What Is “TONARI”?

TONARI (となり) is the Japanese word in common vernacular for “next to” or “neighbor.” Typically we think of our neighbors as the people closest to us. The ones we wave to in the morning on our way to work, or the barista at the local coffee shop who already knows your order.

But in the modern world, you can Zoom a Japanese drummer thousands of miles away and instantly ask him to play a fan drum. Your mother living in California can complain about how messy your room is over Facetime. And suddenly your neighbors are not just the people in the house next door. The person next to you, can both be an ocean away and right in front of you.

This project TONARI highlights two neighbors who sit 8,000 miles away: Tokyo and San Francisco. Every member of the TONARI team represents a unique connection point between the US and Japan, and our piece weaves the beauty of these two cities on the water through film, dance, and music.

Film

TONARI

Directed by Ben Tarquin

“When her mirrored reflection comes to life, a lonely dancer caught between Tokyo and San Francisco must embark on an epic chase to find herself.”

San Francisco Film Production Team

Tokyo Film Production Team

Live Performance

• 

  Sophia Noel

  Dancer & Choreographer

• 

  Mas Koga

  Saxophone / Shakuhachi

• 

  Toru Dodo

  Pianist

Music & Dance

1. Mura Matsuri

   Written in 1912, this folksong is about a celebratory village festival (Mura Matsuri) to honor good harvest and the guardian deity of the village. Playfully arranged by Noriyuki Ken Okada, to the form of “St. Thomas” by the Legendary Sonny Rollins.

2. Kurodabushi

   A folk song originating from Fukuoka Prefecture in the 1590's, Kuroda Bushi tells the tale of a samurai. The title of the song uses bushi two ways: bushi, changed from fushi (節), which means a "tune", and bushi (武士) a "samurai", as in Bushido.

3. Ue O Muite Arukou

   A song by Japanese crooner Kyu Sakamoto, first released in Japan in 1961. The song topped the charts in a number of countries, including the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. The original title is "I look up as I walk" however it's known as "Sukiyaki" in the United States.

Artist Q&A

A conversation with
Sophia Noel

Sophia Noel

Sophia Noel is a contemporary dancer based in Tokyo with Hip-Hop, Salsa, Swing, and Ballet in her repertoire. Graduating from Columbia University, she joined the marketing team at Airbnb headquarters and in addition served as the director of the internal dance program, teaching classes, choreographing and producing performances.

In 2019, curiosity around the Japanese language sparked the idea to book a one way ticket to Tokyo, and through the encouragement of Japanese dance teachers she left salaryman life and became a full-time professional artist. Most recently she has performed at Tokyo International Forum, the Israeli Embassy and in collaboration with Future Magazine. She is currently based in Tokyo, where she performs, choreographs, and more.

sophianoel.com

Felton Brown

Moderator

Felton Brown is a multi-talented creative whose work has been featured across every major medium including print, tv, and online. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Felton Brown always had a love for art. He attended the High School of Art & Design and went on to attend the Art Institute of Philadelphia where he studied Graphic Design. After graduating, he spent several years running his own shop where he developed and delivered branded web projects for clients including Def Jam Records, Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records, and Virgin Records, to name a few.

Having mastered the art of digital, Felton set his sights on a path in advertising. He joined mcgarrybowen in 2010 and led national ad campaigns for clients such as Chase Bank, Marriott Hotels, and Sharp Electronics. In 2016, Felton joined McCann NY where his clients included MGM Grand, Office Depot, Office Max, Choice Hotels, Coca-Cola and more.

Never far from culture, Felton followed his love for Hip-Hop when he joined Dreamville - an entertainment company founded by Hip Hop artist J. Cole - in 2016. As Creative Director, Felton worked on multiple Grammy nominated projects and helped strengthen the brand’s social reach across digital platforms. His standout creative projects, including the album art for ‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’, were featured and celebrated in industry publications. Most recently he spearheaded the Grammy nominated album ‘The Off-Season’; and national tour.

Felton’s professional career is fueled by his love for mentorship and community. As a Board Chair for the BKLYN Combine, a non-profit organization based in Brooklyn, Felton has helped build a strong ecosystem to provide critical education, leadership, and social support programs to young people from underserved communities with big ambitions.

Partners

Asia Society

In March 2018, Asia Society Japan was launched in partnership with the International House of Japan as a new global hub in East Asia. For sixty-five years since its establishment, Asia Society has been dedicated to nurturing peace and development in Asia. It has been a platform for dialogue and exchange, for promoting mutual understanding between Asia and the United States. Respecting this philosophy and tradition, the Japan Center offers various programs covering the fields of policy, economy, diplomacy, arts, culture and business, led by the three committees for “Policy,” “Art” and “Asia 21.”

As Asia’s geopolitical importance increases, Japan, the third largest economy in the world, bears a more prominent role. The Rep Directors, James Kondo and Thierry Porté, commented: “Japan needs deeper understanding of, and engagement with, the leaders, ideas and innovation shaping Asia. The Center will play a critical role in promoting such exchanges.”

For more information about Asia Society Japan, visit their website at asiasociety.org/japan.

The Museum of the African Diaspora

The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is a contemporary art museum whose mission is to celebrate Black cultures, ignite challenging conversations, and inspire learning through the global lens of the African Diaspora. MoAD is one of only a few museums in the United States dedicated to the celebration and interpretation of art, artists, and cultures from the African Diaspora. The Museum presents exhibitions highlighting contemporary art and artists of African descent and engages its audience through education and public programs that interpret and enhance the understanding of Black art. Founded in 2005, the Museum continues to be a unique, cultural arts staple in the San Francisco Bay Area community.

For more information about MoAD, visit The Museum’s website at moadsf.org.

Sponsors

• Artist Patron and Founding Donors

  Sonya and Eugene Clark-Herrera

  Jill Cowan-Davis

  Michelle Ebanks

  Kian Janamian

• Film Production

  Michael Ovitz

  Judy Smith

  Tracey Stevens

  Liz and Donald Thompson

• Lighting and Magic

  Mural Arts and Music Project

  Ariel Cohen

  Ali Ghodsi

  Reina Rampbell

• Costumes and Coffee

  Marc Andreessen

  Chloe Arnold

  Maud Arnold

  Dominique Clark

  Joel Clark

  Divine

  Jacqueline Haywood

  Jules Horowitz

  Shreya and Akshai Indukuri

  Alice Johnson

  CH Jones

  Quincey Jones

  Carheu Jordan

  Antonio Key

  Lily Liu-Krason

  Robert Lathan

  Christopher Lewis

  Sonya Li

  Arnel Molina

  Jacqueline Morea

  Julia Richards

  Kez Reed

  Angela Rodriguez

  Christopher Russ

  Isabella Sun - Short Story Box

  Roxeanne and Todd Stachon

  Lauren Stoute

  Zaldy Tubig

• Thank Yous

  Ben & Felicia Horowitz

  Dan Schlosser

  Amanda DeVol Umezono

  Miho Ota

  Reem + Morgan

  Phoebe Lin

  Telu Liyanto

  Social Good Fund

  Museum of the African Diaspora (Monetta White, Elizabeth Gessel, and Nia McAllister )

  ODC (Brian Williamson, Chris Chamberlin-Miner, David Robertson)

  SF Film Commission (Manijeh Fata and Ismael Castillo)