Region to stage UK premiere of Japanese dance production

Feb 8 2008 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post

THE UK premier of an innovative Japanese theatre production is coming to the region.

Torifune Butoh-Sha, an internationally acclaimed dance group from Japan, will perform in the UK for the first time since 1988.

The troupe will perform Hinomoto at The Brindley, Runcorn, at the end of the month.

Hinomoto is a rare chance to see the hauntingly beautiful style of Ankoku Butoh – the dance of darkness.

Butoh was started in the 1950s in post-World War II Japan by Kazuo Ono and Tatsumi Hijikata.

Influenced by meditation and freedom of movement, Butoh developed an underground avant garde following, attracting western dancers into the field in the 1980s.

The dance often makes use of white body make-up, an element taken from traditional Japanese theatre.

Hinomoto will also feature a guest appearance by Koichi Tamano.

A Cheshire community group will also take a staring role centre stage at The Brindley.

A group of 15 people have been chosen by Cheshire Dance to train for three weeks alongside the Japanese dancers to perform a professional one-off performance. The show is on Friday, February 29, at 7.30pm, tickets cost £10/£8 concessions and can be booked online on www.thebrindley.org.uk or by calling 0151 907 8360.