bozo - Premiered May 2023 VOICES: AAPI by Derrick Paris
“Azuki Umeda’s Bozo followed, an articulately nuanced piece of choreography that drew the music in front of us. Umeda holds a power in directing your attention exactly where she wants it, sometimes throwing it to the opposite side of the stage as the dancers pass their energy with precision. She and dancers Dani Mullan, Jennifer Vieweg, Phi Voba, and Jacob Weiderrich hit every cue until the audience went wild at blackout.” -Celine Kiner from LA Dance Chronicle
past works
As a former graduate student, it has been a wonderful experience getting to work with college dancers. The two pieces below are what I have created recently. More videos and works are below.
never not a place explores the idea of familiarity within events that has shaped my identity, particularly the fact that i have moved with my family 10+ times in my life.
This was presented at the MFA Fall Informal Showing at CSULB in 2021 as well as at ACDA in Eugene, Oregon. This piece was also reworked at Indiana University at their Spring Concert in 2022.
desensitize yourself is a personal exploration of feeling numb from various events that have led to not knowing who you are in this world.
This was presented at Chapman University’s Fall Dance Concert as a guest choreographer in Orange, California.