LONDON BUTOH FESTIVAL

Further Information – Yumiko Yoshioka Workshop

Sat 17th - Sun 18th October 2009    12 – 5pm         £85/£75 conc.

Bookings:  www.thecourtyard.org.uk or Telephone +44(0)870 163 0717

The Workshop: 

Yumiko is a very popular teacher all over the world, especially in Europe where she has been based for many years. Her workshops challenge participants to experience the intensity and attention to detail required of Butoh’s transformations. But she does this with such joyful vitality that you often don’t realise you have been working hard. Her approach, which she calls ‘body resonance’, is based on Butoh and Organic Movement. It awakens the body to the flow of energies the performing body can access. Yumiko’s work develops a highly receptive body, so important to Butoh and many other performance approaches. Her Butoh is complemented with her study of Noguchi technique, a physical discipline that, like Butoh, uses imagery to sensitise and energise the body.

Body Resonance - the Body is a receptacle of time. Through an exploration down to a groundless stage of collective memories in our past, we can strike a vein of abundant resources, which can enrich the essence of our life. I want to activate these forgotten memories by concentrating on our inner core, our Ki (vital) energy and it's circulation.

Body Resonance is a key to open up the everchanging world inside and outside of us.

One step to metamorphose. Let's enjoy chaos!  Yumiko Yoshioka

"There is a feedback between the imagination and the body. By enabling dancers to develop antennae and by supplying them with images, I try to let them channel impressions and information. They may then achieve a state in which they can transcend their egos and change themselves." (Y. Yoshioka quoted in interview with Constanze Klementz for article ‘Memories in motion’ www.culturebase.net)

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Yumiko Yoshioka performed in the first ever performance of Butoh in Europe – Le Dernier Eden in 1978 by ARIADONE with Carlotta Ikeda and Ko Murobushi. She has been based in Europe for many years, and has a deep understanding of Butoh within the European context. Based in Germany, she is one of a group of artists based in Schloss Broellin, an old industrial farm that has been converted to a centre for artistic development and exploration. They produce ‘Exit’ every 4 years, which brings together international artists for collaboration and dialogue, and Yumiko holds workshops there every year.

Yumiko is invited to teach and perform all over the world. She was part of the 2005 Daiwa International Butoh Festival in London, performing her solo ‘Before the Dawn’. She is also well known for her installation works in collaboration with visual artist, Joachim Manger, with whom she founded ‘TEN PEN CHii art labor’ in 1995. Their work researches the interactivity between dance, space, and visual art, producing spectacular events on huge installations.

Yumiko’s website is http://www.ne.jp/asahi/butoh/itto/yumiko/index.htm