Toshiro Yanagiba

http://www.yougooffice.com/artist/profile/index.php?pid=1

He is a famous actor.  But also an excellent dancer.
I choreographed for him in a TV period drama called 'Mitsuhide Akechi--A man who was not loved by God.'  
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%98%8E%E6%99%BA%E5%85%89%E7%A7%80%E3%80%9C%E7%A5%9E%E3%81%AB%E6%84%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%81%AA%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E7%94%B7%E3%80%9C
(Sorry, it's Japanese only)

Yanagiba-san was in his role of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who dances comically for his lord Nobunaga.

Back in Kyoto, it was the very first job for me as a choreographer for TV drama.
He was too busy to come to Kyoto for lesson, so I danced in front of camera for him.  He received the recorded video tape and he studied the dance by himself.

It was the day of the shooting I met him for the first time.
His dance was perfect!  Exactly what I choreographed and danced.

He had to dance more than 7 times in front of camera shooting from various angle that day.
I have nothing to do anymore but to stand watching the shooting.
Although, in the request of my boss, who were in charge of music, I have to go up to him and correct his minor pronunciation mistakes.
But not his dance.

After dancing several times, he came up to me and said, 'I'm sorry oshosan (which means, master), I' m trying my best!'  ( 'Gomennasaine, oshosan, boku, ippai ippai nandesu!')

I replied, 'Why, you don't have to be worried.  You are just perfect!'

Since it was my very first job in the 'Hollywood of Japan,' I thought all the actors and actresses are such people, who are able to dance perfectly looking at recorded image.

But of course, I realized immediately that he was one of the most excellent dancers.

Usually, when I was invited to choreograph, I was given only an hour to teach actors or actresses.
And then, in the next one hour, they get dressed for shooting.
So I was often asked to make the dance as simple as possible.

How to make dance simple and at the same time respectably was always my dilemma.

After about one month after the shooting, I was again called to choreograph for a street dancer for the same drama. 
It was a young director's idea to have the image of a street dancer while Nobunaga parades into Kyoto.
I asked my boss who is going to dance.  He said he will look for someone. 
It was impossible when the shooting takes place in only three days.
There was no other choice but I dance myself. 
I can dance whatever I wanted, dancing and choreographing at the same time.

To be on the set was quite amusing.
Many horses were neighing boring.
Small children no the role of extra carried by staffs to toilets very often.

My boss told me not to be disappointed if I were not on the final edition.
According to him, such things often happen.  It's up to directors to edit or even delete taken image.

The drama was broadcasted as a New Year special TV period drama on January 3rd, 2007.
I was there, in two scenes several seconds each, dancing.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%98%8E%E6%99%BA%E5%85%89%E7%A7%80~%E7%A5%9E%E3%81%AB%E6%84%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%81%AA%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E7%94%B7~-DVD-%E5%94%90%E6%B2%A2%E5%AF%BF%E6%98%8E/dp/B000NJLW00
(Here is DVD)