Welcome to
Creative Minds Collaborative
CMC is a non-profit organization, established by Nao Kusuzaki in order to cultivate cultural understanding between Houston’s diverse communities and their artists, with a passion to share the rich culture of Japan. We achieve this through creation and presentation of collaborative and educational performing art projects and workshops.
Deeply rooted cultural stories express knowledge, worldviews, and traditions. They draw on observation, lived experience, and the unknown to create meaning, shared values, and a sense of belonging. We seek to continue retelling these stories into the next generations, reflecting on the interconnectedness of all living beings.
CMC partners with Houston Public Library for Camp hART 2024
Upcoming Event
Artists From Past Projects
Hayden Stark
Dancer/Choreographer
Kaoru Watanabe
Composer/Musician
Jennifer Mabus
Dancer/Choreographer
Jacqui Sutton
Poet
Patrick Moore
Cellist
Nao Kusuzaki
Executive/Artistic Director
Shohei Iwahama
Dancer/Choreographer
Past Event
Meiji Dances
In Celebration of Meiji Modern
Fifty Years of New Japan Exhibition at MFAH
About MEIJI Dances
A Dance at the Meiji Modern”, is a new dance piece choreographed by Nao Kusuzaki, Artistic Director of Creative Minds Collaborative in honor of the exhibition – Meiji Modern- Fifty Years of New Japan. The new work explores themes of tradition versus modernity, cultural identity, and the human experience inspired by curated art works within the exhibition.
The movements intertwine traditional Japanese dance forms with contemporary vocabularies, reflecting the collision and integration of the Western influences. The soundscape blends Meiji-era Japanese composers like Rentaro Taki and Kosaku Yamada, with imported Western music by Saint-Saën, creating an atmosphere that mirrors the era’s cultural amalgamation.
Set in modern day Japan, this dance narrative mirrors the spirit of the era it seeks to portray, celebrating both the richness of Japan’s heritage and its embrace of global influences.
Event: Meiji Dances
Date: August 22, 2024
Place: Museum of Fine Arts
Brown Auditorium
1001 Bissonnet St
Houston TX 77005
Performance at at 7:00pm
Date: August 22, 2024
Place: Museum of Fine Arts
Brown Auditorium
1001 Bissonnet St
Houston TX 77005
Performance at at 7:00pm
Scan the QR Code Above for Program Notes for Meiji Dances