- Review -

Tatsuro Ishii, dance critic, Asahi Evening News Jan. 28th, 2008

　Romeo or Juliet celebrates the 10th anniversary since the launch of Nibroll as a company. Yanaihara herself and 10 other dancers she has chosen will perform in the piece. The piece starts with Yanaihara appearing on the dark stage with the hanging curtains, dancing quietly and beautifully. However, this then develops into an intensity which is very Nibroll-like.
　What is different from the usual Nibroll is that the positioning and timing of space when multiple groups are moving simultaneously are accurate and careful. When they move in unison, what seems to be violent is actually choreographed meticulously. The uniqueness of the dancers who are dressed genderless appears nicely. What should be worth mentioning are Takahashi's images and the sounds by Skank. The images of multiplying insect samples and stuffed animals projected onto the curtains and background wall seem at first sight to have nothing to do with the dance, but they are delicate and dynamic, as if they imply the boundaries between life and death. Skank draws in the sound of jazz, orchestral, and choral music, and in addition effectively uses weak and strong sounds, thereby increasing density in the electric sounds, which is his specialty.
　The final part which began with Anna Kuroda's outstanding solo brought about catharsis through the threesome with sounds which gradually build and the gigantic image of water splashes engulfing the dancers who escalate in intensity. I sympathize with the attitude of avoiding convergence on conventional stories or sentiments. It was a 10 year anniversary which showed their deepening rather than maturity.