Japanese-born and New York–based choreographer Kota Yamazaki wants to spread his version of Japanese Butoh far and wide. Butoh originated in post-war Japan and is defined as “dance of darkness.” However, company member, and Yamazaki’s wife Mina Nishimura who often translates for him, explains that Butoh is not traditional Japanese dance, but instead an “underground, avant garde dance form.” With his company Kota Yamazaki/Fluid hug-hug, now a New York staple since making a home here in 2002, Yamazaki has made three installations of the dance series Darkness Odyssey inspired by the words of French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, and Butoh pioneer Tatsumi Hijikata’s notion of “dance of darkness.” Yamazaki continues his exploration of what he calls “the vaporizing body, or the extremely fragile body” which helps to realize his vision in presenting Butoh in a different way.
Darkness Odyssey Part 3: Non-Opera, Becoming (April 3 – 6) presented at New York Live Arts (NYLA) is Yamazaki’s latest installation. In this version, like the others, the cast is made up of a diverse group of contemporary dance artists: Jennifer Gonzalez, Kotze, Taketeru Kudo, Nishimura, Sinandja (Alain) Dakonyéme, Connor Voss and Yamazaki. For the New York Times Gia Kourlas wrote, “In his dances and in life, the choreographer Kota Yamazaki believes that a person needs to be fluid, like water…You have to keep flowing, so people of different backgrounds can have a freer exchange,” Yamazaki said. Nishimura, added with a laugh, “It’s very Japanese.” Following this, in Darkness Odyssey Part 3… Kudo, a Butoh performer embodies an animal in his movements, the Togolese Dakonyéme is remembered for his fast footwork, Gonzalez and Voss for commitment, Kotze and Nihimura their deep concentration, and Yamazaki for his sublime presence. For example, at the top, without knowing that the show officially began, Yamazaki darts into the bare space, cutting and piercing through the air; he is mesmerizing. Also, for a really long time, midway through the evening Yamazaki holds magically still against the back wall, while duet partners change and rearrange continuously downstage. Throughout the evening the others offer versions of quick or slow solos, jaws relaxed, and may mumble sounds as they move trans-like throughout the space. Every once in a while they might join and sweep through a unison duet, or share moments of discovery in their personalization of Yamazaki’s vision. But the truth is they borrow from each other, and blend into each other while holding their own individuality. And, as is Yamazaki’s intention, in each of their bodies, the possibilities seem endless.
Darkness Odyssey Part 3: Non-Opera was commissioned as part of NYLA’s Live Feed residency program. Darkness Odyssey Part 1: Expose Your Feet To The Dry Lights premiered in 2016 in Japan. Darkness Odyssey Part 2: I or Hallucination premiered in 2017 at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) during a BAC Artist Residency with contemporary dance artists Julian Barnett, Raja Feather Kelly, Joanna Kotze and Nishimura.
Darkness Odyssey Part 3: Non-Opera, Becoming (April 3 – 6) presented at New York Live Arts (NYLA) is Yamazaki’s latest installation. In this version, like the others, the cast is made up of a diverse group of contemporary dance artists: Jennifer Gonzalez, Kotze, Taketeru Kudo, Nishimura, Sinandja (Alain) Dakonyéme, Connor Voss and Yamazaki. For the New York Times Gia Kourlas wrote, “In his dances and in life, the choreographer Kota Yamazaki believes that a person needs to be fluid, like water…You have to keep flowing, so people of different backgrounds can have a freer exchange,” Yamazaki said. Nishimura, added with a laugh, “It’s very Japanese.” Following this, in Darkness Odyssey Part 3… Kudo, a Butoh performer embodies an animal in his movements, the Togolese Dakonyéme is remembered for his fast footwork, Gonzalez and Voss for commitment, Kotze and Nihimura their deep concentration, and Yamazaki for his sublime presence. For example, at the top, without knowing that the show officially began, Yamazaki darts into the bare space, cutting and piercing through the air; he is mesmerizing. Also, for a really long time, midway through the evening Yamazaki holds magically still against the back wall, while duet partners change and rearrange continuously downstage. Throughout the evening the others offer versions of quick or slow solos, jaws relaxed, and may mumble sounds as they move trans-like throughout the space. Every once in a while they might join and sweep through a unison duet, or share moments of discovery in their personalization of Yamazaki’s vision. But the truth is they borrow from each other, and blend into each other while holding their own individuality. And, as is Yamazaki’s intention, in each of their bodies, the possibilities seem endless.
Darkness Odyssey Part 3: Non-Opera was commissioned as part of NYLA’s Live Feed residency program. Darkness Odyssey Part 1: Expose Your Feet To The Dry Lights premiered in 2016 in Japan. Darkness Odyssey Part 2: I or Hallucination premiered in 2017 at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) during a BAC Artist Residency with contemporary dance artists Julian Barnett, Raja Feather Kelly, Joanna Kotze and Nishimura.
RSS Feed