Dance of Darkness: Butoh in Film
Eye on Art: Dance of Darkness: Butoh in Film
Film programme explores the Japanese dance form butoh, with Dance of Darkness, selected by Trajal Harrell, associate artist Holland Festival in 2025, and the short film Rose Color Dance.
The programme will start with an introductory interview with Trajal Harrell, who selected the documentary Dance of Darkness (1989): what’s special about this film, and what’s the link with his own work? Interviewer is Avita Maheen, a sound and media artist, writer and curator. While Dance of Darkness acknowledges how the radical dance form resonates beyond generations, Rose Color Dance, the performance and its experimental documentation, offers an insight into its early beginnings.
Programme
Rose Color Dance (Takahiko Iimura, JP 1965, 13')
This experimental film captures the intensity of butoh and Hijikata’s so-called ‘dance experiences’. The male dancers in evening dress all move gracefully until an intruder disrupts the harmony. Iimura used a handheld spring-wind 8mm camera that provided raw, overexposed and blurry images that translated the atmosphere of the piece into film aesthetics and the dance gestures into camera movement. A highlight is the memorable duet between Hijikata and Ohno that demonstrates the deep expressivity of butoh. The stage design was by Natsuyuki Nakanishi and Tadanori Yokoo who are both considered luminaries of contemporary Japanese avant-garde art.
Dance of Darkness (Edin Velez, US 1989, 55')
Edin Velez's study of the dance form butoh explores the evolution of this expressive style through archival footage by pioneer and founder Tatsumi Hijikata. Kazuo Ohno, an influential butoh dancer, is featured with his iconic work 'Admiring La Argentina'. In addition, pieces such as Akaji Mori's 'Dai Rakuda Kan', Isamu Ohsuga's 'Byakko Sha' and Yoko Ashikawa's 'Hakutoboh' are highlighted, which together illustrate the depth and versatility of butoh. Many of these dancers have worked directly with Hijikata and share their insights about his artistic legacy.
This is part of
Details
Production year
2025
Length
93 min.
Event language
English
Country
NL
Part of
Eye on Art
Eye on Art is a programme on the intersection between film and other arts. Eye on Art keeps up with current events, with presentations on contemporary artists and programmes that coincide with important exhibitions, manifestations and Eye activities.
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