Butoh Dance Company "Butoh-sha Tenkei"
- 舞踏舎 天鷄
- Butoh-sha TENKEI
Admitted to Dairakudakan in 1973 and flourished in its seedtime programs as a diva.
Established her butoh group, "Tenkei"(Heavenly Chicken) with Ebisu Torii in 1981.
She is a dancer with superb skills and fierce concentration and has "painfully repressed passion matched by her focus and slow-motion mastery."(The Chicago Tribune)
And Lewis Segal enthusiastically applauded " the diva from hell dominating this alternately poetic and disturbing dance-theater experience" in Los Angeles Times.
Studied at Meiji University with Theater major, Kaori took part in workshops at Dairakudakan and Theater Asbestos.
Has took part in Tenkei since its work Kanata (In the distance) in 1999.
Has been active in solo performance and produced her own solo work "Newton in a rainy day" in 2001.(ST spot in Yokohama)
Admitted to Dairakudakan in 1974 and participated in all its programs until 1979.
Established his own butoh group, Tenkei (Heavenly Chicken) with Mutsuko Tanaka in 1981.
Tenkei is famous for its humor and a touch of pathos embodied in the productions of The Idiots, Humoresque, Outcasts, Nocturne, KNATA and more and these production have been well received overseas as well as in Japan.
Lewis Segal in The Los Angeles Times once said that Nocturne "draw butoh audiences deep into irrational states of consciousness."
Choreographing a series of disciplined solo parts by Tanaka, he is a dancer with a distinctively free and whimsical style that lures audience into butoh.
since 1981
Tenkei was established by Ebisu Torii and Mutsuko Tanaka in 1981 and the company has produced many decent programs since then.
Both Torii and Tanaka belonged to Dairakudakan in early 70's when butoh started flourishing. The company is one of rigorous butoh troupes known to its uniqueness and superb skills and produced a masterpiece after another in the last few years.
Ebisu Torii, director, choreographer, and stage designer, has the reputation of being a free and whimsical dancer with a touch of pathos and humor.
On the other hand, Mutsuko Tanaka has a formidable pedigree as a solo-performer represented by A tale of Pomegranate (1984), A picture book of larvae (1992), Still Life (1999).
The company that consists of Torii, Tanaka and several young dancers is good at expressing the poetry of depth and a nightmarish fantasy and well received at home and abroad.
Nocturne, Tenkei's 1994 show, created new possibilities for the group by adding young dancers and resulted in widening its butoh-dramaturgy.
This production was first introduced overseas in 7 German and North American cities in 1996 and sent shock waves through the countries. Nocturne was held in high repute during its tour through 6 North American cities in 1997 and 1998 and 3 Canadian and North American cities in 1999.
The company produced its first program in two years, Kanata (In the distance) in November, 1999 and the production was introduced overseas in 2000.