Butoh Training and the Quantum Body. An Interpretation of Kasai Akira’s Work

Maria Pia D'Orazi

doi:10.6092/issn.2036-1599/11853

Auteurs

Maria Pia D'Orazi Independent research

Maria Pia D’Orazi (Ph. D. 2002, University of Rome “La Sapienza”), independent researcher. She taught: “Researches on the History of Dance” at University of Rome “La Sapienza” (2018-19); “History of the Performing Arts” at “Rufa” University of Fine Arts in Rome (2004-2017); “Theories and Practices of Dance from the 19th to the 21st century” at University of Rome “RomaTre” (2014-2016). She has written articles on Butoh in specialized magazines and the books: Akira Kasai. Un libro chiamato corpo (2016); Il Corpo Eretico (2008); Kazuo Ōno (2001); Butō. La nuova danza giapponese (1997). She produced in Italy: Iwana Masaki (1995-2004); introduced Maro Akaji Dairakudakan (together with Japan Foundation, 1997) and Kasai Akira (1998). With Kasai she had an artistic collaboration from 2004 to 2016.

DOI :

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2036-1599/11853

Résumé

Taking Kasai Akira’s work as a reference, this paper aims to focus the relationship between the body vision of the Japanese Butoh dance and ideas from quantum physics, to suggest the revolutionary potential that still Butoh could keeps sixty years after its birth. The founder Hijikata Tatsumi has identified a level of bodily existence that doesn’t pertain to the “human being” social identity, but rather concerns the “human body” as matter, a living material entity with its memory. To reveal this memory through dance, it is necessary to develop an internal perception of the body. Kasai develops this basic concept by exploring the very nature of matter, and this paper highlights how his dance practice is a way to achieve the expansion of awareness, which quantum physics identifies as the key to transform oneself and the world around.