In Full Bloom
8 July 2025Last month, Company Chameleon performed their Japan debut as part of BLOOM, a bold and vibrant new collaboration that fuses dance, music and fashion.
Commissioned as a cultural gift from Greater Manchester to Osaka, BLOOM has been created to mark a landmark year of cultural exchange between the two regions and celebrates how the arts can unite nations and forge deep connections between people and places.
Featuring dance from Company Chameleon, music from composer DJ AFRODEUTSCHE and fashion design from queer-led fashion brand Belladonis, BLOOM premiered last month at EXPO Osaka and takes the stage in Manchester in September during Japan Week.
Our Co-Artistic Director, Kevin, is the project’s choreographer and creative collaborator, he says, “It’s been a joy to be involved in this international collaboration and work with the other artists to understand and explore how our art forms could merge and make this exciting work a reality.”
BLOOM is inspired by Manchester and Osaka’s relationship which has developed since the middle of the 19th century, when Osaka sent a trade delegation to Manchester to understand the process and knowledge behind industrialisation.
At the time Manchester was the epicentre of industrialisation, so the Japanese delegation came to the source of this revolution. Once the delegation returned to Osaka with the new found knowledge and the support of key Mancunian engineers, they kick started the industrial revolution in Japan.
Kevin says, “The history inspiring BLOOM is fascinating, and the dance I created is very much inspired by this journey, this story and this exchange of culture and knowledge.”
Kevin’s choreography is split into three movements.
Movement one – The Journey (Past)
Movement one explores the journey and voyage of the intrepid pioneers from Japan, who travelled a great distance to Manchester to discover and experience a foreign land, being open to all that they may encounter.
Movement two – The Arrival (Present)
From an abstract perspective, movement two explores what the intrepid pioneers observed and experienced once they arrived in Manchester. The choreography explores the ideas of threading, weaving, and looping inspired by the textile industry, the machines and the manufacturing processes.
Movement three – A Hopeful Future (Future)
The final movement explores the human impact of the journey and how connection and exchange can foster a hopeful and productive future for us all. The imagery of the moth is integrated into this movement as an icon of transformation and symbol of moving towards a sustainable future.
Company Dancer, Alice Bonazzi, is one of Chameleon’s dancers who performs in the piece. Talking about the experience in Japan, she says, “Performing in Japan was an unforgettable experience. It felt incredibly powerful to represent Company Chameleon and Manchester amongst the other excellence in the UK pavilion at EXPO Osaka. It felt like the collaboration marked the start of something bigger and I’m looking forward to seeing where this collaboration takes us.”
This ambitious project, which is brought together by Salford-based producers, From The Other, will be shown in Manchester as part of Japan Week, between 5 – 9 September, keep an eye on the project website for more info.