BUTOH WORKSHOP - 'The world refleted in a drop of water' with Yael Karavan in Lisbon

An intensive exploration of Butoh, starting from the philosophy of its founding members until its current relevance, as a tool of creation, rebirth and transformation.

"In other forms of dance, such as flamenco or classical dance. the movements are derived from a fixed technique; they are imposed from the outside and are conventional in form. In my case, it's the contrary, my dance is far removed from conventions and techniques, it is the unveiling of the inner life."
T. Hijikata Founder of Butoh.

Butoh is an avant-garde performance and Art movement, it is a philosophy and a method founded by Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno in Japan in the late 1950s. It is not a technique, but an approach to dance that arises from within us and connects us to our essence, our nature, the universe, and the cycles of life and death.
Karavan proposes an intensive exploration of Butoh, starting from the philosophy of its founding members through to its current relevance as a tool for creation, rebirth and transformation.

‘"Again and again we are reborn. It is not enough simply to be born of the mother's womb. Many births are necessary. Be reborn always and everywhere. Again and again." T. Hijikata, founder of Butoh.

In contrast to other dance styles, butoh does not require the learning of a fixed vocabulary of dance movements. It draws its inspiration and power from internalised images: butoh is a ‘state of continuous emptiness’ in which transformation is limitless and it is ‘possible’ to become anything else. From another perspective, it is the continuous process of self-effacement.
This workshop will explore the elements of metamorphosis, presence, awareness, contrast, dance through imagery, and the tension between opposites. The aim is to free the body from its preconceived, mundane set of gestures and movements, thereby allowing us to access a deeper, more authentic essence of movement and archetypal expression. Questioning how Butoh can be translated for a European body and why Butoh is extremely relevant today.
Yael brings nearly three decades of Butoh Dance experience, having worked and studied with Butoh dancers and choreographers from first-, second- and third-generation in Japan and Europe.”

open to all no previous experience required

More info + to register email karavan.producao@gmail.com

photo - Herlander Almeida