Butoh is a unique form of contemporary dance originated in Japan with a performance called Kinjiki by Tatsumi Hijikata in 1959. It was originally named ‘ankoku butoh’ or ‘dance of utter darkness’, as Hijikata tried to distinguish his new dance. It was later shortened to Butoh and drawn in the work of a number of other artists. It emerged as a reaction to the Western influences on Japanese theatre and sought to redefine traditional notions of dance and performance. It aimed at throwing off the constraints of Western dance and the rigidity of the highly codified Japanese traditions such as the ancient Noh drama and Nihon Buyo (Japanese classical dance). While butoh was born out of a rejection of western dance, there are pedagogical links between butoh’s founders and German Expressionist dance. Hijikata also drew on the writings of Jean Genet and Antonin Artaud, among others. The contradictions within butoh are part of what make it fascinating. Apart from Tatsumi Hijikata, Kazuo Ohno was considered one of the founders as well. However, the two founders offer seemingly contradictory advice on the process of transformation. Hijikata said, ‘find the architecture of the cat, and the spirit will enter’ while Ohno said, ‘find the spirit, and form will take care of itself’. They approach the same point from different perspectives. Reading further, it was discovered that Yoko Ashikawa is also one of the earliest exponents of butoh though seldom mentioned due to the strong patriarchy in Japan. She danced a tree enduring the changing seasons which from the audience’s point of view, they projected an old woman or their grandmother reliving all of life’s experiences.
One of the founders of Butoh, Tatsumi Hijikata
‘Ma’ is a fundamental principle in Butoh that refers to the space between movements and the tension created within it. Butoh dancers strive to embody a state of ‘ma’ where time and space are suspended, allowing for a profound exploration of the body and the psyche. Therefore, slow, controlled, and distorted movements are often observed in Butoh performances as dancers contort their bodies in unconventional ways. The use of white body makeup and stark lighting further enhances the eerie and otherworldly atmosphere.
Butoh is characterised by its avant-garde and experimental nature, often exploring themes of darkness, the grotesque, and the subconscious. The raw and primal aspects of the human experience are expressed to challenge the conventional ideas of beauty and grace. Besides, Butoh performers don’t necessarily use only human characters as a source. Equally ready to explore transforming into a stone or mud, they draw on the full range of textures available in nature and attempt to manifest those physical and psychic materials in their bodies. Drawing on the worlds of the unconscious, dreams and the irrational, butoh leaves space for the audience to bring their own thoughts and dreams to the work, offering a rich, metaphorical world to taste and to enter.
Butoh has evolved over time and has influenced various art forms, including theatre, performance art, and contemporary dance. The hybrid fusions with theatre or with visual art have also enriched and broadened the scope of the artform. Receiving international recognition and being embraced by artists worldwide, Butoh continues to be a dynamic and evolving art form, challenging societal norms and inviting audiences to explore the depths of the human condition.
‘Meguri: Teeming Sea, Tranquil Land’ by Sankai Juku in 2019