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WHAT IS BUTOH? An intersection
of Japanese traditions, modernization, and Westernization, Butoh was born out
of the
turmoil of the postwar period. The seeds of Butoh were planted by a man with
vision and daring, Tatsumi Hijikata. Rebelling
against increasing Western influences in dance and other facets of life, he
wanted to restore the Japanese body and sensibility;
to regain the true identity of the Japanese people.
His early creations in the 1950s and 1960s were spasms of anti-dance tainted
with erotic overtones that separated him from the conservative mainstream modern
dance world in Japan. His work Kinjiki
(Forbidden Colors) created in 1959, is known as the first Butoh dance. Hijikata
and his collaborator Kazuo Ohno
performed togetherfor a number of years, creating dances that questioned all
definitions of dance and beauty.
This seemingly mysterious dance movement has been fascinating Western audiences
for more than four decades.
Its poignant images and enigmatic nature have stirred up the minds and hearts
of many artists, inspiring them
to explore the medium of the body in new ways. Butoh continues to be one of
the most powerful and influential
art movements of the 21th century, and Butoh solo artists and companies are
based in many areas
throughout the world.
Photo: Vince Brown