Some Kind of 'Wonderful'

The Strange Kinoko Dance Company not only often dispenses with the invisible "fourth wall" that traditionally divides performers from the audience, it frequently does away with the whole stage.

Since its founding in Tokyo in 1990, the all-female troupe has performed in spaces great and small, indoors and out: theaters, galleries, cafes, offices, entranceways, lobbies, warehouses, museum patios, parks, even elevators. "Site-specific" is almost a slogan. So since its Feb. 15 performance on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, part of the Kennedy Center's "Japan ! Culture + Hyperculture" festival, will be on the usual elevated platform, the troupe is also preparing to make two short and partly improvised appearances Feb. 16 in the KC Cafe at 2 and 5 using the dining tables and chairs as props.

"People won't realize it in the beginning," says festival manager Gilda Almeida. "There won't be any announcement. Maybe they'll say a few words or have a CD player on, but then they'll just be among [the visitors], performing." At least the dancers have used such "sets" before.

The troupe was founded by Artistic Director Chie Ito and friends Yoko Koyama and Mimiko Yamashita. "Kinoko" means "mushroom," and in an e-mail, Ito says she construes "strange" as something "wonderful, amazing, colorful, soft and delicious." But as there are so many kinds of mushrooms, she continues, "each person has a different image. We can imagine our own." The company has 11 dancers; five are traveling to Washington.

"They are hugely popular in Japan," Almeida says. "I saw them twice, and both times there were lines around the block. They have this sort of kitschy 'girlie' look that suggests anime or manga," romanticized Japanese-style animation, such as Pokemon or Hello Kitty. The group also uses a lot of bright colors in their costumes and sets. "But they're not just popular with kids; their audiences are all ages," Almeida says.

"And their music is all over the place," she adds. "Part Japanese, part Western, classical, jazz, Sinatra, you name it."

The titles of their dances are equally quirky and tend to sound like quotations from popular songs or TV: "Flower Picking," "Not Quite Right," "I Phoned and I Slipped" and "I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine" are just a few of their dance titles.

The sets are often oversize, with furniture or birds and flowers that make the dancers seem even smaller. The hour-long Millennium Stage piece will be a condensed version of "Flower Picking" called "Flowers," using only orange and yellow drapes as background. The subject, Ito says, is daily life. The dancers are partial to sneakers or bare feet and costumes that add to their Tokyo-pop look.

"They may not bring in the traditional dance audience," Almeida says, "but they really make an impression."

Strange Kinoko Dance Company Feb. 15 at 6 on the Millennium Stage and Feb. 16 at 2 and 5 in the KC Cafe, Kennedy Center, 2700 F. St. NW Info:202-467-4600. http://www.kennedy-center.org. Admission: Free. Strange Kinoko Dance Company Feb. 15 at 6 on the Millennium Stage and Feb. 16 at 2 and 5 in the KC Cafe, Kennedy Center, 2700 F. St. NW Info:202-467-4600. http://www.kennedy-center.org. Admission: Free.