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Master puppeteer Michika Iida of Yumehina Puppet Company leads the audience into a world of dreams and fantasies with two stunning solo plays.

Nekohime Kugutsu Mai (Cat Princes Dance) is a modern take on Japanese folklore about the long lives of cats and their magic powers to transform themselves. Manjushaka (Equinox Flower), a story about the Spider Lily flower, which only comes out during the Obon season, is a metaphor for the spirits of ancestors seeking solace. Iida's life-size puppets and masks enact a beautifully mysterious character dance of love, family and guilt.

Watch a video of Yumehina performing:

Co-presented with the Japan Foundation