ISHIDA: A Symphony of Motion and Narrative
Portrait of Brett ISHIDA. Photographed by Niko Hernandez.
Brett Ishida's journey from the citrus groves of Porterville, California, to the forefront of contemporary dance is a testament to her passion for movement and storytelling. As a fourth-generation Japanese American, Brett's early years were spent in the quiet rhythm of her grandparents' ranch, where her love for dance took root amidst the citrus trees. By age 15, Brett's dedication led her to leave home for a full scholarship at the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C. and, later, the School of American Ballet, where she honed her craft and began a flourishing career with prominent ballet companies across the United States.
Her professional trajectory reached new heights with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montréal, where she toured globally, performing principal roles with leading choreographers like Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, and Jiří Kylián. Yet, despite her success in the traditional ballet world, Brett's artistic journey continued to evolve as she sought to blend her love for dance with her passion for literature and education. This unique combination of talents led to the creation of the ISHIDA Dance Company in 2019. While it was a tumultuous time to start a business in the year preceding an unknown pandemic, Brett continued to push through with her commitments, contacts, and the purpose of the ISHIDA–community.
“ISHIDA is all about community. It’s our audience, but it's also our dancers… it’s the people that we bring in… it's our volunteers… it's the educational outreach component that we do with underserved communities, bringing dance to people that typically don't have the resources to experience any kind of dance workshop…”––Brett in her interview with Miranda Keating in Broadway World, December 19, 2023.
She pushed forward a residency program during that time while protecting the dancers and the audience from the grasp of an avid disease; ISHIDA Dance quickly gained recognition for its ability to merge the technical precision of ballet with the emotional depth of contemporary dance, proving the emotional influx of mimicry can be done in one stroke, one gesture, or even in a stone-cold silence followed by a voice held in the spectator. We’re all translatable and transmutable. Brett’s choreographic style is distinguished by its narrative focus, drawing on her academic background in English literature and Attic Greek, leading to further study of Greek tragedy or poetry. Her works create immersive experiences that resonate deeply with audiences, offering reflections on the human condition through intricate storytelling and powerful movement that deeply connect with the emotional aspects of the human experience. The programs designed by the dance company are almost sandwiched by an Ishida original and filled with two guest choreographers, usually with international resonance. The content selection embarks on a high subject diversity level, which enriches the experience.
keeepsake by ISHIDA with Juliet Doherty, John Wannehag, Fernando Martin-Gullans. Photographed by Amitava Sarkar.
In 2024, ISHIDA Dance presented keepsake at the Hobby Center, a performance that left a lasting impression on audiences. The program included world premieres highlighting Brett's distinctive style, combining classical references with impulsive choreography. The opening piece, Warm My Bones, reimagines the tragic tale of Polynices and Eteocles from Greek mythology, using the Rolling Stones’ "Moonlight Mile" to underscore the emotional intensity of the brothers’ rivalry. This work exemplifies Brett's ability to merge the past with the present, creating a timeless and relevant piece. While in her closing, she always ends the show with its title. Her work, keepsake, stemmed from an experience she had in Greece in a poetic, fragmented style, where she honored the experience of a brief encounter with someone in a dissociative fugue state—a psychological condition in which a person experiences memory loss due to trauma, and freezes in communication. That moment was shut down and never to be spoken of again. Through a series of pas de deux inspired by the sculptural forms of Rodin, the dancers convey the fragmented nature of memory and the struggle to reclaim a sense of self—a freeze in time and an inability to associate with their surroundings. Brett’s choreography in keepsake is a powerful meditation on trauma, memory, and the resilience of the human spirit, showcasing her ability to create intelligent, psychological, and emotionally engaging works.
Lorrin Brubaker in If the world was ending would you hold me tight by John Wannehag. Photographed by Amitava Sarkar.
Another standout piece, If the World Was Ending, Would You Hold Me Tight?, was choreographed by Swedish dancer John Wannehag. It draws inspiration from the German techno scene, blending club and street dance styles in a vibrant, experimental performance. Wannehag explored his impressions of living in Germany and was introduced to the techno scene: The space intertwines with the dancers and the play of lights, becoming the rave. After John had spent six months at ISHIDA’s dance company from July 2022 - January 2023, the rave performance at keepsake a year later can hold itself as an adieu for now.
green apples by ISHIDA with Maddie Medina, Juliet Doherty, Regina Montgomery, Mimi Lamar, Natascha Mair. Photographed by Amitava Sarkar
Another of ISHIDA’s most notable works is mutability, a program that premiered in June 2024 at the Asia Society Texas Center. This program featured two of Brett’s works: green apples and the titular mutability. Green Apples explores themes of innocence, power, and the complexities of connections between women, using the apple symbol to evoke knowledge and beauty born out of the Greek symbolism, which is only in part true to the biblical symbolism, only without the temptation of man and the fall of man in sin. The choreography captures the tension between support and rivalry among women, creating a dynamic and thought-provoking narrative that resonates with contemporary audiences. The use of circular symbolism and the exploration of the body’s potential for vulnerability and strength are central to this piece, showcasing Brett’s ability to blend classical motifs with modern sensibilities.
mutability by ISHIDA with Austin Meiteen and Maddie Medina. Photographed by Amitava Sarkar.
In mutability, Brett incorporates text from renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami, further emphasizing her commitment to weaving literary elements into her choreographic work. This piece delves into the fluid nature of identity and the ever-changing aspects of human experience, reflecting on how memories and subconscious influences shape our perceptions of the world around us. An analog of sorts, directed and pushed to perform on stage, forms a conversation between the seen and unseen: the known and the unknown.
ISHIDA Dance has rapidly established itself as a significant presence in contemporary dance in Houston. The company’s performances have been met with critical acclaim, and Ishida’s choreography returned to the Kennedy Center for the Arts with The Washington Ballet performing home-coming as part of the 10,000 Dreams: A Celebration of Asian Choreography with ballet companies from all over the world designed by Phil Chan. The Ballet Herald’s review of the festival wrote that Ishida’s home-coming was “the most memorable and effective piece on the program.” This recognition reflects the growing influence of ISHIDA Dance and Brett Ishida’s unique vision and choreography, pushing the boundaries of what dance can achieve and inspiring a new generation of dancers and choreographers to want to become part of the ISHIDA community. I know of one particular dancer, Gabriel Cánepa, and possibly may aspire to be part of ISHIDA one day. Houston-born and raised of part Puerto-Rican descent, Jerome Green fellow at Julliard, and now at NW Dance Project, Cánepa was of the first to remark “I love ISHIDA!” to my stories on the night of the curtain opening of keepsake on January 13, 2024.
When Brett was asked to give a word of advice to artists in pursuit of their dance career, she said:
“Young artists should be rigorous in honing their craft: Strive for technical precision, refine acute skills of observation and critical thinking, maintain a strong work ethic, and develop a way of interpreting movement that can morph into any style and, yet, remain unique to who they are.”
As the company prepares for future premieres, aiming to expand its programming into a full-time repertory company with 4-5 different programs each season, and continues to captivate audiences, ISHIDA Dance is poised to remain a powerful and unique force in contemporary dance, offering performances that linger in the mind long after the curtains fall.
View ISHIDA programming for their upcoming events.