Today we’d like to introduce you to Miku Hirayama.
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 stared dancing when I was 3 or 4 years old. Actually, I don’t really remember about when I started, but I remember I was not very interested in dance that time.
I have 1 older brother, 1 older sister, and 1 younger sister.
My parents have 4 wild kids, it is a lot to them.
Anyways,
My older sister really wanted to go to ballet studio, and she asked my parents, and finally, she started to go to the ballet studio.
The studio was so far from my house, and Ballet is very expensive and special.
But my mom always wants to give every opportunity and chance to her kids equally.
So, I started to dance because my sister started.
I am original from Yamaguchi Japan.
Yamaguchi prefecture is located at the west end of Honshu, the main island of Japan.
I love my beautiful hometown. My family, home, friends, people, memories, etc., are there.
However, there are not many opportunities for artists.
When I was in junior high school, I started to have a strong desire to grow more, to take on more challenges, and to achieve something as an artist.
I started to go to everywhere in Japan and outside Japan for some competitions, performances, and auditions.
It is not normal so special, difficult, and expensive to keep them going.
I have been through a difficult time mentally.
Even though my family allows me to do what I want to do, I worry about differences with my friends at school, have grown apart from my family because my schedule, fell into a slump as a dancer, and lose track of what I want to do and then everything started to go down.
When I was in high school, I quit dancing.
I restarted high school life.
I really enjoyed the first month, and I realized how much dancing was important and meaningful to me.
Actually, after graduating from high school, I was planning to go to college to become a nurse. I decided that since I was a child.
I never thought I would become an artist that is not so suitable to me I thought.
But I wanted to try myself in that world as much as I can.
I changed my plan for future. I told everyone who support me always.
Everyone said the world is very difficult. Unstable and difficult to achieve success and end. But everyone respected my decision.
After graduated from high school, I was based in Yamaguchi for two or three years, where I taught and took lessons and went to various places in Japan and outside Japan for performances competitions, and auditions.
Even if I passed the audition, it would be very difficult to commute from Yamaguchi for a one-year project.
I started thinking about moving to Tokyo when I wanted to be more active as a dancer.
In 2019 I moved to Kanagawa. Kanagawa is located next to Tokyo.
I belonged to Y Dance Company, and I had the a one-year project.
And I had decided to take the audition for Peridance Center in NY that summer, and 1-year limit.
I trained in ballet, Contemporary, jazz, and singing and performed works by so many teachers and dancers.
I had a very fulfilling year.
For sure, It was hard because I needed to survive by myself.
But I found friends who have same dream and same situation.
We support each other. One of my friend, we were together all the time, from morning we were dancing then evening to midnight going work to make money also our house were so close. We were together 24 hours a day, every day. I was so lucky to have them and could be there.
In 2019 summer, the time has come.
I took the audition. I got the result that I wanted it.
I was so happy because I can go to NY and dance 2 years in NY.
From the beginning of 2020, everything has been closed due to a virus.
Of course, I couldn’t move to anywhere, and I had to postpone studying abroad by one year.
In 2020, it was during the pandemic, I moved to New York to train at the Peridance Center. it was crazy prosess to get visa, move out from the house, and etc.
After many things, I was finally able to come to NY.
I had 2 years program.
My first year was half online and half in the studio due to the pandemic.
2nd year all back in the studio, performances and without masks!
There are different language, culture, people, so many things more.
It’s beautiful and at the same time hard to understand and get used to,
I have had the opportunity to work with so many teachers, choreographers, and artists in 2 years.
I met beautiful classmate who came from different countries. I spent so many moment with them in 2 years. Even after I graduated, we keep in touch and support each other.
If I hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t have been able to have such a special experience. People who gave me a lot of support and pushed me to come this far. Of course, for myself and for the sake of those who believe in me and support me, I want to keep growing.
In 2022 I graduated and started working as artist.
Now I am dancing, performing, creating, teaching, and surviving in the world.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think it is Money, appearance, and Visa situation to make money is so hard to everyone.
Lots of unpaid dance jobs. These are good experience, but we need money to live.
When I was in Europe for auditions.
Directions told me, “You are too short; the length of your legs are not long enough, etc…
They’re not mean and personal, I’m just not the dancer they want and need.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t change my appearance or my race.
Visa is so hard and expensive to get.
And long process…
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an artist based in New York City. I am working with many choreographers, teachers, dancers, singers, and more.
When I work with them, I feel special and new.
Everyone has many incredible ideas, and these are always new for me.
I get a lot of inspiration from them, and I can brush myself up.
I can’t stop, quit and give up to be an artist.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
The definition of success is to always improve If I think I succeed!!! I will stop to grow.
Also, it is so hard to tell the question because things that cannot be expressed in form.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mikuhirayama
Image Credits
Studio Marguerite
Kayoko Hirayama
JO KHH IMAGE
Kuoheng Huang
I PHOTO
Ai Toyoshima
Valerie Kosnevich
