More updates and video coming soon.

20081010-butap from Julie Gillum on Vimeo.

During this workshop I learned a lot about the Noguchi Taiso method of body conditioning which is used by many butoh teachers. This method defines the body as a skin bag filled with water in which float the bones, muscles and organs. Movements involve shaking, waving, floating. Spinal alignment, a central axis, relaxed shoulders, and hanging from a string are basic to Noguchi Taiso. Semimaru also uses the ideas of tension /relaxation, center of gravity, vertical /horizontal, breathing, and rhythm in this work. These exercises felt so good to my body. I plan to continue them to keep me loose and strong.

The movement material we performed was not particularly interesting and used the same quality (soft, slow, wavy) throughout.

I did not feel a strong connection with Semimaru who is not particularly warm or friendly. I felt he just wanted us to pay our money, not make too much trouble and then go quietly away.

Where: The Pavillion at Warren Wilson College

When: Tuesday May 12, 2009, 6:30 PM (Bring a picnic)

FREE

“Lifeblood” a collaborative duet with Julie Becton Gillum and Michael McCue will premiere.  The piece explores friendship and gender roles. A new piece, yet to be titled, will be performed by the WWC butoh class. In addition, the Modern Dance Technique class will perform a demonstration of the work they have accomplished this semester and Heather Sevcik will perform a piece inspired by her independent study “Affects of Sexual Abuse on Pregnancy, Birth and Mothering.”