​Ryu Suzuki explores the embodiment of the physical and spiritual essence of kendama — the traditional Japanese cup-and-ball skill toy that has been part of his life since childhood.

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Each movement in kendama is simple, yet through repetition and accumulation, it develops into increasingly complex tricks. Through the continual act of catching and releasing the ball, the body and mind enter a trance-like state of deep concentration. Hakkō seeks to translate this inner process of transformation into dance as a metaphorical fermentation of body and mind.

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According to fermentologist Takeo Koizumi, fermentation is a phenomenon in which microorganisms such as mould, yeast, and bacteria decompose organic compounds to create substances beneficial to humans. When the outcome is beneficial, we call it fermentation; when it is harmful, we call it decay. Scientifically, the two are the same phenomenon.

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Hakkō is perhaps a prayer to keep breathing within a world in perpetual flux.

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