Vol.6 -SAYOKO LALE-
Lale is busy for doing dance performances and her husband, Kenji is also busy for doing tours. They try to share the time as much as possible, taking walks in Central Park and going for shopping when they stay together in New York.
Egypt, a place of my dreams
connected to music and dance that I love through belly dancing
Seeing a belly dancer who expressed women’s mysteriousness and elegance
“This is what I want!”
- Why did you start belly dancing?
Lale I liked ethnic music and would listen to various types of music. I used to study dancing. One day, I saw a woman who expressed women’s beauty and charm through belly dancing, who I would learn dancing from later, and immediately I felt, “This is what I should go for!” I explored many kinds of dancing and now I have ended up doing belly dancing. 
I do not know why, but when I was a child, I wrote “A country I would like to go to is Egypt.” Egypt was a place of my dreams. People enjoy belly dancing in Middle Eastern countries. But Egypt is like the sacred place of belly dancing. Egypt and belly dancing were connected in me finally.
- Only women dance do this kind of dancing?
Lale Basically, yes. However, there are many male choreographers for belly dancing. This dance is improvised and people express themselves in harmony with the music. I love Arabic music, the unique rhythm and melody. I feel a touch of pathos.
Going to concerts, cleaning the apartment
Whatever we can do together
- What do you try to do together?
Lale We often go to concerts.
Kenji Yes. We love music. We go to concerts and listen to live music.
Lale Especially world music. We work in festivals. So we perform ourselves and also enjoy others’ performances. We went to see a global fest last week. We are going to a gypsy music festival this weekend. I LOVE music and can’t help dancing if there is a nice sound. We even go to grocery stores, clean the apartment together. We try to share the time as much as possible.
- As a performer, what would you like to do?
Lale I would like to do anything creative. In 2010, I want to be challenged to do something that I have never experienced before. It is my ideal scenario to perform in a project such as Bella Gaia. Also I am interested in collaborating with various types of musicians. Now I have a plan to create a theater show based on a Japanese myth featuring belly dancing. I was enthusiastic about performing on big stages in during the 44- cities tour in England. I am hoping to connect with such big events all the time. The attraction of working with Bella Gaia is that I can perform with talented musicians from all over the world. That is also the attractions of New York. I would describe New York as a modern Silk Road.
Kenji I would like to develop the Bella Gaia project further and perform in bigger places. Finally, I formed a New York team and we come to draw the attention of agents. 
However, it is difficult to bring the staff together. Last year I performed this show by myself every week in various states in the U.S. and various countries.
Lale I think dance is discipline. I dance wherever I go. I want to dance everywhere in the world and dedicate my dance there. I would be happy if many people see my dance and feel moved by it. I am supposed to dance in the Bella Gaia Show at Biwa Lake in Shiga prefecture and in Manila, the Philippines.
- Thank you very much. Who will be the next guest?
Lale Yusuke-san. He is a hair stylist who runs a hair salon: Hairppy in Chelsea. I got to know him as a customer. I sometimes offer a workshop in the his nice ambient salon.
PROFILE：
Sayoko Lale
Lale Sayoko is a Japanese belly dance artist based in New York and dances globally. She was a member of the Mishaal belly dance group from 2000 through 2005 in Japan, and then moved to the U.S. She is an acknowledged belly dancer for her oriental style or fusion improv, and performs with various kinds of musicians in concert tours. She gives dance lessons in Japanese at Union Square. She is from Shiga prefecture and grew up in Tokyo. Her website is www.lalesayoko.com
Lale’s husband, Kenji Williams, is a multimedia artist, film maker, composer , violinist, and the director of the Bella Gaia project. See www.bellagaia.com
●My favorite New York
Melting pot of races and art
●My favorite Japanese term
一期一会 （いちごいちえ） A singular moment, a singular meeting
●My happiest event
Work: danced solo in theaters in 44 cities in England on a tour with a Japanese drumming group: Mugenkyo and won the much applause.
Personal: I got married with my father’s blessings.
