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Tatsumi Hijikata土方巽

Tatsumi Hijikata

Founder of Ankoku Butoh [Dance of Darkness]. After graduating high school, Hijikata moved to Tokyo at the age of 21, where he encountered a dance by Kazuo Ohno which left him stunned. Later, around 1956, he met Kazuo Ohno in person at the studio of Mitsuko Ando, with whom he was studying at the time.
In April 1959 he stage managed "The Old Man and the Sea" at the Kazuo Ohno Modern Dance Recital, in which Yoshito Ohno made his debut performance. He then cast Yoshito and with him performed "Forbidden Colours" a month later. Exploring themes of homosexuality and causing a scandal at the time, "Forbidden Colours" is often cited as the first butoh performance. In September of the same year, Hijikata presented a revised version of "Forbidden Colours", in which he invited Kazuo Ohno to perform the role of Divine, a drag queen from Jean Genet's "Notre Dame des Fleurs" ["Our Lady of the Flowers"].
Hijikata directed Kazuo Ohno's "Admiring La Argentina" (1977), "My Mother" (1981) and "The Dead Sea" (1985). As part of "The Dead Sea", he also choreographed three short pieces for Yoshito Ohno, who returned to the stage that year after not performing for some time.

Basic Information

ID
PER3
Born
9 March 1928 Akita, Japan
Died
21 January 1986 Tokyo, Japan
Organisation(s)
アスベスト館 / Asbestos Studio
Nationality
Japanese

Short Biography

Around 1946: Studied modern dance with Katsuko Masumura (student of Takaya Eguchi) in Akita, Japan.

1949: Visited Tokyo for the second time after his first visit in 1947, and watched Kazuo Ohno's first performance.

1953: Joined the Mitsuko Ando Dance Studio.

1958: Performed with Kazuo Ohno and Mamako Yoneyama in a ballet-pantomime "Hanchikiki" (composed and directed by Shigeyuki Imai, choreographed by Mamako Yoneyama).

April 1959: Stage managed "The Old Man and the Sea" at the Kazuo Ohno Modern Dance Recital: The Old Man and the Sea.

May 1959: Presented "Forbidden Colours" at the 6th All-Japan Arts Dance Association's Annual Program of New Dancers, co-starring with Yoshito Ohno.

September 1959: Presented a revised version of "Forbidden Colours" in 650 EXPERIENCE no kai, with Yoshito Ohno and Kazuo Ohno also performing.

1962: Held the First Leda Recital at Asbestos Hall, for which he also wrote and directed "Leda santai" (Three Phases of Leda) starring Akiko Motofuji.

Formed Dancing Gorgie with Yoshito Ohno and Akiko Motofuji, with whom he performed dance shows.

1963: Wrote, directed, choreographed and performed in "Anma: aiyoku o sasaeru gekijo no hanashi" (Masseur: A Story That Supports Passion) for the Tatsumi Hijikata DANCE EXPERIENCE no kai.

1965: Directed, choreographed and performed in "Barairo dansu: A LA MAISON DE M. CIVEÇAWA" (Rose-Coloured Dance: To Mr. Shibusawa's House), a commemorative piece performed with Kazuo Ohno, produced by Ankoku Butoh-ha and Garumera Shokai. 

1966: Directed, choreographed and performed in the Ankoku Butoh-ha's final performance "Seiai onchogaku shinan zue: Tomato" (Instructional Illustrations for the Study of Divine Favor in Sexual Love: Tomato).

1967: Directed and performed with Kazuo Ohno in Tomiko Takai's butoh performance "Keijijo-gaku" (Emotion in Metaphysics), produced by Garumera Shokai.

September 1968: Directed, choreographed and performed with Kazuo Ohno in Tomiko Takai's butoh performance, "Mandara yashiki" (Mandala Mansion).

October 1968: Directed, choreographed and performed "Hijikata Tatsumi and Japanese People: Revolt of the Body".

1972: Held Twenty-Seven Nights for Four Seasons, commemorating the second coming together of Ankoku Butoh-ha, performed "Hosotan" (A Story of Small Pox) and other works.

1974: Held a series of performances at Asbestos Hall with Hakutobo, featuring Ashikawa Yoko.

1977: Directed Kazuo Ohno's "Admiring La Argentina".

1981: Directed Kazuo Ohno's "My Mother".

February 1985: Organised Butoh Festival '85 "Collection Of Confessions Seven Seasons And Castles", and gave a lecture titled "Collection of Weakened Bodies". Directed "The Dead Sea; Viennese Waltzes and Ghosts", in which Yoshito Ohno made his comeback to the stage performing alongside Kazuo Ohno. 

December 1985: Wrote, directed and choreographed "Tohoku Kabuki Project 4" for the Studio 200 Butoh Programme. This became his final work.

Awards

January 1973: Hijikata Tatsumi and Ankoku Butoh-ha receive the 4th Dance Critics Association Award (1972)

January 1977: Hijikata Tatsumi and Ankoku Butoh-ha receive the 8th Dance Critics Association Award (1976)

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