2025/02/7

“UTSUSHI”

Available in EN/ES/FR/TR/JP Subtitles

In October 2024, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Japan, butoh dance company Sankai Juku performed “Utsushi-Between two mirros” at the Istanbul Theatre Festival, the largest performing arts festival in Türkiye.
This video consists of sections from Sankai Juku’s first ever performance in Türkiye at the Istanbul Theatre Festival, as well as an interview with Semimaru in which he talks about Sankai Juku’s works and activities.

“Utsushi-Between two mirros” (Direction, choreography, and design by Ushio Amagatsu; first performed in 2008)
Seven prior works have been adapted and imbued with new life by six butoh dancers. Ephemeral flowers that bloom and fade; two mysterious shadows peering at one another, reflecting one another , and pulling away; a hidden world of darkness in which masked butoh dancers writhe.
The oeuvre of Ushio Amagatsu is reborn in these eight tableaux, singing new melodies.

＜Performance Information＞
Date: October 24 and 25, 2024
Venue: Zorlu PSM Turkcell Sahnesi

Presented by: The Japan Foundation (JF)( https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/ ), Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), Consulate-General of Japan in Istanbul
Production: Sankai Juku

Directed,Choreographed & Designed by: Ushio Amagatsu
Assisted by: Semimaru
Music: Yas-Kaz, Yoichiro Yoshikawa
Dancers: Sho Takeuchi, Akihito Ichihara, Dai Matsuoka, Norihito Ishii, Taiki Iwamoto, Makoto Takase, Sotaro Ito
Stage manager: Keisuke Watanabe
Light operator: Satoru Suzuki
Sound: Akira Aikawa
Costume realization: Masayo Iizuka
Tour Manager: Gaëlle Seguin – [H]ikari Production
Make-up provided by: Shiseido Company Limited

World premiered at CNCDC Châteauvallon 2008
Coproduction: CNCDC Châteauvallon (France), Sankai Juku (Tokyo Japan)

Sankai Juku, Administrators: Akira Ogata, Midori Okuyama, Asami Hori

＜Video Information＞
Filmed at Istanbul Theatre Festival on October 24 and 25, 2024
Presented by The Japan Foundation
Directed, Camera & Edited by Yoichiro Yoshikawa