Benjamin Akio Kimitch, a contemporary dancer and choreographer, has crafted a new work titled "Allegra," which explores the intersection of Japanese traditional court dance and his personal heritage. Premiering this week at New York Live Arts, the piece serves as a unique fusion of memory, cultural history, and artistic imagination.

"Allegra" draws inspiration from Bugaku, the ancient dance form associated with Japan’s Imperial Court, and Gagaku, the accompanying musical tradition. Kimitch, 40, immersed himself in these art forms by studying under Fumiya Otonashi, a Japanese experimental musician and Gagaku practitioner, following extensive research and travel to Japan. He also engaged with the legacy of George Balanchine’s 1963 work "Bugaku," a ballet created during an era of cultural exchange but often debated today for its cultural appropriation aspects.

Balanchine’s "Bugaku" emerged in the late 1950s amid a historic exchange in which the New York City Ballet toured Japan in 1958, and, the following year, Japanese Imperial Palace musicians toured internationally for the first time. Kimitch emphasizes that the original production involved genuine collaboration and interaction between ballet dancers and traditional Bugaku practitioners, challenging simplistic characterizations of the ballet as merely an orientalist appropriation.

Incorporating these influences, Kimitch infused "Allegra" with elements from his own Japanese American background. His grandparents and aunt were among those interned during World War II, a personal history that resonates in the work. Additionally, the piece honors his late mother, whose memory frequently appears in his dreams and creative process.

Kimitch himself performs a solo segment in "Allegra," learned from Nihon-Buyo specialist Yasuko Yokoshi, a Japanese classical dance artist who also helped connect him to Otonashi. The dancers in the production perform a repertoire grounded in Bugaku’s vocabulary before deconstructing it stylistically, blending tradition with contemporary expression.

The performance is staged on a 20-by-20-foot platform symbolizing Bugaku’s traditional raised stages. The cast wears traditional footwear that shapes their movement, compelling a particular precision and balance, even as they diverge from strict traditional choreography.

Kimitch explains that central to Gagaku and Bugaku is the idea of performing for the gods—with emphasis on creating a compelling and joyful offering rather than a solemn ritual. This spirit of delight and engagement is a guiding principle in "Allegra."

The work’s title pays tribute to Allegra Kent, a former principal ballerina with New York City Ballet and the star of Balanchine’s original "Bugaku." Kimitch discovered her through a documentary and later interviewed her as part of his creative research. Kent, born Iris Margo Cohen, gave permission for her name to be used, embracing the project’s link to her legacy. Her joy and vulnerability have influenced the tone and ethos of the piece, aligning with Kimitch’s intent to honor both tradition and personal narrative in his dance.