butoh workshops by death posture

butoh workshop at University of Glasgow, May 2007

for information about workshops, contact vanessa@deathposture.org

"We will work in deep communion with the breath, its myriad intensities in rhythms, as a means of access to the inner space of the dancer's body. From the breath and guided imagery a richer awareness of the intricacy and power of the somatic instrument is gained. Through exploration of diverse energy patterns in the body-- spirals, waves, the motion of the bone body, strings, the elements-- each dancer intensifies their awareness of their own unigue kinesthetic language. The breath/voice will be explored intimately to deepen evocation and to generate movement that breaks out of the human and allows for subtle shifts and a multiplicity of speeds/rhythms.

We will seek to always arrive at the threshold of the unknown, where one is naked, vulnerable, open to the spirits yearning to move through us borne on sound and erupting within cells, memory and possession fusing into spontaneous creation.

With the musicians who will be creating the soundscapes for the workshop we will work with varying approaches/structures in improvisation. We will catalyze natural ability to move/vocalize in a ritual opening of body and spirit to the energies coming to us through the sound as it pierces, and embraces us.

Subtle instruments, we will train to sculpt kinesis and feeling in response to sound in the unique and harrowing beauty of butoh improvisation."