natural world and human relationships, understanding of cultural difference, disability of disabled people in the arts and collaboration between the hearing and Deaf communities.

How to enjoy the film

Audiences can enjoy the online version of ‘Shore, Sea & Land-Lines' the films from this webpage, as well as the artist's website. Please watch with English Closed Captions turned on.

 

Movement Director: Nicole Vivien Watson
Sound Artist and Producer: Tom White
Editor: Chris Younger
Camera: Tsuyoshi Ishihara
Colour Grade: James Littlemore
Hokakuren, Ise Ondo Folk Dance Society
Organised and funded by: Ise City
Supported by: British Council
Visit programme coordinator: Living Together Co
English-Japanese language interpretation: Keiko Yamaguchi
UK Translator: Mai Burns
Interview Participants: Mariko Ooya, Kawaguchi Chikara, Sachi Masaki, Shigeko Masaki

About the artist

Nicole Vivien Watson has over fifteen years of experience working in the arts and holds the position of Director and Founder of Surface Area Dance Theatre, which she established as a Community Interest Company in 2007; under Nicole’s Direction, Surface Area Dance Theatre has joined Arts Council England’s 2023-26 National Portfolio. Nicole’s work is collaborative and produced with leading national and international organisations that include The British Council, Arts Council England, The Barbican, Turner Contemporary, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. As a dynamic and highly motivated researcher Nicole, in 2021, acquired a rigorous and critical MA scholarship from the School of African and Asian Studies (SOAS) University London — specialising in East Asian Buddhism and Shogun Iconography. Nicole works best at facilitating creative projects across disciplines by communicating ideas through multiple platforms to all audiences. As an advocate of British Sign Language (BSL) and D/deaf culture, BSL is her second language; supported by the Royal Ballet Benevolent fund, in 2021, she completed five years of accredited Sign Language and Deaf Culture education. Nicole encourages collaboration between the D/deaf and hearing communities and champions the arts as a conduit to establish international relationships with Deaf arts ambassadors in the UK, Japan, Greece, and North America.

See also

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