It was really nice to celebrate Valentine's Day by watching performances. The two performances I watched were about the transition from traditional Japanese gymnastics to dance. The first performance was presented by dancer Saiko Kino（木野彩子）, and Butoh artist Kumotaro Mukai（向雲太郎）using his body to explore the essence of Buto.
Contents
◦ BankART 1929
The place where the performance took place, BankART 1929, is a renovated warehouse located right by the harbor. On the first floor, there are a café and a bookstore where they sell books about art. The second and third floors are open spaces for performances.
◦ Saiko Kino "ダンスハ體育ナリ"
First of all, Saiko Kino’s performance really caught my attention from the moment it started! In the dance piece, she tells the story of Kazuo Ohno（大野一雄）, who went from teaching gymnastics at a school to becoming a Butoh dancer.
Who is Kazuo Ohno? He is a Japanese dancer who created "Dark Butoh", leaving a significant impact on the world of dance. Saiko Kino's performance is a way of paying respect to his legacy.
Saiko Kino and her partner begin by dressing as school students, wearing glasses that represent innocence. They depict a vibrant school life. As the story unfolds, they take off their glasses and immerse themselves in Butoh, as if stepping into another world. After the show, I took a walk by the harbor alone, needing some quiet time to process the emotions that the performance stirred in me.
◦ Kumotaro Mukai "舞踏？プレゼンテーション・ショウ"
Kumotaro Mukai demonstrated a kind of energy as a Butoh dancer. This intensity was so powerful that it made me a bit hesitant to look directly at the performer, but at the same time, I couldn't take my eyes off him.
BankART 1929 横浜市中区海岸通 3-9 ➤ Read More