Katsura Kan
EğitmenKatsura Kan grew up in Kyoto, ancient capital city of around 1700 buddhist temples and more than 1800 shinto shrines. Naturally surrounded by japanese Zen culture, Kan has Zen buddhism as a base of his art and approach as a butoh master.
In late 1970s he was a part of crazy famous Kyoto butoh company “BYAKKOSHA”.
In 1985 Kan worked with butoh founder Tatsumi HIJIKATA during his last year, when the founder was the most active to convey his knowledge and experience to those who can carry it further. Kan was there. Kan says he as an artist still has one of the koans, Hijikata gave to him personally.
At that same period Kan had been exploring Noguchi “gymnastics” learning from the founder Michizo NOGUCHI. It was original natural “gymnastics” that butoh leaders in 1970s-1980s used as a physical training for their butoh companies.
Since 1986 Kan have been studying principles of japanese Noh theatre in one of five traditional Noh schools – “KONGO” school in Kyoto.
In his contemporary art Kan incorporates traditional principles of Noh theatre, that are main principles of stage art in general. So, after butoh avant-garde period finished, Katsura Kan found the roots of his butoh in tradition with around 700 years of history. Incorporated Asian traditional art principles in general.
In 1980s-1990s Kan undertook an artistic and research journey in the countries of Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa and South America in order to explore his own dance by observing and working with representatives of local traditional arts. His particular interst was Indonesian performing arts, and for more than 30 years he have regularly been traveling to study and work with local artists and shamans.
Katsura Kan’s spectacle “Curious Fish” got 5-star rank in Edinborough Fringe festival (2001), that represents the most interesting and fresh performing art productions of each year.
Nowadays Kan continues carrying the Butoh mission around the world, supporting and developing local butoh communities as a Master, organizing conferences and international butoh festivals, still entering the stage with his inexplicable sharp and subtle dance, and working as a director/choreographer with artists.
In his hometown Katsura Kan organises Kyoto International Butoh Festival, always he tries to gather the most interesting representatives of contemporary, also non-Japanese, butoh.
As a teacher, director and dancer, Kan gives to the audience and his students a completely different depth of understanding of what is “butoh”, giving an experience of art that can touch you very subtly and delightfully, sometimes in funny and amazing way, but sometimes really stunning. May be awakening.
