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Event
Randomness of Nothingness
Based in Oakland, California, OnenessButoh is a community arts ensemble of five aspiring Butoh dancers. Founded in 2013 by independent Butoh solo performing artist Judith Kajiwara, OnenessButoh strives to bring greater awareness--through audience-friendly performances and workshops--to the ever-evolving contemporary Japanese dance, Butoh. Since its inception, the ensemble has been training and performing, and is now entering its 4th season. In celebration, OnenessButoh is grateful to be sponsored in this years 20th Annual United States of Asian American Festival.
Under the guidance of Kajiwara, OnenessButoh always honors the traumatic post-war Japanese origins of Butoh as founded by Tatsumi Hijikata (1928-1986) in the late 1950s. In embodying Butoh, Kajiwara encourages inner reflection, invites emotional healing, and collectively inspires an awakening consciousness among her students and audiences of all backgrounds, communities and generations. Her work updates and redefines the uniqueness of Butoh as a humanistic voice that conjures gripping depth of thought relevant to understanding today's challenging and rapidly changing world. Kajiwara believes in moving beyond one's limitations--whether physical, emotional or mental--by creating the uncreated and unexpected.
Conceived and choreographed by Kajiwara, Randomness of Nothingness (2016) premiered in September 2016 to a sold-out audience. This 90-minute Butoh performance consists of two Programs:
Program 1 - 3 Women: Three powerful solo performances are showcased: 1) Released!, a Butoh-Haitian dance by Nina Moore (formerly of Blanche Brown's Roots of Haiti), with live taiko drumming by Ruth Ichinaga and Kiyono Kishi; 2) Cellar, performed by Judith Kajiwara, with soundscape designed by Kallan Nishimoto; and 3) The Chair, by Ruth Ichinaga, with original composition by Shinji Eshima. Each story speaks of enslavement, grief, loss, abuse, fear and, ultimately, love and forgiveness. Deeply personal, the women reveal an unabashed, bold look at the life experiences that have carved their legacies of the women they've become today.
Program 2 - Randomness of Nothingness: Visually woven together as a stream of nine dream-like vignettes, this ensemble piece offers a surreal, sometimes comedic, look at ways we hide our true selves to complacently blend with the expectations of society. While unknowingly being manipulated and controlled in all facets of our daily lives, under the pretext of "freedom" and human evolution, our ignorance continues to advance. Yet there's a far more disturbing, multi-level agenda that exceeds our wildest imagination. As life shifts more and more toward the absurd and insane, unless we wake up, we'll slowly lose our connection to the essence of who we are and why we're here. Sadly, functioning as apathetic, unemotional, and robotic has become everyday reality. Survival of the fittest in a fear-based, hostile world has separated and alienated us not only from ourselves but from each other. Ultimately, we must first find the courage and resilience to evolve within. Only then can a renewed higher consciousness and a unified, fearless, aware humanity activate the potential for this crucial transformation--a transformation necessary for our personal and global survival.
OnenessButoh:
Ruth Ichinaga, butoh, taiko Judith Kajiwara, artistic director, butoh Kiyono Kishi, butoh, taiko, vocals Lipton Mah, butoh Nina Moore, butoh, haitian Keiko Nobusada, butoh
Kallan Nishimoto, lighting and sound design
Saturday, June 10 - DOORS open at 7:00 pm (performance at 7:30) Sunday, June 11 - DOORS open at 2:00 pm (performance at 2:30)
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LocationNOHspace (View)
2840 Mariposa Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
United States
Categories
Kid Friendly: Yes! |
Dog Friendly: No |
Non-Smoking: Yes! |
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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