Put it in your calendar: December 1 - 11, the first Butoh Dance Festival takes place in Vienna, with world-renowned guests from 16 countries. So what is Butoh, and why exactly you need to be there - in our small festival teaser.

What do we know about the festival?

”The festival, set up by the Austrian living Brazilian and Butoh performer in a class Will Lopes, takes place from December 1st to 11th, brings Atsushi Takenouchi to Vienna. The 60-year-old Japanese is one of the most distinguished artists of this special form of dance theatre <...> The festival takes place at various locations in Vienna, online meetings are offered, Street performances, jam sessions, exhibition, sound installations, workshops and lots of butoh dancing”, - press-release informs us.

The opening, hosted by a versatile dasLOT, is a mysterious promise. An opening Vernissage is followed by the Improvisation game: “A tarologist opens the Tarot for the audience. "Do you have some question?" According to the letters drawn, a musician will compose ambiances, soundscapes and dramaturgy in electroacoustic constructions. Parallel to these performances, a plastic artist will synthesize all the composition of the letters, dance and electroacoustic sounds in paintings of this oracle”.

Ok, so what is Butoh? 

There is no correct answer to this question, and the formalisation of this very special type of dance theatre would be a spit in the soul of this whole act. We can just give you the starting points and anchors of understanding:

1. “Butoh” loosely translates as “the dance of darkness”. 

2. This dance has no fixed forms, but often deals with slow grotesque motions, and stands opposing to the traditional Japanese aesthetic concept of refinement (miyabi).

3. It is varied: since there is no fixed form, the interpretations are different, and during the festival you will be introduced to the wide variety of those. With guests from 16 countries, you sure will find a style with which you resonate the most.

4. It is the “dark soul of Japan” - a dance form, that takes its roots in the deepest psyche and the nature of movement. SO you can’t expect our classical western “contemporary dance” movement.

“The general theme chosen by Takenouchi, so to speak, the arc that stretches from December 1st to 11th, is "EMBRACE and TRANSFORM", which is to be developed and unfolded on all levels”, — say the organisers.

Wow, I’m there! What else do I need to know?

The “home base” for the festival is the “LOT” cultural center in the old Ankerbrot factory in Vienna-Favoriten. Tickets are also available there, a festival pass for all events costs 180 euros (artists, students: 150 euros), single tickets are available for 25 euros (artists, students: 15 euros). All details about the events are available online.

So if you feel like connecting to your darker side, feeling nature and spirit in yourself through a dance, watch the ritual performed by the world’s best known and established Butoh dancers - you need to be there.