What I’ve always admired about Ishida Dance is Brett Ishida’s ability to weave movement, light, shadow, and music into captivating stories. With inside my walls, performed at the Asia Society Texas Center in Houston, Ishida showcased work that was layered, poetic, and moving.
when shall we three meet again

The evening opened with when shall we three meet again, a piece that draws inspiration from the three witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
It’s a tribute to Ishida’s three aunts, infused with tension, grief, and joy.
The performance begins with a stunning solo by Renee Kester, who moves with a delicate tension that pulls you in.
As the esoteric music builds, the emotional thread between the “sisters” strengthens, creating a sense of longing and undeniable unity.
Shakespeare’s words echoed in my mind: “When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” The choreography captured that question’s haunting beauty, suggesting that no matter the storm, the bond between them is eternal.
Horizons

The second piece, Horizons, choreographed by Adonis Foniadakis, introduced a different energy.
Originally designed to be performed in water, budget constraints brought it to the dry stage, but it lost none of its fluidity.
What initially seemed wild and untethered quickly revealed layers of beauty and meaning in the chaos.
The two dancers moved with a poetic connection that was sensual, raw, and completely in sync.
There were moments where the piece teetered on the edge of losing control, but that unpredictability felt intentional, a reflection of how life’s most beautiful moments can emerge from disorder.
Schubert Songs
Next came Schubert Songs, choreographed by Stephen Shropshire, a world premiere that challenged the dancers to strip away their facades.
Dancer John Canfield shared that Shropshire pushed them to “drop all pretense and get to the core of who they were as dancers.”
That vulnerability was apparent in the performance, though this piece didn’t resonate with me as deeply.
It felt more like an exploration of form and physicality. At times, the piece resembled a yoga class, and other times it evoked the pulsing energy of a rave.
While the movement was intriguing, it lacked the clear, emotionally driven narrative that I’ve come to expect from Ishida’s productions.
inside my walls

The final piece, Inside My Walls, which Brett Ishida jokingly (or perhaps subconsciously) called a “weird premiere,” was easily the highlight of the evening.
It tells the story of a man who clings to his routines to feel safe in a chaotic world. His carefully constructed solitude is disrupted by a mysterious figure who emerges from inside his walls and teaches him to live beyond his self-imposed limits.
The chemistry between the dancers was electric. Their movements conveyed humor, tenderness, fear, and ultimately, transformation.
This piece struck the perfect balance between the whimsical and the haunting, serving as a beautiful meditation on how we build walls to protect ourselves but often need community and connection to truly thrive.
Final Thoughts
Ishida Dance continues to solidify its place as one of the most innovative dance companies working today.
inside my walls reaffirms what I’ve seen in Ishida’s previous works like keepsake and as long as there is in me. She can blend classical and contemporary forms into performances that feel intensely personal and universally resonant.
If you have the chance to see an Ishida Dance production, don’t miss it. Their work will challenge you, move you, and maybe crack open the walls you’ve built inside yourself.
For more exclusive content, join Mocha Man Style Insider and follow Mocha Man Style on Instagram

Frederick J. Goodall is the Editor-in-Chief of Mocha Man Style, media spokesperson, event host, photographer, and a top social media influencer in Houston, TX. He likes to write about fashion, cars, travel, and health.