日系人会の顔 （20）

内山綾子

踊りで架けた日米間の文化の掛け橋

内山さんは1925年3月30日、北海道札幌市生まれ。6歳からモダンダンスを習った。北星女学校4年生の時、戦争勃発、慰問団に加わり道内の部隊を巡回した。戦後、ドイツ帰りのダンサー、クニ・マサミの公演を見て、踊りで生きようと決心、反対する両親を説得して上京した。3年間モダンバレエを修めた後、札幌に帰り生徒に創作舞踊の指導をしながら、アイヌの伝統的儀式である熊踊り“イヨマンテ”等を現代風にアレンジして道内や東京で公演。55年、その創作力が高く評価され北海道庁教育委員会から女性で始めての文化奨励賞を受賞した。

56年のマーサ・グラハムの初来日公演に感動、57年、マーサの招聴で渡米。彼女のダンス・スクールに入学した。睡眠時間も惜しいと思うほど全てをダンスにかけた3年間、マーサから技術的な面だけでなく、創作舞踊の精神、妥協を許さない芸術への情熱も学んだ。

一旦帰国、北海道で教えたり、東京で実験的な催しをする傍ら、宝生流仕舞を修め、64年、グラハムスクールとジャパンソサエティーをスポンサーに再渡米。モダンダンスだけでなく日本の舞踊も修めていた内山さんは、ジャパン・ソサエティと日本国領事館の企画で日本文化を紹介するため、一柳慧、新藤梅子、オノ・ヨーコらと全米を公演して回った。その後、23年間にわたって、日本舞踊に、能や狂言、歌舞伎、人形浄瑠璃など日本の伝統文化のレクチャーを併せた公演・講義を、カナダを含む全米の大学を中心に400回以上行い、各地で大変な賞賛を受けた。まさに民間の文化大使とも言える役割を果たすこととなった。

95年、踊り一筋に生きてきた内山さんをずっと支えてきた、アルバート・ウェザリーさんと結婚。「私が40年前に蒔いた一粒の種が実り、今日、熊川哲也ら世界に通用するダンサーたちを育てたことを誇りに思っています」と内山さんは語った。

Faces of the JAA (20) 

Ayako Uchiyama 

Danced Her Way Across the Pacific 

Ayako Uchiyama was born in Sapporo, Hokkaido on March 30, 1925. She started learning modern dance from the age of six. The Pacific War broke out in her fourth year in Hokusei Women's High School and she was soon taking part in entertainment groups touring the military bases in Hokkaido. After the war she saw a performance by dancer Masami Kuni who had just returned from Germany and resolved to make dance her vocation. Overcoming her parents' objections, she left for Tokyo to study modern ballet for three years, then returned to Sapporo to start a ballet school for children. Governor of Hokkaido honored her for the preservation of traditional Ainu culture and dance in 1955. 

In 1956, Martha Graham toured Japan for the first time. Ayako was inspired by what she saw. A year later she came to the US and entered Marta Graham's dance school with a full scholarship. For the next three years she immersed herself in dance, absorbing not only the technique but also the spirit of creative dance and the passion that drove her mentor. 

Upon return to Japan she taught in Hokkaido and performed some experimental dances in Tokyo, all the while studying classical Hosho Ryu dance. Then in 1964 she returned to the States with a sponsorship from the Japan Society and was offered a scholarship by Martha Graham, allowing her to study for six more years. This period she was on her own. Ayako had studied not only modern dance but was also well versed in Japanese dance and thus able, to participate in a Japan Society program touring the entire country with Toshi Ichiyanagi, Umeko Shindo and Yoko Ono. In the 23 years that followed she performed and lectured on Japanese dance, Noh, kyogen, kabuki, puppet drama (ningyo- joruri) some 400 times, mostly at universities and colleges in the US and Canada, gaining much acclaim and accomplishing a tremendous role in the way of cultural diplomacy. 

In 1995 Ayako married her good friend Albert Weatherly, who had supported her all through the years. She is proud of the fact that her efforts of 40- years ago has resulted world-famous ballet dancer, Tetsuya Kumakawa who was a former principal of the Royal Ballet of England.