Spotlight on YAFies: Kirsten Ho and Takao Komaru

Kirsten Ho and Takao Komaru
Choreographer and Cinematographer

How did you meet and when did you start working together? 
We met each other over 10 years ago while dancing and working in New York. As freelance dancers working on separate productions, Takao started photographing dance and live movement and Kirsten began choreographing. It was only when we moved to Hong Kong that we started working creatively together on dance films. This became our main body of work after moving to London three years ago. We thoroughly enjoy the rewards and challenges of making dance films and we have many ideas to create more films!

Kirsten Ho

What does it take to become a good choreographer/ cinematographer?
Kirsten: I was introduced to choreography after many years of training and performing other people’s work. Because of this, when I started choreographing my own work, I found my body moved in a way that other people had taught me. It’s important to recognise when your work is being influenced by others – you want to be unique and present your own work. For me, a good choreographer is one who develops work that is true to themselves. 

Takao: Watch lots of films and create your own style. Find stories you want to tell and explore different ways of storytelling through filmmaking. Also, it takes a long time to put a film together, so be patient!

What’s your collaboration process like when creating for the #BeTheChange series? What came first: the choreography or the filming?
Our collaboration process has evolved throughout the years. Interestingly, we don’t start a project by creating a set format to follow. Instead, we rely on our creative responses. 

Kirsten creates the initial concept and we develop it further. Then, the choreography is set and Takao films and edits as he responds to the movement. We find that our dance backgrounds help with the process because we know how to work on both sides of the camera.

What do you enjoy the most when you’re creating together?
As individuals, we are creative people who enjoy making work. Together, creating new dance pieces provides us with a rewarding opportunity to share our work and contribute to the independent dance scene. We want to make sure our work is accessible and that it will inspire and create awareness on important subjects.

Takao Komaru

As a result of COVID-related disruptions, what are the challenges of choreographing dance pieces or directing short films overseas and online for the #BeTheChange series? How did you overcome these challenges?
Creating dance virtually is challenging because you lose important elements when you’re not working in the studio together. For example, there is no sense of touch; even listening to the music is compromised when the audio lags or disconnects. Dance = Time + Space + Movement. We have to learn to adapt these elements to the virtual world. 

To overcome these challenges, Kirsten finds various ways to communicate as everyone learns and processes movement differently. This includes writing and sending video instructions, using emojis, recording movement on paper or on film as a mirror reflection, filming short dance phrases, using different types of music to evoke different dynamics in the movement… the list goes on.

Takao had to learn to adapt his work as Covid restrictions meant the dancers had to record with their own devices. This created more editing work for him to keep the entire film consistent. Since the dancers were filmed separately, Takao had to create different ways of presenting the film as a group piece even though the dancers never met.

What do you hope to do the most after the pandemic? 
Kirsten: I hope we can learn to create more opportunities in dance both digitally and in person. The pandemic has offered us a new way of creating. Although it’s challenging, it has allowed us to work with dancers on a global level which in some ways has been more accessible. 

Takao: I look forward to communicating with people in person without social distancing. 

What do you miss about Hong Kong the most? 
Kirsten: Whenever I’m away from Hong Kong I miss that feeling of “home”. I can’t wait for travel restrictions to be lifted so I can fly back again.

Takao: I miss my friends in Hong Kong who I used to dance with. I hope to see them soon. 

Do you have any advice for young people who are passionate about dancing/ photography?
Kirsten: You can dance anywhere, and you can practice anywhere! Keep dancing and enjoy learning new dance styles, watching others dance and sharing your talent with the world.

Takao: Try to find a style of photography that you like and practice using any camera, even if it’s your phone.

What is your favourite movie?
Kirsten: The Addams Family – it’s a classic and I love how the characters are all “different”.

Takao: Cinema Paradiso – this film introduced me to a new style of filming that sparked my curiosity to learn more about cinematography.