Today we’d like to introduce you to Tomoka Takahashi.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in a town in Japan called Yokohama, and ever since I was a child, I always was very passionate and very greedy with things I can do. For example, children usually would say I want to be an astronaut, or chef, or hero and etc. However, I remember specifically insisting that I would be an actress, so that I can be/do ALL the occupations in the world. And my reasoning was, why can’t I? Since then, I have been working to craft, to be in, to be part of theatre in many different form.
While this dream I had was very “Oh, I wish.” kind of passion and I was still unsure if I really wanted to pursue in being an actor, there was one incident that happened in my life that made my decision more concrete and led me to where I am today.
My mother was a former dancer/actor back in Korea, however, she decided to let go off her dream due to family’s financial and flew all the way to Japan to get better opportunity at jobs, to earn money to send to the family. Then, she fell in love and had me, which she then decided to fully let go of her dream to be a mother. However, her passion for theatre did not fade, so as a child, she wanted me to be exposed with arts. When I was 5 years old, she brought me to London every summer to go to English Summer Program to learn new languages, culture, and to be exposed to different environments. And one day, she brought me to watch Phantom Of The Opera. I still did not know english and the only word I knew back then were “Apple”, and “Toilet”. However, as soon as the show started, I remember leaning out from the first row of the top balcony, squinting my eyes to see better, and crying. I did not know what they were saying, yet I understood every single moment, the story, the emotions, through the singing, acting, dress, and everything. I was so touched by the story that at the end of the show, I told my mom, “This! I want to do this in my future!”.
Ever since then, I was determined to make my dream come true, so I decided to participate in theatre clubs, productions in school, dabble with music, dancing, and etc. When I was in my 8th grade, during summer, I took a HIghschool Summer Program in Idyllwild Arts Academy. It was three weeks theatre program in a middle of mountain, boarding school. Those three weeks were life changing for me, that I remember taking them again in my 9th grade and being like I wish I could go to arts concentrated school. Luckily, one of the head teacher in the theatre program approached me and insisted that I took the entrance audition. In my sophomore year, I took the audition, submitted them, and got the acceptance letter. So from then on, I went to Idyllwild Arts academy to really work, develop my skills, then go to New York University Tisch program of Experimental Theatre Wing to really understand how to be an interdisciplinary artist. Then currently, I am attending The New School Masters Program of Contemporary Theatre and Making.
While my passion for theatre was further expanded to not only acting but producing and directing and making, the goal of telling stories has not changed. To showcase stories that are often not shown, to represent communities, to tie people together without the barrier of language and to inspire others.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Truth be told, it was not a smooth road. I have faced multiple unfortunate events like bullying, racism, exclusion, and physical illness that got in my way. However, those did not determine my journey, nor stop my passion. I instead used that as a stepping stones, as a lesson to learn for my growth.
These bullying I had, started ever since I was 3 years old. Which is, wow. And shockingly, it wasn’t my fellow kindergarten students but their parents. I had dead birds stuffed into my shoe box at kindergarten from the parents because I was half Korean. Every single things I did got criticized, judged, and mocked by the parents and they often sneered and told my mother that I was too outgoing, wild, and energetic cause I was Korean. That I was animalistic. However, remember, I was just a 3~4 year old playing around at the playground. I was supposed to be energetic, cause I was a child.
Luckily I transferred school to an International School where they accepted my heritage. However, without my parents knowing, the incident at kindergarten already traumatized me and implanted the seed of doubt within me of “Who am I?” and “Am I Korean or Japanese?”.
When I thought everything was going great, my next bullying was in my school year from elementary till highschool where I was always labeled as the “weird” child. The “nerd”, or “funny clown” in the class. My passion for arts, my curiosity for everything, the mentality of wanting to try new things every breathing moments, were labeled as “weird” and was often looked down upon. No one took me seriously, or treated me like their equal.
Then upon boarding to U.S., I have gotten in Physical Harm, death threats, over my race. Things that were out of my control and could not change. Because I looked different.
I learned that fairness, acceptance, and identity is something that was not easy to earn since child. I have trusted people, believed in the good of each individual and gave chances. However, those innocence was taken advantage multiple times, and eventually I learned how to shield myself.
While these topics are heavy and my experience wasn’t always rainbows and greatness, within this journey, I got to still find few peers that were similar to me, understood me, and supported me. My parents and my friends that I made along the way till today is the reason why I am able to stand with my two feet, proud, and strong. Which is why I always try not to forget about communities around me. Stories around me. Because I know for a fact I’m not the only one who went through these struggles and I want to make sure that people out in the world know, that if they are going through similar things, eventually everything will be okay. That I understand them, and I see, and hear them. I want to give back to the community, to give opportunity, through arts.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an actor, playwright, director and producer. I am a person who loves to integrate many different forms of arts, weather that be dancing, foley art, designing, singing, painting, and etc.
For example, using technology to create dance theatre in a VR world using Mocap, 3D model. I do clowning. I use physical theatre and acrobatic theatre. Using sand, shadows, and paper puppetry with foley. Using traditional music and traditional dances to tell modern stories. Painting on the floor using dances. Assistant directing Opera shows. Projection, animation, and Hip Hop to create dance theatre.
There are many examples of how I utilize arts and Theatre. Since there are unlimited combinations and things you can achieve by using different methods. People often know me as the technology theatre kid, however, I think there are lots of artists out in the world who does more than what I do.
I do not really have speciality within, because I like to dabble with everything, and learn from everything.
I think I am proud of every single projects that I participated and treasure every moment I got to spend to create things. What really sets me apart from others? I would like to say Passion and curiosity. However, truth be told, I do not think I stand out among other creators or have the strong desire. Because I want to believe that art is not a competition on who is the best, or who seems the most “professional”, but rather a sharing. To share stories, to share ideas, to cultivate growth within eachtother by support.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory would be the Phantom of The Opera incident I talked about before. However, other than that, I believe, being in my grandfather’s work. My Korean Grandfather used to work as a security guard for an apartment. I would visit him and spend all day at his workplace, which was a tiny room that was a closet size, had a window, door, a small security tv, and a chair. It was an environment that looked like no one should be in there for more than one hour. However, my grandfather did his job well, and I used to just sit on the floor, eating snacks that he secretly bought without telling my mother, and playing Hana Fuda (Japanese Card Game) with me. Teaching me how to play, spoiling me, and even when he was physically in pain from being old, in a cramped up place, he never stopped smiling for me. No one greeted him upon entering the apartment or said thank you for always guarding. However, I was there being grateful, and knowing that my grandfather was a superhero in a way. He may have been old, but to my eye, he was a great man who priorities others, greeted people with a smile, was open-hearted, and was giving. That memory is my treasure and the moment that I realize that my grandfather is who I aspire to be. As a human.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Riccardo Ezzu
Sam Smith
Maria Baranova Photography
Renee-Michele