Kazuo Ohno

The unparalleled Butoh master responsible for the birth of Butoh, together with Tatsumi Hijikata, celebrated his 100th birthday on October 27 last year. To celebrate a century of this beloved master, guests from all over the world came to participate in a gala held on January 27 and 28, including renowned artists in other genres such as Ismael Ivo, Carla Fracci and Kim Maeja as well as Butoh dancers. Each dancer performed a solo for Kazuo.

Amagatsu’s thrilling solo and the striking performance by Ivo were surely the highlights of the evening, but the uniquely warm atmosphere throughout the gala was an exceptional experience for everyone who attended, united by Ohno’s magical aura. Born in 1906, Kazuo Ohno has lived as a physical document embodying memories of peace and war, and his body as a dancer is like a poem. He started out performing modern dance influenced by German expressionism, especially Mary Wigman and Harald Kreutzberg. In contrast to Tatsumi Hijikata’s dramatic Butoh, Ohno’s Butoh, which is basically well-prepared improvisation, is free-form, flowing into the realm of the spirit and communicating with the souls of the audience. His famous solo “Admiring La Argentina” ...