Guest Teacher

Maki Kitahara　　

Maki Kitahara was born in Fukushima, Japan. She graduated from Kindai University with a degree in Biotechnological engineering. 

She began studying ballet at an early age at Takeuchi Hitomi Ballet School and Company in Fukushima. After leaving the ballet company, she relocated her base to the Kansai area of Japan.

At the same time, she expanded her career internationally, participating in training programs in Sydney and New York and performing on summer tours throughout New York State. She also began working as a contemporary dancer and appeared in numerous works by choreographer Makoto Saitoh.

Her performance in the duo work Sentimental with Mr. Saitoh was nominated for the New Face Award at the Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs Arts Festival.  It received recognition in the festival review, noting that “it is unusual for a contemporary dance artist to be nominated for a newcomer award and suggested the emergence of a new artistic movement.”

In 2016, Maki moved to the United States and studied choreography for one year at Gibney Dance in New York. During this time, she presented her works Michi and Rainbow Marble in New York. Her solo work Michi has since been performed three times in New York and was featured in the weekly newspaper Weekly NY Seikatsu.

In 2017, she obtained a U.S. Artist Visa and officially began working professionally based in New York.

Beginning in March 2018, she was selected as a dancer for Transmissions, a long-running exhibition collaboration with visual artists at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She also appeared as the lead dancer in the contemporary dance short film MIGRATION and actively collaborated with artists across different disciplines, including installation projects. She is known for expressing her unique artistic perspective through movement.

Maki has also been invited to speak and present at Harvard University events and seminars at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, as well as perform at Japanese cultural events in New York. Through these activities, she shares the beauty of dance and Japanese culture with global audiences, striving to serve as a bridge for cultural dialogue and peace.

She is also dedicated to educating and mentoring the next generation by teaching ballet and contemporary dance classes for young dancers and creating original works. She has worked as an interpreter for adjudicator workshops at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the world’s largest ballet competition, and also served as assistant/interpreter for the iconic piece, Grand Défilé at the YAGP Finals.

In addition to training young dancers, she conducts workshops for adults beginning dance later in life, individuals with no dance background, and people with physical or developmental challenges. Guided by the philosophy that “the body can always evolve” and “every human being is born an artist,” she focuses on drawing out each individual’s physical, emotional, and creative potential beyond borders and backgrounds.

In 2017, she became a certified MELT Method Instructor, becoming the third Japanese instructor in the world to receive this certification. She is also a certified JADB Facial Therapist. 

She is currently based in New York City, continuing her journey as an artist, dancer, and educator, dedicated to exploring the limitless possibilities of human expression.

北原 真紀

福島県出身。
近畿大学生物理工学部生物工学科卒業。
幼少より、竹内ひとみバレエスクール・バレエ団(福島県)にてバレエを学ぶ。
同バレエ団退団後は関西を拠点にする。
一方で、シドニー、ニューヨークで研修、サマーツアーにてNY州各地での公演で踊るなど国外での活動も開始。また、コンテンポラリーダンサーとしても活動。
特に振付家・サイトウマコト氏の作品に多く出演。
サイトウ氏とのデュオ作品「センチメンタル」での演技では、
日本文化庁芸術祭新人賞候補にノミネート、「コンテンポラリーダンスの中から新人賞候補に挙がるのは珍しく、新しい流れを感じさせた」と文化庁芸術祭総覧にて評価される。

2016年、渡米。NYのGibney Danceで1年間「振付」を専攻し、
「Michi」と「Rainbow Marble」をNYで発表。
ソロ作品「Michi」はこれまでにNYで3回上演、NYの週刊新聞「週刊NY生活」でも紹介される。

2017年、米国アーティストビザを取得。本格的にNYを拠点に活動を開始。

2018年3月から始まったWhitney Museum of American Art でのビジュアルアーティストとのコラボレーション、ロングラン・エキシビション「Transmissions」でダンサーに抜擢。他にもコンテンポラリーダンスで綴る短編映画「MIGRATION」にメインダンサーとして出演、インスタレーション作品発表など、他分野のアーティストとのコラボレーションに意欲的に取り組み、独自の感覚を動きで表現することに定評がある。

また、ハーバード大学のイベントやマサチューセッツ芸術大学での講演、NYでの日本文化紹介イベント出演などを通じ、ダンスと日本文化の魅力を世界に発信。芸術を通じて文化交流や平和の架け橋となることを目指し、幅広い活動を展開している。

若いダンサーへのバレエとコンテンポラリーダンスクラスの指導、作品の提供など、後進の育成も行う。世界最大のバレエコンクール、Youth America Grand Prixの審査員ワークショップの通訳、並びに、ファイナルでの作品「グランドデフィレ」のアシスタント/通訳を勤める。また、若手のみならず、大人からダンスを始めた方へのワークショップや、ダンスと関わりのない方、心身に障害を持つ方々へのダンス指導も行う。「身体はいつでも進化できる」「人間は皆、生まれながらにアーティスト」をモットーに、個人の身体と精神、本来が持つ可能性を引き出すことにフォーカスした指導を国境を超えて展開。

2017年、メルトメソッド公認インストラクターに認定(世界で第3人目の日本人インストラクター)。JADB公認フェイシャルセラピスト資格保有。現在ニューヨーク在住。
アーティスト、ダンサー、教育者として、表現と可能性の探究を続けている。