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Butoh (sometimes written butô) is the collective name for a diverse range of techniques and motivations for dance inspired by the Ankoku-Butoh movement. It typically involves playful and grotesque imagery performed in white-body makeup but there is no set style. Its origins have been attributed to Tatsumi Hijikata and Ohno Kazuo.
History
The first butoh piece was Kinjiki (Forbidden Colours), by Tatsumi Hijikata. Based on the novel of the same name by Yukio Mishima, the piece explored the taboo of homosexuality and ended with the smothering of a live chicken between the legs of Yoshito Ohno (Kazuo Ohno's son) and Hijikata chasing Yoshito off the stage in darkness. This piece outraged the audience, resulted in the banning of Hijikata from the festival where Kinjiki premiered and established him as an iconoclast.
Hijikata went on further to deliberately work against conventional notions of dance, and inspired by the works of writers such as Yukio Mishima, Lautréamont, Artaud, Genet and de Sade, delved into worlds of the grotesque, darkness, decay and the transformation of the body into other materials such as smoke, dust, ghosts and animals. He also developed a poetic and surreal choreographic-language, butoh-fu (fu means "word" in Japanese), to help the dancer transform into other materials.
More on [ Butoh ]
Japanese :: Folk Dancing
Performing Arts :: Traditional
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Butoh Dance - GooSayTen - Many Butoh artist descriptions, links, press clippings and photos. Host to other individual artist pages.
Butoh Dance -- Toshiharu Kasai - Exploration of the mind-body connection, including notes and commentary on Butoh dance technique and form by Toshiharu Kasai.
Butoh.net -- The World of Butoh Dance - Sponsored by Tangentz Performance Group, includes essays about Butoh, and offers a comprehensive list of teachers and performers around the world.
DAIRAKUDAKAN/TEMPUTENSHIKI Official Site - Profile, news, performance history and class information for 30 year old Japanese performance comapany Dairakudakan. English/Japanese site.
Meta Description: [ 大駱駝艦公式サイト。麿赤兒率いる舞踏集団「大駱駝艦」が公演最新情報や様々な情報を発信。 ]
Degenerate Art Ensemble - Home of the Seattle-based performance group. Media-intensive collection of photos, music, background information and events calendar.
Kobo Buto - A dance company based in the city of Groningen, Netherlands. Site includes a calendar of performances with photos, history and bibliography.
Laurence Rawlins of Anima Dance Theater - A dance company that explores a hybrid form of butoh and modern dance. Includes links and a description of Butoh.
Maureen Fleming - American butoh performer of international acclaim.
Meta Description: [ Maureen Fleming is an American butoh performer of
international acclaim. ]
Seattle Butoh - Home of Dappin' Butoh, directed by Joan Laage. Includes details about ongoing intimate stage performances.
Shinichi Momo Koga and Ink Boat - All about Shinichi Koga's hybrid company and works rooted in Butoh Dance. Shadow comedy is the phrase that best describes Shinichi's work.
Tadashi Endo - Biography and choreography of Tadashi Endo, the Butoh-MA Dancer
Meta Description: [ Tadashi Endo, the Butoh Dancer ]
Tangentz Performance Group - Butoh dance in the Hawaiian Islands. Upcoming performances, history and bibliography, contact information.
The Art of Butoh Dance - Ralph Rosenfield - Ralph Rosenfield's introduction to the history and art of Butoh dance including photos and cinematography.
Meta Description: [ Ralph Rosenfield contemporary art presents at absolutearts.com., Absolutearts.com provides daily arts news and news information about museums, galleries, and artists. ]
The SU-EN Butoh Company - Information about the work of the Swedish Butoh dancer/teacher and choreographer Susanna Ekerlund (SU-EN).
Yumiko Yoshioka - Yumiko Yoshioka's background, performance photos, workshops and yearly schedule. Includes contact information.
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