I stare at the cracks, black and rigid against the smooth, grey walls of the drama theatre…My heart beating slowly, I shut my eyes. The world blackens and my breathing thickens, nose twitches and neck cracks. What am I waiting for? What…my heart quickens as the ground groans and trembles beneath me…I breathe heavily as my hands stiffen like clay…Suddenly, a pause…Within the clear distance I can see a small insect dancing lightly upon a lose leaf, and my hands separate into a thousand different black lines. I crawl slowly, my one hundred eyes peering through the grass and I join the insect in his dance…. My eyes open and I no longer see the grey wall but a red desert and I must blink several times to stop the sand from seeping into my eyes. My body is alive…this is Butoh.
The study of the Japanese dance form Butoh inspires such an imaginative and physical transformation from within the body. Over eight weeks, the theatre company, Clay Bones, comprised of thirteen students from Monash University’s Performing Arts program, have been studying the unique and beautiful movement under the guidance of Helen Smith, a Butoh performer since 1993 who had the honour of performing at one of the founders of the dance, Kuzuo Ohno’s 102nd birthday
This experience has been coupled with Peter Fraser – a long standing member of the dance company De Quincy Co – assisting us in the exploration of Body Weather – a highly comprehensive form of physical training that creates a conscious connection between the transformations occurring within the outside and inside of the body during movement.
We are very excited to present a completely new performance which has been created by the skills learnt from Helen and Peter.
Emerging in the early 1960s from the invention of the artist Tatsumi Hijikata, Butoh subverted traditional forms of Japanese and Western dance culture. The uniqueness of Butoh lies in its creation of a natural being from within the performer. The dancer becomes aware of the imperfections of their body and learns to use these obscurities to move organically and honestly – a direct contrast to the highly stylised and lavish Japanese Kabuki and Noh, or the perfect bodies of western ballet.
In our own take on Butoh, we are developing the notion of ‘Threshold’ by pushing our bodies to the extreme. As a result, we have become more aware of the tiniest details within our bodies from moving a millimetre per second, to maintaining complete control as we make great leaps upon the stage.
In exploring our central concept, we are focusing upon harnessing the mental and physical elements of the human body and combining the two in our movement piece. In using memories which have marked significant turning points, challenges and triumphs in our lives and we have gathered sources of inspiration from these moments to then re-create and express through dance. Additionally, the experience of learning Butoh and Bodyweather has encouraged us to push our bodies beyond the ‘threshold’ and, thusly, enable us to discover our body’s limitations and strengths.
Do not miss out on seeing this rare, poetic and unique presentation! Tickets are $10.00, and all Monash University students are eligible to receive $5.00 rush tickets. These can be purchased at the door from at the Box Office in the Performing Arts foyer before the show begins. The one-hour performance will be held in the Drama Theatre, at the Performing Arts Centre, building 68, Monash Clayton. Call the Monash Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA) box office to reserve your seats, 9905 1111. We cannot wait to see you there!
Awakening the Body opens on Thursday 19th September (performances at 1:00pm and 7:30pm) and continues on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st September starting at 7:30pm.
