Founded in January 2018 by former company members of Ishinha, kondaba is now run by Nanako Ishihara and Hitoshi Kaneko. With “place” and “play” as the themes of creation, kondaba starts making works by finding a place to perform in the city and “play” with that place. “Play” refers to deciphering the regularity and features of that place from the physical structures, such as pillars, walls and ceiling, as well as from the texture, and exploring the relation between the body and the place. kondaba’s works are created based on the physicality gained through the play, research conducted on time accumulated within that place, and interviews with local residents. kondaba has performed at Hosono Building, former Ikuno Regional Wholesale Market, former Ouchi Carpentry Shop, and Creative Center OSAKA (former Namura Shipbuilding Osaka site). Received the award for outstanding works in the 4th Kansai Theater Award for the performance of The Master Builder, written by Henrik Ibsen and directed by kondaba.

Raised in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. Ishihara performed in Ishinha’s Yugao no Hana Shiroki Yuugure and was a company member from November of the same year until the dissolution of Ishinha in 2017. In 2018, founded kondaba with Hitoshi Kaneko and others. Ishihara performs for the stage works of akakilike, neji&co, Kyokuto Taikutsu Dojo (Urban Research Theater), and Knit Cap Theater, as well as making self-directed/choreographed solo works.

From Gero City, Gifu Prefecture, Kaneko graduated from Performing Arts Course, Kyoto University of Art and Design, and was a company member of Ishinha from 2006 to 2017 when the company dissolved, often in charge of choreography for many of the company’s works. Outside Ishinha, Kaneko has performed in Off Limit (Kyoto, 2018) directed by Nagara Wada, Interior (Kyoto, 2020) directed by Hirotaka Fukui, and works by Chiten, including Crime and Punishment (Kanagawa, 2020), Woe from Wit (Kyoto, 2024) and The Master and Margarita (Kyoto, 2025).