Butoh

Butoh is a type of Japanese contemporary dance.  It consists of a wide range of performance or movement practices which first emerged in 1959.  It is often defined as resisting definition or explanation but can have great impact on it’s audience. It is often called the ‘dance of darkness’. 

It is said that it came about because of the social devastation and sadness left by World War II.  Other opinions state that is was designed as a contrast to the contemporary dance in Japan at the time.  However, the founder of Butoh (Tatsumi Hijikata) has said that it was based on an imitation of the West or as an imitation of Noh (classical Japanese musicals).

Today, Butoh is known for its’ darkness which can include sex, death, grotesque imagery and eroticism.  It is usually performed in white body makeup with very slow movements. Often the dancers will have upward rolled eyes and contorted faces, inward rotated legs and feet and can be performed with or without an audience.

It is a very popular dance form today and is performed all over the world.