Meet Rika Lin aka Yoshinojo Fujima

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rika Lin aka Yoshinojo Fujima. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rika, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

As a Japanese American, my upbringing in Chicago combined with my traditional training provide a distinct vantage point of the cultural differences as I fulfill my role as a dancemaker. As an Asian American woman in the 21st century living in America, the dynamics and state of progression of the conventions of Japanese classical dance in Japan are observed from a completely different perspective. My body type is not ‘typical’ frame for a Japanese female, much less a Japanese classical dancer. Although growing up in the suburbs, I frequently came into the city(Chicago) for school and dance, and quickly became aware of the different racial attitudes which permeated throughout any social interchange, (or lack of interchange). When visiting Japan, general social interactions included comments regarding my body frame/weight, in addition to the “oh she’s from America”; dance training interactions were more intense since they deemed it imperative to instill the ‘proper’ movement emphasizing body consciousness and presence despite my body type and upbringing outside of Japan . These experiences continue to impact my aesthetic vision and goals. The issues of race and gender influence how, what, and why I present. It is the impetus for creation and collaboration. These mostly deliberate steps then move me towards the contemporary manifestation of the tradition. My work revolves around the continuous process of challenge and reflection addressing the preset conventions built into traditional presentation and ideas of identity. My intention is to transport the observer within my diagesis to provoke questioning and deliberate consideration of each individual’s unique ideology to progress a broader understanding between gender, race, and culture.
That’s not to say I had doubts, anxiety and misgivings. However, the more I delved into my identity and process, I was able to realize that I should not yearn to be accepted as part of one culture or another. The aesthetics I can ascribe to, the process is my own.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I aim to continuously craft contemporary awareness with identity and tradition, in addition to maintaining my traditional arts practice in classical Japanese dance. I then use different mediums, whether it is music/sound, virtual reality, film, calligraphy to create pieces that instill thought, provoke questioning, and challenge convention. The healing power of dance has also come into focus. It frequently incorporates movement, sound, breathing, and focus.
My latest project is “Spiral Inwards/Outwards”, it is a dynamic exploration of movement and music, evoking imagery of a pendulum that symbolizes the inhale and exhale of life’s rhythm. As it spirals outward with each breath, there is a dynamic release of energy, while the inward spiral reflects a calming flow, reminiscent of the natural ebb and flow of existence.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

In addition to the eventual support from my family, I was lucky to have two main mentors, “Yoda’s” that provided me with fire, tough love, and inspiration. One shouldn’t get too hung up on creating a ‘masterpiece’. I believe that it is more important to just keep creating, to keep making footprints. Once you die, those who notice will make the declaration of your work; just keep going, follow your instinct and stay true to your vision.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

My dance teacher had been sick for these one and half years, and he finally transitioned this past April. He had been bed bound for the entirety of his decline. A dancer, bed bound. As i gradually realized he was not going to return to dance/to teaching, the gargantuan task of continuing his school (this year is the 48th year the school has been in Chicago, teaching, presenting, and performing), seemed monumental and the immense pressure to uphold the school and its aesthetics could have been overpowering, yet, I somehow feel determined to continue bearing the torch. Throuhout all of this I was able to realize the importance of one’s own physical and mental health. Accomodating myself into the daily routine and process has been my growth, discovery, and continuing improvement. I feel that it is now somehow easier to perceive the sincerity of others, and therefore to trust and ask for their help to sustain the cultural presence so that the following generations can also be proud of their unique identities, which I intend to be a relevant force.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yoshinojo.org
• Instagram: fujima.yoshinojo
• Facebook: Fujima Yoshinojo
• Linkedin: Yoshinojo Fujima

Image Credits

image credits are included as part of the file name.