ButohOUT! 2020
In light of recent unforseen events linking to Covid-19, we regret that the 2020 ButohOUT! Season has been cancelled for everyone’s safety and sanity. We hope you will support us as next season.
ButohOUT! 2020
PRIMAL COLOUR
Abbotsford Convent
18 FEB – 26 APRIL 2020
ButohOUT! 2020 - Primal Colour
ButohOUT! is an annual festival celebrating creative communities and the profound performance art of Butoh. Originally called Dance of Darkness, it was conceived in the late 1950s during the social turmoil of post-war Japan. Butoh goes beyond the confines of specific culture, gender, status and religion, aspiring to a universal expression that describes the true nature of humanity.
Celebrating its third year, ButohOUT! 2020 offers five workshops and two performance seasons exploring the artistic theme of ‘Primal Colour.’ In earlier expressions of Butoh, dancers typically wore white body paint, believed to 'erase' the performers excessive and artificial layers to ‘de-identify’ them.Through stripping back layers of conditioning, ButohOUT!2020 will explore the essence and source of emotion through colour, utilising metaphorical expressions.
ButohOUT2020 is thrilled to be offering the specialised workshops with acclaimed Japanese Australian Butoh dancer, choreographer and creator of Butoh Cabaret, Yumi Umiumare; and internationally renowned Japanese German Butoh practitioner, Yuko Kaseki. The popular family workshop, Peek-A-Butoh, supported by Convent Kids, will also be a part of our colourful program.
ButohOUT! explores diverse interpretations of Butoh, embracing the power of the unknown while creating platforms for participants to explore their authentic expression. With something for everyone, ButohOUT! extends a warm welcome to all from experienced dancers to newcomers, children and families.
“The action of laughing is like the breaking of the stiff mask of ego. When we laugh,
the authentic spirit jumps out from deep inside from us”
Keiichi Ueno
Butoh Out 2018 Archive
See all the activities from THE 2018 festival.
Photos from ButohOUT! 2018
Performance Season at Abbotsford Convent
Photo by Mifumi Obata