DANCER

Photo:Nelson Perdomo
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Kanji Segawa is currently a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the direction of Robert Battle since 2011.
Originally from Kanagawa, Japan, Segawa began his modern dance training with his mother, Erika Akoh and studied ballet with Kan Horiuchi and Ju Horiuchi at Unique Ballet Theatre in Tokyo. In 1997, Segawa came to the U.S. under the Japanese Government Artist Fellowship to train at The Ailey School.
Segawa is a former member of Ailey II from 2000-02 and Robert Battle’s Battleworks Dance Company from 2002-10. During that time, he was a guest artist performing Mr. Battle’s signature solo Takademe in various festivals throughout the US including Dance Salad (2003) and Chicago Dancing Festival (2008 and 2010). Segawa also assisted Mr. Battle setting his work, Unfold on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and has restaged other Battle works on many universities and performing arts high schools throughout the U.S.
Segawa worked extensively with choreographer Mark Morris from 2004-11, repeatedly appearing in Mr. Morris’ various productions including The Hard Nut, L'Allegro il Penseroso ed il Moderato, King Arthur with English National Opera, Orfeo ed Euridice with Metropolitan Opera, and Romeo & Juliet ~ On Motifs of Shakespeare as a original cast member. Segawa also performed Cease Your Funning, a world premiere by Mr. Morris, that toured in the production Off Kilter throughout Scotland, UK.
In 2011, Segawa performed as a principal dancer in John Adams/Peter Sellars' Opera Nixon in China choreographed by Mr. Morris at The Metropolitan Opera. The production was transmitted globally to over 40 countries, and 1500 movie theaters, as part of The Met Live in HD Series.
Commercially, Segawa has performed as a guest performer on CONAN on TBS Network and appeared in several TV commercials including Lux Soap ( Starring Rachel Weisz, Directed by Joel Schumacher), House Vermont Curry (National commercial, Japan. Starring Noriyuki Higashiyama).
As a print model, he has worked with photographers Howard Schatz, Lois Greefield, Eduardo Patino and Steve Vaccarielle and has appeared in advertisements for Capezio, Galderma, New Dance Amsterdam, Dance Sprit Magazine, Lois Greenfield’s 2003 Calender Breaking Bounds, among many others.
Segawa has been creative associate for choreographer Jessica Lang since 1999, assisting her on new creations for American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet and The National Ballet of Japan among others, and staging her work on many companies, universities and schools around the world.
Photo:Steven Vandervelden