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Trio
stepping into unseen space
Extracts from Asahi Evening News by Ken Kawashima
Butoh, which dates back more than 40 years, was founded by the late
Tatsumi Hijikata – a now legendary radical presence in Japanese
modern dance in the late ‘50s – who created this unique
method of avant-garde expression as an alternative to the Western
thought and movement inherent in dance at that time.
Hijikata, who believed that modern dance was ultimately not suited
for the average Japanese dancer’s physique, began Butoh in an
attempt to rediscover a new Japanese self-identity in a nation increasingly
shaped by Western attitudes.
The all-female trio now carrying Hijikata’s vision forward began
their collaborative efforts late last fall after being asked by the
organizers to perform at this year’s festival.
Feat of teamwork
What they have come up with is an hour-long, self-choreographed piece
– a rare feat of teamwork in Butoh performance, which is usually
directed and written by a single hand.
Their piece was entitled “Hitobire”, meaning “a human
presence” in the regional dialect of Katata’s native Kochi.
Says Katata: ”When we perform Butoh, we are in essence trying
to express that hidden force, or unseen sense of space behind and
around each of us, which is a lot of what Butoh is about.
“I also believe that as a team we are very good at pulling that
space out from each other.”
Perhaps that owes a lot to their backgrounds, because all three women
have been studying other styles of dance most of their lives and have,
respectively, backgrounds in modern dance, modern ballet, and Nihon
Buyo, or traditional Japanese dance.
“There is often a misunderstanding that one can quickly master
Butoh with just a strong sense of expression and improvisation, but
I believe it’s our extensive training in the other forms of dance
which has shaped our bodies and defined our mental discipline essential
to Butoh,” says the outspoken Kawamoto.
ASAHI EVENING NEWS Feb.2000 |
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