Social Issues: Japan is a country with a very different set of social norms from the U.S. Forget casual! It is really important to educate oneself beforehand -- a small gaffe could cause a major set-back in building partnerships and forwarding your project. For example, the presenting of business cards is an almost ceremonial act. There is much literature on the www that will give a detailed, step-by-step description; but for dancers and choreographers, it won’t seem difficult o master. Hold the card delicately with both hands and present it (with the card positioned in such a way that your counterpart can read it) accompanied by a slight bow. When receiving a card, take it gently and examine it with interest and approval. My advice: take a Japanese friend aside before you visit Japan and ask for lessons in decorum. This will serve you very well!

Cultural Adaptation

Bureaucracy: Spontaneity is a concept that doesn’t go well with Japanese organizers. In fact, I was stunned to realize that the idea of suitable planning time for a project in Japan if two years at the minimum. Theaters, even smaller ones, seem to be booked this far in advance.

Take-away

Maintain a synergistic approach: bring your partners together; build secondary events to add to your main one; include social activities, formal or informal, in your program plans. Our event at the Hilton in Osaka proved to be a very important opportunity to have our Japanese hosts and the hotel manager meet and greet and generate a feel-good atmosphere around the program.