Harumi Terayama as captured by photographer Jubal Battisti.

Hello Wingers,

I’m going to begin a series of interviews and post it on here as part of my contribution. I figured that it would be a good way for me to write even more and a great opportunity to interview people that I admire and look up to. For my first interiew, I would like to introduce you to my best friend, Harumi Terayama. She is a member of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet.

Harumi and I were in the same graduating class (2006) at the Juilliard School. She was born in Osaka, Japan. We became best friends since college and continue to inspire each other’s lives. She moved to the United States at a young age to study at the Walnut Hill School and later got accepted to Juilliard. While at Juilliard, she performed works by William Forsythe, Paul Taylor, and others. Harumi has worked with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Pier Group, Nilas Martin Dance Company, Sidra Bell Dance NY, Gallim Dance, and Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. As a choreographer she worked with CityDance Ensemble in Washington DC, and her work was presented at Strathmore Music Center and Joyce SoHo in New York City.

Here are a few questions I asked Harumi:

How is it like to dance for Cedar Lake and what kind of joys and challenges do you encounter with this company?

It’s a young upcoming company in the dance world, and I can feel it from being part of the company. I’m grateful to work with a great group of dancers, and an amazing production team in a beautiful studio everyday.
We get to work with great choreographers from all over the world, mostly from Europe to create on us every season.

I haven’t been part of a creation process so much but as a choreographer myself, I’m learning a lot from seeing them work with other people in the company.

Touring is another great part of being in the company. We started touring internationally last year, and I always have a great time on tour. Recently, we toured Israel for two weeks. It was one of my most memorable experience since I joined the company. Performing Ohad’s Decadance in front of Bat Sheva dancers and audience in Israel was very nerve wracking, but we got a great reception.

The challenging things in the company is that I keep reminding myself that I’m committed to this one organization who pays me and takes care of me for 52 weeks. Having 52 weeks is an incredible thing especially in the US, but at the same time I have no freedom of choosing work unlike freelance. There is no option of saying no, or creating a project, so it’s hard for me sometimes because I want to do what I want to do all the time.

I try to keep in touch with people who I met while I was freelancing and see shows as much as possible because it’s very easy to become wrapped up in only the Cedar Lake bubble.

Harumi Terayama in “Rite” by Stijn Celis.

How has the company developed you as an artist?

I have been learning the way of communication between the dancers and the audience by watching and dancing some of the repertories. Mostly about the manupilation of the atomospher on stage. One of the choreographers told me that I can never produce or create energy on stage. Instead, what I have to think about is how you use the energy that already exists around me. I really like this idea. Also I’m realizing controlling my ego is a hard task to accomplish but very much necessary as an artist.

New York is one of the most wonderful cities to live in. How is it like for you to be doing what you love to do and live in New York City at the same time?

It’s a great life living here even though the cost of living here is very very expensive. There are always things to see, places to go, and food to eat. Also I have been running into my old friends from high school and people who I met before I came to NY. It’s a place where everyone visits or comes to live.

What did you do after Juilliard, before you joined Cedar Lake?

I was freelancing for a year before joining Cedar Lake. I worked with Nai-Ni Chen, Stephen Pier, Nilas Martins, Sidra Bell, Andrea Miller, and Lar Lubovitch. I had a great time working with all of them.

What kind of things do you enjoy doing on your day off?

Going to the park, going to see movies, having brunch at diners, cooking, etc.

What inspires you?

My friends who are doing an amazing job all over the world. Choreographers I meet at Cedar Lake. Decadance. Great performances I get to see in NY. Seeing things in a different countries. The presidential election that just happened. Good food, movies, and books.

And people who have a great spirit like Bennyroyce Royon!