| Summary/Abstract |
Since the 1980s, Japanese dancers have won top prizes at some of the most demanding international dance competitions, and several have been promoted to the top ranks of major dance companies around the world. In this article, I explore the interplay between Japanese dancers and Western centers of dance, focusing on the paths and decisions dancers took as they went abroad to further their careers. As part of this movement, Japanese dancers are sometimes identified as such though their numbers have grown and they have become part of a globalized dance scene. At the same time, the paper explores the relationship between the development of a bodily habitus necessary to become a dancer and the artistry involved in communicating a message or emotion through the body. I argue that dancers understand their movement and growth as artists in relationship to their technique and artistry.
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