When you search YouTube for 'Butoh', this is what comes up:
So. I'm pretty new to the Butoh thing. I came across it a few months back, and can vividly remember having a chat about it to someone in the office when I first started as Creative Apprentice: 'Yeah, yeah, well I found this really cool thing a few months back. It's pretty eye-opening and wierd and makes me a bit uncomfortable when I look at it and I can't help but embrace that feeling and stare even more and it's also Japanese and only, what, fifty years old(?) and I'm almost definitely sure I want to see some in real life one day. Ahh man, you gotta get on it, it's called Butoh. Yeah? Butoh?'
Anyway... turns out Butoh's pretty big.
If you're in London this autumn/winter, there's a festival where you can witness all the white make-up, taboo hitting action. The London Butoh Festival runs annually September-November, and this year marks the 50th year of official existence which was lead by Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno. Check. This. Out.
Want more information? Google it, lazy.
NB: I will give you this one nugget. Fans of Antony and Johnsons may/may not be surpised to know that their latest release 'The Crying Light' is actually dedicated to Kazuo Ohno, who also stars as the artwork for the album. Interessant?
