I just received the 2008-09 NC Choreography Fellowship and will be going to Japan June 16 – September 15 to study butoh. At the present I am arranging housing. I am planning to stay in Yokohama near Kazuo Ohno’s studio where I will be studying 3 days a week. I have also been in touch with Akaji Maru (director of Dairakudakan) and Semimaru (director of Sankai Juku) and plan to take their workshops in August. Natsu Nakajima worked with Hijikata during the early years of butoh and is still an active force in the world of international butoh. I have connected with her and arranged to study in Tokyo.
I am so excited and a little nervous about my impending visit to Japan. I know it will be a time of personal growth for me as an artist. Though I have been studying Japanese, the language is quite difficult; I am an old dog and it is hard to learn a new trick.
1997 Julie Becton Gillum (JBG), Susan and Giles Collard attended Min Tanaka’s performance based on the life and writings of Edgar Allan Poe, PS 122, New York
1998 GooSayTen, featuring Itto Morita and Mika Takeuchi, workshop and performance at BeBe Theatre
1998-2002 (5 summers) JBG attends San Francisco Butoh Festival
2000 (May) Soul Motion concert produced by JD Project (JBG and Dana Davis) at YMI Cultural Center, Premiere of “Cairn” (first butoh choreography by JBG)
2000 1st Asheville Butoh Festival with guest artists Itto Morita, Mika Takeuchi and Goo Say Ten at BeBe Theatre
2001 2nd Asheville Butoh Festival with performances by JBG, butohmoshpitt (Jenni Cockrell and Shawn Oldham), Susan and Giles Collard
2002 (July) Last year of San Francisco Butoh Festival, JBG invited to perform “Cairn” at the festival opening in Yerba Buena Gardens
2003 (July) JBG performs “Mound” at American Dance Festival, “Opening Acts”
2003 3rd Asheville Butoh Festival with guest artist Diego Pinon, workshop and performance at BeBe Theatre
2004 (March) Asheville Butoh Festival, BeBe Theatre, guest Diego Pinon performance and workshops, Butohmoshpit, Mound
2004 An Evening of Dance, BeBe Theatre, premiere of “Keng-San-Ku” conceived and directed by JBG
2004 (August) JBG attends workshop with Diego Pinon, Tlalpujahua, Mexico
2004 (September) JBG performs “Mound” and “Nuclear Family, butohmoshpit performs “Wedding,” Moving Women perform “Moon,” @ LAAFF, Asheville
2004 (October) Diego Pinon in residence teaching workshops, Eagles Home Studio
2004 (October) JBG performs “Mound” at “onearmred” New York
2005 (January) JBG directs “Feather” installation for Asheville Fringe Arts Festival, Wedge Gallery, Asheville
2005 (February) “Keng-San-Ku,”choreographed by JBG, performed by Jenni Cockrell @ NC Dance Festival, Diana Wortham Theatre, Asheville
2005 (April) JBG performs “Stair Piece” for Red Night Cabaret @ Eagles Home Studio
2005 (June) JBG performs “Haiku Spring” @ Morganton Arts Festival
2005 (July) JBG attends workshop with Diego Pinon, Tlalpujahua, Mexico
2005 (September) Julie performs “Mound” at Chicago Cultural center (3 performances) and at the Spare Room, Chicago (2 performances)
2005 (October) “Welcome To Butoh” Tryon, NC, a series of butoh pieces choreographed by JBG, produced by Michael McCue – premiere of “Alchemy” at Tryon Arts Center; “Haiku” performed at Blue Ridge Community College; “Cairn” performed at Rogers Park amphitheatre; “Mound” private performance for members of Upstairs Gallery
2005 (October) JBG performs solo version of “Alchemy” for NY Butoh Festival, Galapagos Art Space
2005 (October) Julie performs “Alchemy” solo in the Nightmare Cabaret @ the Grey Eagle in Asheville
2005 (November) JBG performs solo “Alchemy” @ BeBe Theatre with Julia Taylor performing “Embrace”
2006 (September) Legacy Butoh performs “Funeral For America” @ WWC
2006 (September) Legacy Butoh performs “Trio” and “Maze” for River Sculpture Festival, Amboy Road River Park
2007 (January) JBG directs “Butoh Buddies” performed at Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
2007 (April) Julia Taylor performs “Embrace” @ BeBe Theatre, Asheville
2007 (May)”Butoh and Beyond? at WWC guest artists “Moving Women”
2007 (June) Legacy Butoh (JBG and Elisa Faires) produces film for URTV, Asheville
2007 (September) “Pledge” premiered at River Sculpture Festival
2007 (October) Tina Ford-Cox, JBG, Manon Manavit, Mike McCue, and Julia Taylor attend NY Butoh Festival
2008 (December) JBG attend workshop at Butoh Ritualo Mexicano with Diego Pinon, Tlalpujahua, Mexico
2008 (January) JBG performs “Haiku-War and Peace” (with dove release) at Vance Monument for Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
2008 (January) “Pledge” Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
2008 (May) JBG performs “Haiku Spring” @ Four Seasons Arts Council, fundraiser, Hendersonville
2008 (June) JBG attend workshop with Tadishi Endo, Cave, New York
2008 (July) JBG performs “Pledge” for Butoh Across Generations, Sal Anthony’s Movement Salon, New York; teaches workshop at Joyce Soho
2008 (September) Monarch Project, directed by Diego Pinon, premieres in Chicago at School of the Art Institute and Osaka Park
2008 (October) “outthereouthere” with John Crutchfield, directed by Ron Bashford, performance at NC Stage Catalyst Series
2008 (October) JBG in residence @ U. of Iowa – workshop and performance of “Pledge” and “Butap”
2008 (October) Butoh Halloween installation for “Haunted Busride,” Lazoom Bus
2008 (September) JBG performs “Blessing” for the opening of the River Sculpture Festival, Reynold’s Mountain Park
2008 (October) JBG performs “Tunnel” @ River Sculpture Festival, Reynolds Mountain Park
2008 (November) The Monarch Project, directed by Diego Pinon, workshop and performance of “Mariposa” at Warren Wilson College
2009 (January) Premiere of “Zombie Jesus,” with music by Marcus Chatfield and Duke Ramuten, Lazoom Bus Tour, Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
2009 (February) JBG performs butoh improvisation for “Voicing BMC: The Women” @ Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center
2009 (April) JBG hosts Maureen “MOMO” Freehill in Asheville, workshop at Warren Wilson College and performance at Sacred Embodiment Center, 31 Carolina Lane
