To kotohogu is to speak good things aloud — to honour a life, and the fact of a person's existence.
So when SEMBU speaks of delivering kotobuki, it does not mean cheer, and it does not mean smiles.
It means blessing your existence itself.
Kotobuki holds darkness as well as light.
Suffering, sorrow, joy — a whole life, blessed entire.
This is why SEMBU can dance through darkness and still, without fail, arrive at blessing.
A new form of dance created by SHIGEKEY, built on the discipline and spirit of Kabuki and fusing the gestures and prayer-dance of Japanese classical dance with the dynamism of street dance.
It dyes not only the heart of the viewer, but the air and the hour themselves.
He began his career as a professional dancer in his teens, and in 2000 won first place at the “co.dance competition” held in Los Angeles, USA.
He has appeared in stage productions and a wide range of events, and expanded his activities as a backup dancer for international artists such as 2PM, IU, and Park Hyun-bin. Drawing on experience that transcends genres and borders, he continues to refine the breadth of his expression.
In his twenties, he appeared as an actor in television and stage productions, including the NHK historical drama “Yae no Sakura.”
He also expanded his activities in multiple directions by working as a choreographer for 2.5D stage productions.
In his thirties, guided by a series of fortunate encounters, he entered the world of Kabuki as a member of the Koraiya family.
In August 2018, he made his debut on the stage of the Kabukiza Theatre, playing the role of a traveler in *Tokaidochu Hizakurige*.
There, he came into deep contact with the beauty and spirituality of traditional Japanese performing arts, and built the core of his identity as an artist.
In his forties, in order to create a new form of entertainment that fuses all of his experiences to date, he graduated from the path of performing at the Kabukiza Theatre, which had nurtured him.
To deliver a one‑of‑a‑kind dance that “colors the heart just by watching,”
he founded **SEMBU Inc.**
Tradition and innovation. Stillness and motion.
Crossing every boundary,
SHIGEKEY continues to dance and to reach people’s hearts.