What if dance could connect people beyond language, culture, and borders?

"Dance to Connect" is not just a performance.

It is a living platform — a bridge — where artists and audiences meet, share, and grow together.

My name is Madoka Kariya. I am a Japanese contemporary dancer based in Amsterdam, working internationally.

Through my career, I have experienced how movement can connect people instantly — beyond words, beyond cultural differences.

For over a decade, I performed with Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), where I had the privilege of collaborating with choreographers from around the world and working alongside incredibly diverse and inspiring artists.

These experiences shaped not only my artistic voice, but also my belief in the power of dance as a universal language — one that builds bridges between people in a deeply human way.

Now, I feel a strong desire to bring this experience of connection back to Japan.

I want to create opportunities for the next generation of dancers to be involved not only in workshops, but in the full creative process — to explore, collaborate, and grow as artists.

More importantly, I want them to experience what I have felt throughout my career: a genuine human connection through dance.

Through this project, I want to create a space where artists from different backgrounds can meet, collaborate, and inspire each other.

More than a festival, this is the beginning of an ecosystem — one that nurtures future dancers and creators, and builds bridges across generations and cultures.

The first "Dance to Connect" will take place in Tokyo in May 2026, bringing together Japanese dancers and international artists for performances, workshops, and creative exchanges.

We aim to:

– Create a new work with next generation dancers in collaboration with internationally acclaimed Swiss choreographer Ken Ossola, currently based in the Netherlands

– Present a special performance that embodies cross-disciplinary collaboration, bringing together dance and live music in a deeply connected way.

In this program, emerging dancers will premiere the work they created with Ken Ossola, alongside three professional dancers who will share the depth and diversity of contemporary dance.

– Build meaningful connections between local and international communities

This fundraising campaign will allow us to invite a guest choreographer from the Netherlands, as well as several professional dancers to collaborate on a special program together with live musicians.

Your support will help cover essential production costs, including:

– Studio and venue rental

– Fees for the choreographer and professional dancers

– Compensation for the team working behind the scenes

This program will offer invaluable opportunities for the next generation of dancers to engage directly with experienced artists and be part of the creative process.

At the same time, it will give audiences the chance to witness a truly collaborative and cross-disciplinary artistic experience — one that reflects the power of connection through art.

This is only the beginning.

In the future, we want to expand this platform globally — inviting artists from more countries and eventually bringing the project beyond Japan, continuing to build bridges through dance across the world.

Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us build a thriving ecosystem for dance and the next generation of artists.

This is not just a performance — it is a space where artists, audiences, and cultures meet and grow together.