AKIKO あるダンサーの肖像 (1985): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1985, AKIKO あるダンサーの肖像 is a notable film directed by Sumiko Haneda.

What it’s about. “I have three tasks in my life: to dance, to teach dance, and to create dance,” says the pioneering Japanese performer Akiko Kanda in this intimate portrait of creativity and individuality, After seeing a Martha Graham performance in college, Kanda left her family behind in Japan and arrived in New York City, where she studied under the legendary Graham and became a principal dancer with the troupe. Following the wiry artist as she moves from practice floor to performance hall, and from the cramped single-room apartment she lives in to a trip home to see her aging mother, director Sumiko Haneda reveals a woman who has rebelled against traditional ideals of marriage and motherhood, and who nearly single-handedly brought modern dance to Japan-and kept it alive. “When I die,” Kanda tells the director, “I will be content if I can just say, ‘I danced.'”

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch AKIKO あるダンサーの肖像 page.