Miki Orihara is best known for her work as a principal dancer in the Martha Graham Dance Company, which she joined in 1987. In addition to performing the Graham repertory, she has worked closely with the renowned Japanese-American dancer, choreographer and director, Yuriko, preserving her unique approach to Graham Technique. Orihara has performed in the Broadway production of The King and I, with the Elisa Monte, Dance Troupe, PierGroupDance, Lotuslotus, Twyla Tharp, Martha Clarke, Anne Bogart (SITI Company) and Robert Wilson. She has presented her own choreography in New York and in Tokyo as a guest artist for Japan’s New National Theater. Her teaching credentials include numerous workshops in Japan, Art International in Moscow, Peridance, the Ailey School, New York University, Barnard College (Columbia University), Florida State University, Henny Jurriëns Stichting( Netherlands), Les Etés de la Danse in Paris(France) and New National Theater Ballet School(Tokyo, Japan). Currently she is on a faculty at the Graham School and The Hartt School ( University of Hartford). As a Regissuer on Martha Graham’s work, she has been setting works worldwide, including Russian Ballerina Diana Vashineva’s “Dialogue” and for Wendy Whelan of New York City Ballet.n Orihara released Martha Graham Dance technique DVD Level1, collaboration with Susan Kikuchi, Dance Spotlight and Martha Graham Center. Level 2 is in process right now. During this COVID, 10 dancers and our team worked hard and successfully able to rehearse and filmed in November 2020. As a curator and director, Orihara produced a benefit concert “Dancing for JAPAN” in 2014 and 2017, with the idea of bringing different stages of dance artists to share performance and learn from each other. This idea developed into the NuVu Festival at LPAC. NYC.
Orihara’s on going project “RESONANCE-共鳴” , started in 2014, introducing old masters’ works with new masters’ works. Re-introducing Japanese Modern Dance Pioneers like Seiko Takaka and Konami Ishii is her passion to introduce her mentor YURIKO. In April 2017, Orihara was featured in the inaugural performance of “Peace is…”at the United Nations by invitation from the Permanent Mission of Japan. With the support of LPAC and Steven Hitt, Orihara presented “Resonance II” in NYC in April 2017, she Danced works by Merce Cunningham, Lar Lubovitch and Charlotte Griffin, Martha Graham and Colaboration with Tanro Ishida and “Resonance III” in NYC, SF and Vancouver (Canada) in May, 2019, she danced works by Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Seiko Takata, Konami Ishii and YURIKO, , along side with master class and a lecture workshop by Orihara’s teachers Nanako Yamada and Yasuko Kataoka. With the Japanese filmmaker, Tomoko Mikanagi, Orihara created the film “Broken Memory”. Commissioned by the CORDA foundation for David Rosenmann-Taub, it was featured at Dance on Camera Festival –Lincoln Center, NYC in 2017. She is in the process of making “ Two Women” with Tomoko.
With Stephen Pier, Orihara created several dance films including “Conversations” and “Ceci C’est Pas Un Jouet (this is not a toy)” by Gene Gort. Orihara’s the Noguchi Project with Adam Lenz received a residency grant to Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center, NY. It is in process of creating a work reflecting on Noguchi’s “Bell Child”. She is a recipient for CUNY Dance Initiative Residencies at Guardia Community College(2015-2017) and received a tour grant from Japan Foundation for her “Resonance III”. Orihara is a member of Dance On Project in Berlin, Germany since 2019, premiered Re-imagine of Merce Cunningham’s Story – Berlin Story, Bonn Story and Milano Story. In Spring 2023, Orihara will be working with Anne Bogart for “The Beautiful Lady” at La MaMa stage.