JINEN BUTOH WORKSHOP with ATSUSHI TAKENOUCHI

Accompanied by live music from Hiroko Komiya

“The accumulation of our days is Butoh.” — Atsushi Takenouchi

This intensive workshop offers an introduction to Jinen Butoh, the dance practice developed by Japanese artist Atsushi Takenouchi. Atsushi understands dance as a life force that dances with all things:

“Sea, mountain, grass and trees —

even machine, car, gasoline, computer —

they do not belong to people.

They are already alive. Even our body is not ours.

We are simply lives facing one another —

resonating, rebelling, crying, laughing, and dancing with them.

All of them are Jinen.”

The Japanese word Jinen describes the universe before any separation between nature, humanity, and god — a flowing river of life and death, light and dark, in which everything moves together. Jinen Butoh joins this flow: we dance with life, rather than as isolated individuals. We allow the body to breathe itself back into the world, and to be danced by the same forces that move oceans and grass. The body becomes a meeting place between self and environment, between human, nature, and the wider flow of existence.

No previous Butoh experience is required — only curiosity and openness.

This will be Atsushi and Hiroko's first ever visit to Glasgow.

Times and Dates

Workshop

• Friday 23rd January: 11:30am – 5:00pm
• Saturday 24th January: 11:30am – 5:00pm
• Sunday 25th January: 12:30pm – 4:30pm

Performances

There will be live performances bookending the workshop days, taking place at the Old Hairdressers in Glasgow (tickets sold separately).

• 22nd January:  Butoh dance solos by Atsushi Takenouchi (music by Hiroko Komiya) and Paul Michael Henry.  
• 26th January: Frequency in Motion (experimental live music, video, and Butoh dance with Hiroko, Atsushi, Chris H. Lynn, Paul Michael Henry and Suzi Cunningham) + the debut live show by Vernix (ritualistic dronecrone music from members of Speculum Bunny).

Participants are warmly invited to message the organiser to enquire about attending for one or two days only, or to discuss further concessions. Please do message us too if you have any questions or concerns around access needs.

Whilst we do have costs to cover, we don’t want anyone to be excluded due to lack of funds.

If you choose to buy a supporter ticket, you’re actively helping us offer further concessions for those with less means — thank you!

Note: Early Bird tickets will expire on the 30th November so if you're keen please do book quickly.