This advanced level intensive butoh course is designed for students, who have prior experience of making a work around a body, especially (yet not limited) in dance, theater and visual arts context. Inspired by butoh-based movement practice and eastern philosophies, students will seek a way of liberating a body from socially pre-conditioned self. While studying particular breath, somatic and movement practices, students will delve into and cultivate understanding of philosophical concepts, and corresponding physical and psychological modalities such as “ever-becoming” “subject-less body “state of absence.” Students will be asked to propose a body-based work in response to each philosophical theme that this course offers. Ultimately, each student is encouraged to question any pre-imposed conceptual frames that have been defining self, and search for alternate ways of being.
Students will also be working with guest artist, Kota Yamazaki, throughout the course.
Learning Outcomes:
-Understand unorthodox and alternative concepts around body through somatic experience
-Be able to propose new perspective and approach to a body through the creation of original work
Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Prerequisites: Permission of instructors.
Corequisites: Dance or Drama lab assignment if students sign up for 4 or more credits in dance.
Course Level: 4000-level
Credits: 4
W 8:30AM - 12:10PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 14
Course Frequency: Once a year
Categories: 4000 , All courses , Dance , Drama , Four Credit , Fully In-Person
Tags: butoh , composition , Japanese culture , kota yamazaki , movement technique , somatic practice , Zen and Buddhism philosophy