Butoh Intensive: In Search of Dance of Darkness
Course Description
Summary
This advanced level intensive course is designed for students who have prior experience of making a work around a body, especially (yet not limited) in dance, theater and visual arts contexts. Inspired by butoh-based movement practice, Buddhism and French post-structuralism philosophies, students will seek a way of liberating a body from a socially pre-conditioned self.
While studying particular breath, somatic and movement practices and forms sourced from butoh, students will delve into slippery philosophical concepts such as 鈥減ure becoming鈥 鈥淏ody without Organs鈥 鈥渟tate of absence鈥 and 鈥渙utside-ness within self鈥 through experiential and physical inquiry, paired with group discussions. Ultimately, each student is encouraged to question any pre-existing conceptual frames that have been defining self, and search for alternate ways of being.
Learning Outcomes
- -Understand key concepts, principles and historical context of butoh
- -Gain new perspectives and approaches to dance and body-based art form
- -Cultivate a new relationship with self through a series of unorthodox movement practices, philosophical dialogues and the creation of original body-based work
Prerequisites
Permission of Instructor:
For inquiry and permission, please contact the instructor Mina Nishimura (mnishimura@bennington.edu) and Kota Yamazaki (kyamazaki@bennington.edu) with a brief motivation statement and description about previous experience/training in dance, theater or any kind of body-based form.
Please contact the faculty member : mnishimura@bennington.edu
Corequisites
Dance or Drama lab assignment if students sign up for 4 or more credits in designated dance courses.