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Kazuo Ohno大野一雄

Kazuo Ohno

Kazuo Ohno studied under Takaya Eguchi and Misako Miya in 1930s, and began holding his own modern dance recitals in 1949. In the late 1950s he met Tatsumi Hijikata, with whom he worked to create an innovative dance style, which came to be known as ‘butoh’. In 1977, Kazuo performed his highly acclaimed solo ‘Admiring La Argentina’, which he created as an homage to the Spanish dancer La Argentina (Antonia Mercé). In 1980, at the age of 73, he performed for the first time abroad, making a huge impact on the world of dance. He then performed abroad almost every year until 1999 at the age of 93, and continued to dance into the 2000s even as it became difficult for him to stand, performing from a chair or on the floor. Inspired by his work, talented people from all over the world came to study at the Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio in Yokohama for a great many years.

Basic Information

ID
PER1
Born
27 October 1906 　Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
Died
1 June 2010 　Yokohama, Japan
Profession(s)
Butoh Dancer
Nationality
Japanese

Short Biography

1906　Born 27th October in Hakodate, Hokkaido (North Japan)
1929　Saw La Argentina (Antonia Mercé) perform at Tokyo’s Imperial Theater
1938-45　Called up for military service as 2nd Lieutenant, and later as a captain in Northern China and New Guinea
　　　 When the war ended he was stationed at the Solomon Islands, and he spent a year as a prisoner of war in Manokwari
1949　Established the Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio, and held the first Kazuo Ohno Modern Dance Recital at Kyoritsu Kodo Hall in Tokyo
1960　Performed Divine and Maldoror in the Tatsumi Hjikata Dance Experience at Daiichi Seimei Hall in Tokyo
1965　Danced his one and only duo with Tatsumi Hijikata in the ankoku-butoh performance 'A Rose Colored Dance' at Sennichidani Commemorial Hall in Tokyo
1967　Retired from his teaching position and continued working part-time as a repairman at Soshin Baptist School 
1969　Collaborated with the filmmaker Chiaki Nagano to create 'Portrait of Mr.O'
1971　Worked on the 2nd of Chiaki Nagano’s trilogy 'Mandala of Mr.O'
1973　Began working on the 3rd of the trilogy, 'Mr. O’s Book of the Dead', which took 3 years to complete
1977　Premiered 'Admiring La Argentina' at Daiichi Seimei Hall in Tokyo, directed by Tatsumi Hijikata
1980　Retired from Soshin Baptist School. Participated in the 14th World Theatre Festival in Nancy, France, which was to be his first overseas performance. Presented 'Admiring La Argentina' and 'A Table or a Dream of a Fetus'
1981　First tour in New York
1982　Toured in Europe
1983　Toured in Italy and Israel, where he visited the Dead Sea　
1985　Premiered 'The Dead Sea: Viennese Waltzes and Ghosts' directed by Tatumi Hijikata, and co-performed with his son Yoshito Ohno
1986　Toured in Australia, Brazil and Europe　
1987　Premiered 'Water Lilies' at the Stuttgart World Theatre Festival, which was directed by and co-performed with Yoshito Ohno
1990　Premiered 'Ka-Cho-Fu-Getsu (Flowers-Bird-Wind-Moon)' in Cremona, Italy
　　　 Continued to perform both overseas and in Japan with great passion
1999　Performed 'A Requiem for the 20th Century' in New York, his final overseas performance
2001　His final solo performance 'Flower' at the Shinjuku Park Tower Hall
2002　The Kazuo Ohno Archives open at Bologna University, Italy
2003　'The Songs we learnt from our Mother' at Kanamori Hall in his hometown, Hakodate
2004　The annual Kazuo Ohno Festival began at BankART 1929
2006　Many events held to celebrate his centenary birthday all over the world
2007　'Hyakkaryouran Gala Concert' at the Kanagawa Prefectural Seishonen Center Hall to celebrate his centenary
2010　Passed away on 1st June.

Awards

1977　The 9th Dance Critics' Association of Japan Award

1993　The 42nd Kanagawa Culture Award

1998　The 20th Japan Culture Design Award

1998　The 47th Yokohama Cultural Award

1999　The 1st Michelangelo Antonioni Art Prize

2001　The 3rd Oribe Award Grand Prize

2002　The Asahi Performing Arts Award

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