EXPERIMENTAL NIGHT at SOL GALLERY

Photo by Takahiro Kitagawa @ the Tenri University annual performance event 2024

Experimentation Series #1

VIDEO・DANCE ・CONVERSATION・DRINKS 

BUTOH and BEYOND

”What is the ultimate?究極とは？”

"Butoh is not a pursuit of the ultimate, but a continuous, unfinished motion that keeps
displacing and reframing what the 'ultimate' could be."　
Daisuke Yoshimoto
舞踏は『究極』を目指すものではなく、絶え間ない未完成の運動として究極を常にずらしながら存在している。

“Butoh is not the pursuit of perfection, but the ultimate surrender to what lies beneath form.”
Kazuo Ono
舞踏は完成の追求ではなく、形の奥にあるものへの究極的な明け渡しである

Facilitated by Yumi Umiumare, this is an experimental night at SOL GALLERY
to view performances created in Japan, along with short live dance works, followed by informal discussions over tea and drinks.

Come and join us to stimulate your creative mind through Butoh and beyond.

Performers
Hinata Kawamura
Leyla Boz
Tylah Syme
Yumi Umiumare

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Photo by Takahiro Kitagawa @ the Tenri University annual performance event 2024
design by Hinata Kawamura

I was made for loving you.Melbourne’s RISING Festival, Japanese artist Saeborg.

Image: Jacqui Stockdale with Yumi

Working Like a Dog? 

No—I am the dog.

I was made for loving you. Melbourne’s RISING Festival, Japanese artist Saeborg. Thurs 5th June to Sunday 15th June — 5pm to 12pm, Howey Place, Melbourne

I'm currently performing at Melbourne’s RISING Festival, working with stunning Japanese artist Saeborg, and yes… every night I become a dog. Literally.

Saeborg is an internationally acclaimed artist, winner of the Taro Okamoto Contemporary Art Award (Toshiko Okamoto Prize, 2014) and the recent Tokyo Contemporary Art Award. Her work, often featuring self-made latex body suits, explores the idea of cyborgs as "incomplete beings—half-human, half-toy," transcending age and gender through artificiality. Every detail is hand-crafted, and she performs inside the costumes herself. 

She is a hard-core powerhouse, but she is very kind and charming person.

To be honest, at first I wasn’t so sure about getting into a latex dog suit…

But stepping into the world from a dog's eye view—seeing, moving, and sensing humans from that perspective—opened up something profound!

To ‘perform’ as SaeDog, she told me to let go the desire to “express’ something, and explore what exists between you and audience…OMG those are almost same as philosophy of Butoh!

I could enter those full Butoh-body mode , through touch, scent, subtle presence as a dog, even I was surrounded by the shiny latex, far from anything “natural” or “organic”! Those surreal texture of latex makes me quest for that canine presence.

It actually reminded me of working with Kaitaisha theatre, an amazing Japanese company, where actors explored the idea of “inu-kehai” (dog-aura or dog-sensitivity)—incredibly subtle, deeply embodied movement.

Woof woof!

Come and see the world!

In a glass box like a pet shop window in CBD Melbourne, SaeDog, a fragile creature—tearful, shedding a little from stress, sits Vulnerable, tender, endlessly giving love, and somehow… funny and heartbreaking all at once.

We tried to find the right English words for “はかないHakanai” or “切ないsetsunai”.(My tea teacher Adam sensei told me that it could be like pensive, forlorn.)

Either way, SaeDog is somehow surreal wabi-sabi of Japanese art!! Ha

Come and see us 5pm-12am Thursday to Sunday every night this week in the Howey Place in the City!

In English there is an expression "working like a dog" but this time I'm working "being a dog". Lol

Working with Japanese artist Saeborg at RISING, Melbourne's International Arts Festival, makes me doggie every night.

Saeborg is a selling artist who has been awarded the "Taro Okamoto Contemporary Art Award" Okamoto Toshiko Award (2014) and recently the Tokyo Contemporary Art Award, and has been traveling all over the world!

"As a half human, half toy imperfect cyborg, I made my own latex bodysuits that I believe can transcend gender, age, and more by being artificial." and many pieces have been produced. All the detail work is handmade, and it's super tight that puts itself into the onesie and performs, but he's actually very gentle.

Honestly, at first, I was running away thinking I would fit into a clothesie, but somehow, I realized that the world is very deep in which you can see, move, and feel human through the gaze of a dog. Some of the ideas for performing "Sae Dok" (this time's name for the doggy) include "expressing something out of itself" and "searching for something between you and the audience" and that's truly a dance!

Once you start to feel a dog's skin, feel, smell, etc, it's completely a dragon! Lolz.

Back in the day, when I worked with the theater company, I remembered how the actors used to move subtlely with the expression "dog-sensitive". It's a real deep world.

The actual dog is made of latex, and quite the opposite of the so-called organic world, but therefore I'm looking for a "dog-like" that's extra surreal.

This saedog says, "A teary, stressed and slightly hairless, in the middle of Melbourne's streets, in a glass-like pet shop." Somewhere humorous, as the title suggests this time, he is a gentle or vulnerable presence who keeps giving love.

I tried to translate "hakanai" and "heartbreaking" in English, but I couldn't find any good words.. This is also a bit surreal "Wabi Sabi" art from Japan.

(Afterwards, I asked Dr. Adam of tea, and he said that the words "pensive" and "forlorn" are expressions of lonelyness.. )

Starting this week Thursday through Sunday

At Howey Place from 5pm to 12pm

(Howey Place runs South from Little Collins Street between Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street. It joins with the shopping mall at 234 Collins Street which runs through to Collins Street, as well forming an "L" shape toward the back of the Capitol Arcade which connects it with Swanston Street.)

Weekend Workshop : Butoh as Creative Catalyst

　　　　　　　　　　　Photo by Vikk Shayen: image from ButohOUT!2025

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Butoh as Creative Catalyst 

Weekend Workshop

at Dancehouse

FACILITATOR
Yumi Umiumare

WHEN
27(Fri) 28(Sat) 29(Sun) June 2025

COST
$260/240

WHERE
Dancehouse : 150 Princes St, Carlton North

Terms & Conditions

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Weekend Workshop : Butoh as Creative Catalyst 

Yumi Umiumare and Atsushi Takenouchi in ButohOUT!2025
(Photo by Vikk Shayen)

”When I dance, I try to become one with the light, but I also know that the shadow is always with me.”
Kazuo Ohno
(Butoh dancer who continued performing into his 100s)

Following last year’s popular weekend workshop at Dancehouse, Yumi Umiumare returns to guide participants in discovering their own ‘creative gateway’ through the physical and philosophical approach of Butoh—a Japanese contemporary and subversive dance form.

Originally called the “Dance of Darkness,” Butoh contains many layers of practice and philosophy. Yumi believes it exists beyond duality—where darkness and light are not fixed states, and one always contains the seeds of the other. ‘Beauty’ can be ugly, and ‘ugly’ can be beautiful. Broken things can become new catalysts for transformation.

Over the weekend, Yumi will guide participants through 10 focused points and introduce historical, classical, holistic, and contemporary approaches to Butoh, while also sharing insights from her diverse practice.

This workshop is suited for those wanting to reflect on an existing piece, create new movement phrases, or simply dive into the ocean of Butoh.

The workshop welcomes both experienced practitioners and those new to the form.

You are able to attend only the ‘lecture: what is Butoh” on Friday 27 June, from 6pm.

(The workshop price includes the lecture.)

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あめつちの聲＿In the middle of Awe , at Tenri University Dance Club 2024 (Photo by Takahiro Kitagawa)

The 10 Focus points：

1.Presence & Being：在り方
 2.Gravity / Suspension：重さ／つられる体
 3.Isolation – “Each part of the body has its own kingdom”：「体それぞれの部分に王国がある」
 4.Internal & External Landscapes：内側と外側
 5.’Ma’ (space in between) & Accumulations：間と溜め
 6.The Moment of Transition：変容
 7.Metaphor & Object：暗喩とオブジェ
 8.Sequence of Movement :身振り手振り
 9.Form-> Non-Form->Transformation：形 ->無形-> 変容
 10.Imagination / Creation /：想像／創造

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Time line(subject to be changed)：

27 (Fri) June @6pm-8pm
Informal Lecture: What is Butoh ?
including Q & A (using slides &,video of historical and contemporary aspects of Butoh)

28(Sat) June @10am-4:30pm
10:00am-10:30am : Introduction and warm up
10:30am-1:00 pm : Session #1
1:00pm-1:45pm : Lunch break
1: 45pm-2:00pm: informal Q and A
2:00pm-4:00 pm: Session#2
4:00pm-4:30pm : creation and debrief

29(Sun) June @10am-4:30pm
10:00am-10:30am : Warm up
10:30am-1:00 pm : Session #3
1:00pm-1:45pm : Lunch break
1: 45pm-2:00pm: informal Q and A
2:00pm-3:30 pm: Session#3
3:30pm-4:30pm : creation and debrief“

Butoh LabCamp 2025, Romania

Romania Butoh Lab Camp : 22-30 July 2025
Yumi is invited to be in Romania, running workshops with other amazing Butoh masters and practitioners !

"Butoh Lab Camp (BLC) is a project of artists for dancers and people from all kind of fields to sustain Butoh dance and individual artists offering workshops through dance and movement for creation and coexistence.

Having each year a different set-up of teachers with the raw nature sites of the Transylvanian mountains we can explore the art of transformation in a safe and inspiring environment.

We invite you to join BLC and take the chance to experience with us."

Lists of teachers :

• Yumi Umiumare born in Japan, living in Melbourne, Australia

• Marlene Joebstl from Austria and France, living in Barcelona, Spain

• Sachiko Ishikawa from Tokyo Japan with Thierry Castel from Paris, France

• Matilde Javier Ciria from Madrid, Spain

• Tebby W. T. Ramasike from South Africa and Netherlands

• Yumiko Yoshioka from Berlin, Germany and Tokyo, Japan

Salish Sea Butoh Festival in Washington

Salish Sea Butoh Festival in USA16-24 Aug 2025

Yumi is invited to perform and run the workshops at the Salish Sea Butoh Festival in USA!

The Salish Sea Butoh Festival is an annual artistic convergence in Port Townsend, Washington to celebrate and deepen the study of Japanese Butoh and Butoh performance. I will be teaching and performing amongst amazing Butoh masters, SAGA KOBAYASHI SEISAKU , YURI NAGAOKA and more.　

It would be like dream situations !　

So please join us there!:))

Links are in the comment area:)

こちら舞踏ワークショップ、フェスティバルの宣伝です。

7月にルーマニアでの舞踏キャンプがあり、そちらに参加した後、ワシントンでの舞踏フェスティバルに参加させてもらいます。このフェスティバルは、海沿いの街、ポート・タウンセンドで過去５年行われており、舞踏について見識を深めるために、数々のワークショップや舞台が企画されております。

この度は、舞踏の大御所、小林嵯峨さん、正朔さん、長岡ゆりさんとご一緒ができるようで、夢のような企画です！！

ぜひご参加を！

リンクはコメント欄にて。

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE: Live Calligraphy with Hisako Tsuchiya

After sold out performances we are doing an extra special performance on this Sunday 30 March @ 4pm!

Yumi dances with her 87 yo my mother who does live calligraphy.

The last chance to see !

Book now before selling out again !!

The link is in the comment area.

金曜日のパフォーマンス

売り切れのため、日曜日に最後なパフォーマンスあります！

87歳母比佐子の書と私の踊り！

なかなかない機会です、是非どうぞ！

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Yumi’s 87-year-old mother, Hisako, will be holding a calligraphy exhibition @ Sol Gallery during her stay in Melbourne!

The exhibition will feature over 30 works, ranging from highly original pieces to classical calligraphy. Some of the works were created during the 16 years she spent caring for Yumi’s brother, who passed away two and a half years ago.

This exhibition will be a reflection of her life’s journey through calligraphy.

It will be held for 10 days at a gallery in Fitzroy, so please pop ion if you can!!

First Sign of Light： 兆し

Calligraphy exhibition by Hisako Tsuchiya

Venue: SOL Gallery, 420 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Dates: Tuesday, March 18 – Sunday, March 30

Opening Hours: 11 AM – 6 PM (NOT opened on Mondays)

Details are in the comments sections !!

Opening reception: 19(Wed) 6PM-8:30PM(no booking required)

I will be also dancing on Friday 21 and 28 March.

Special performance : Live calligraphy/ Dance/Music
Opening: Music: Dan West(21 March) Ai Yamamoto(28 March)

21(Fri) and 28(Fri) March @7pm 30 (Sun) @4pm

(booking required)

See you there:)))x

日本語ポスより
「この度、８７歳母、比佐子がメルボルン滞在中に、書展をすることになりました。かなり独創的なものから古典の書まで、３０点以上展示予定です。

２年半前に亡くなった私の兄を１６年間「老幼介護」をしながら創作したものものあり、母の人生の軌跡を綴ったような書展になると思います。

交通の便も良いFitzroyで、私もよく知っている友人のギャラリーにて１０日間開催します。

お時間のある時に是非お越しください！！」

場所：SOL Gallery 420 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

時間：3月18日（火）から3月30日（日）１１時から１８時までギャラリー・オープン（月曜休館）

[SOLD OUT!] ButohBAR番狂わせOUT of ORDER II @AsiaTOPA festival

[SOLD OUT]
BUTOHOUT! 2025
Performance Season
@ Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne

Following the sold-out success of ButohBAR 2023, ButohBAR 2025 Out of Order II is also now sold out!

This electrifying event returns with a new line-up of local and international talent, including Japanese Butoh master Atsushi Takenouchi.

Led by acclaimed Melbourne artist Yumi Umiumare, this new edition of ButohBAR mixes fresh performances and rituals with outdoor spectacles at the iconic Abbotsford Convent, celebrating our beautifully dysfunctional existence. Featuring guerrilla performers, roving installations, out-of-order karaoke and more, the evening includes exquisite sake and food by Tamura Sake Bar.

ButohBAR 番狂わせ OUT of ORDER II thrillingly throws back to a time when Butoh ruled Japan’s nightclubs and strip joints in the 1970s and 1980s.

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CREDIT

CREATIVES
Co-creator / artistic director/ choreographer: Yumi Umiumare
Co-creator / creative producer: Taka Takiguchi 滝口貴
Visual artist: Jacqui Stockdale
Sound designer: Ai Yamamoto
Lighting designer: Emma Lockhart-Wilson
International guest artist: Atsushi Takenouchi and Hiroko Komiya
Lighting operator and stage manager: Celina Mack
Website and graphic designer: Taka Takiguchi 滝口貴
Photographer: Vikk Shayen
Videographer: Takeshi Kondo
Food and Sake: Tamura Sake Bar and Izakaya by Tamura


CO-CREATORS & PERFORMERS
ButohOUT! Ensemble 2025
Kaira Hachefa
Willow J Conway and
Yumi Umiumare

GUEST ARTISTS
Emma Bathgate
Maude Davey and more

ButohOUT! Ensemble Members
Alex Rouse, Em Kimber, Emma Fayelecaun, Kei Murakami, Pauline Sherlock, Spira Stojanovik, Taka Takiguchi and Tania Perez

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ButohBAR 番狂わせ OUT of ORDER II is supported by Asia TOPA, a joint initiative of Arts Centre Melbourne and the Sidney Myer Fund, the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, Playking Foundation and the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.

ButohOUT!2025 Workshop Series@ Various venues

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☆ Hello from Japan ☆

“I have been away from Naam for nearly seven weeks, working in Tokyo, Warsaw, Vienna, and now in Nara, Japan. During my time in all these unique and inspiring places, I have learned, been challenged, and experienced blissful moments while working with a diverse range of artists, musicians, non-artists, and even my own relatives!
(please check my instagram!)

I am currently staying in Nara, working with the Tenri University Dance Club to create a piece with 22 dancers and 18 Gagaku musicians, which will be performed on the grand stage of the Nara Centennial Hall in front of an audience of 1,500!

They are incredibly talented, have won many awards, and are beyond professional, representing the highest level of artistry (seriously, they’ve blown my mind!) 😆😆

Gagaku, recognized by UNESCO as the world’s oldest continuously performed orchestral music, was historically used as imperial court music and has a history spanning over a thousand years. It developed as ceremonial music for the imperial court, as well as for major Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan.

At first, I was quite nervous and bit scared to work with them, but I’m gradually finding more fun and excitement as we explore the depth of sound and movement in deeply spiritual ways!

Thank you for supporting me and our production this year. Check out Workshops Coming Up in January 2025.

I hope you have a wonderful festive season.” Yumi

ButohOUT! 2025
Workshop Listing

WS #1
Weekly Training: Through Butoh & Beyond
21 Jan - 18 Feb
6-9pm
@ St Mary Anglican Church Hall
$140 for all sessions
$30 for drop in

WS #2
2-Day Weekend: Visual, Text and Body through Magic of Butoh
8 (Sat) and 9 (Sun) Feb
10am - 4:30 pm
@ LGI studio, North Melbourne
$300/$280

WS #3
2-Day Weekend: Butoh Master Atushi Takenouchi accompany by Hiroko Komiya
1 (Sat) and 2 (Sun) March
10am-4:30pm
@Industrial School, Abbotsford Convent
$330/$300

Combo Discount
All in one - WS#1, 2 & 3 / $700
2 WS-Type 1 - WS1 & 2 / $400
2 WS-Type 2 - WS1 & 3 / $420
2 WS-Type 3 - WS2 & 3 / $570

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Before proceeding with your purchase, please read these Terms and Conditions carefully.

CONTACT
butohout@gmail.com

Annual Performance Season with Tenri University Dance Club, Dec 2024

Photo by Takahiro Kitagawa
写真：北川大志氏

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I am still in awe, to think about this performance, I've done in Japan, as a part of annual performance season with Tenri University Dance club, at the Nara Centennial Hall, December 2024.

The title: 'あめつちの聲〜 in the middle of the awe'

あめつち（AME TSUCHI): Heaven and Earth

聲(KOE) : Voice

It was a grand stage featuring a total of 22 dancers and 15 musicians from Tenri University's Dance Club and Gagaku Club, both of which are among the top-level university groups in Japan. Adding to this luxurious setup, my brother, who is a successful pro Sumie artist, was in charge of the projection visuals.

Gagaku, which is recognised by UNESCO as the world’s oldest continuously performed orchestral music, historically used as imperial court music, has a history spanning over a thousand years!

It was epic and so powerful to tap into my DNA and heritage of my spiritual ancestry (and beyond)..and I am still beyond the words..it will come and take a place sometime.

Photo: by Takahiro Kitagawa

Great soundscape by Dan West and Ai Yamamoto

This trip was supposed by Creative Australia, international engagement program.

Special Thanks to Prof. Junko Tsukamoto and Gagaku Master Koji Sato as well as many supporters!　

去年、年末に天理大学単独公演に参加し、

あめつちの聲〜 in the middle of the awe'

という作品を発表させていただきました。

この舞台を思い出すと、今でもドキドキ、そしてAwe (畏敬の念）の気持ちにかられます。

天理大のダンス部と雅楽部という、双方とも日本でも屈指のレベルに入る大学生の方達の、総勢・踊り手２２人、奏者１５人という、大きな舞台に、私の弟でプロで成功している土屋秋恆がプロジェクターでの画像を手がけるという贅沢な設定でした。

雅楽は１０００年以上もの歴史を誇り、ユネスコでも世界で一番古いオーケストラと位置付けられているそうです。

私の中のDNAや血がさわぎ、古代に身を馳せていったような、なんとも言えない深い感動を味あわせていただきました。まだ言葉にすることができませんが、そのうちに、どこからか、ジワジワと、言葉や踊りが滲み出てくるように感じております。

この舞台作りに関わっていただいた天理大の教授塚本順子先生、雅楽部の最高顧問佐藤浩司先生をはじめとする、たくさんの方々に心から感謝します！

ありがとうございました

写真：北川大志氏

@_ta_ka_ta_

音楽 ダン・ウェスト、山本アイ

今回のプロジェクトの一部は、クリエイティブ-オーストラリアの助成によって可能となりました。

Yumi Umiumare

shukoutsuchiya

@gagakubu

Ai Yamamoto

Dan West

@creativeaustralia

Dance, Ritual and Spirituality

Back from Japan — Off To Canberra

Canberra Dance Theatre

[BOOKED OUT!]

Friday 17 to Sunday 19 January 2025
Friday from 6:00pm-9:00pm and Saturday/Sunday from 10:00am-4:00pm

CDT is excited to have made a connection with Butoh Artist Yumi Umiumare, and to announce that Yumi is coming to Canberra next January to offer a weekend workshop at CDT.

Over the weekend, Yumi Umiumare will introduce her mastery of body awareness through Butoh, her deep passion for ritual inspired by the Japanese Tea Ceremony, and her recent exploration of Jujutsu (呪術) – a Japanese notion of Shamanism.

This unique workshop series invites participants to explore the intersection of movement, ritual, and spirituality, fostering a deeper connection to themselves, others, and the world around them.

Participants will be guided to explore:

Embodiment and Presence: Fully immerse yourself in the moment, expressing raw emotions and experiences through Butoh. Create simple rituals to enter sacred spaces with mindfulness and intention.

Symbolism and Ritual: Discover the rich symbolism and rituals of the Japanese Tea Ceremony, abstracted through contemporary Butoh styles, focusing on harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.

Mysteries and Magic: Delve into the mysteries of Jujutsu, exploring the spiritual connection between the visible and invisible worlds, where everyday life intersects with the sacred and the profane.

Transformation and Self-Expression: Experience catharsis through movement, ritual, and spiritual exploration, uncovering deep emotions and releasing tension.

Reintegrating these powers into the arts is central to Yumi’s creative practice, and this workshop offers participants a chance to share in that process.

This workshop is open to participants of all experience levels and artistic disciplines.

Photo: Vikk Shayen

Canberra Dance Theatre

www.canberradancetheatre.org

1 Kingsley Street, Canberra, ACT 2601

canberradancetheatre@gmail.com

CONTACT
butohout@gmail.com

ButohOUT! 2025 #1 Weekly Training—Jan - Feb 2025

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ButohOUT! 2025
ButohBAR 番狂わせ
OUT of ORDER II

Weekly Training: Through Butoh and Beyond

This weekly workshop focuses on training the body through various techniques of performance art, including Butoh. A key element of Butoh is imagining the body as an ‘empty vessel’, which is filled and emptied with substances of all kinds then expressed through the body. The body is also the site of transformation between known to unknown, real and surreal, visible to invisible and even from beauty to the grotesque.

Channeling the interdisciplinary nature of Butoh, guest teachers will facilitate three diverse training methods each beginning with a Butoh warm-up: Willow J Conway (Cabaret) and Matt Crosby (Suzuki Method).

Butoh can be seen as an example of an art form that is out of order, and it challenges the norms of conventional performance styles and offers a way to explore new forms of expression and adaptation in the face of uncertain and unexpected challenges.

This workshop is open to all levels of experience and artistic discipline.

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FACILITATOR & GUEST TEACHERS

• Yumi Umiumare

  Born in Japan, Yumi is an established Butoh dancer, choreographer and creator of Butoh Cabaret works. She has been creating her distinctive style of works for over 30 years and her creations are renowned for provoking visceral emotions and engaging with cultural identities with a sense of humor.
  
  Yumi’s works have been seen in numerous festivals in dance, theatre and film productions throughout Australia, Japan, Europe, New Zealand, South East Asia and South America and have received several Australian Green Room awards.  As a choreographer, Yumi has worked with many socially engaged theatre projects in Australia, including communities of First Nations, refugees and culturally diverse people and also inclusive companies.
  
  She is a recipient of the fellowship from Australian Council (2015-16) and a winner of the Green Room Geoffrey Milne Memorial Award (2017). Yumi is a key figure of the international contemporary Butoh scene and the artistic director of ButohOUT! festival in Melbourne since 2017, teaching and activating local and international Butoh communities. Yumi ‘s recent works focus on Dance, Tea and Spirit.

• Willow J Conway

  Willow is a "mover, shaker & innovator" who has worked as a theatre practitioner in cross-disciplined art forms including acting, burlesque, bouffon, butoh, and performance art along with choreographing, writing and directing film and theatre for over 20 years.

  As a performer/actor she has worked in film, TV and with many independent theatre companies as well as being a solo artist of self-devised pieces performed nationally and internationally including Japan, USA, Paris and London.

  Her credits include Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender (Las Vegas), DasSHOKU SHAKE!, White Day Dream, Dirty Pictures, Voodoo Trash Dolls, Measure for Measure, Empire, All of Which Are American Dreams, Elmo and director/creator of The Living Museum of Erotic Women, and in  2016 Willow was crowned Miss Burlesque Australia!

  During the 3hour workshops you will explore burlesque both, neo, classical and unique looking at the comical and contemporary elements of burlesque, along with the sensual and seductive Art of Tease.

  Prepare to bump n grind your butt off in the most out of order way possible!

• Matthew Crosby

  Matthew Crosby has worked in all areas of the performing arts, a NIDA graduate who has taught theatre for many years.

  He has performed on mainstages in Australian theatre festivals as well as Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore and Thessaloniki. Crosby was director of Actor’s Furniture Group 1996-2000, a member of the DasShoku butoh/cabaret collaboration with Yumi Umiumare and Ben Rogan 1999-2014 and is facilitator of The Thursday Group, which conducts practice and performance development.

  He is a teacher in theatre, conducting annual workshops and ongoing Monday drop-ins investigating Suzuki Training, Grotowski and other variations.

ButohOUT! 2025
Workshop Listing

WS #1
Weekly Training: Through Butoh & Beyond
21 Jan - 18 Feb
6-9pm
@ St Mary Anglican Church Hall
$140 for all sessions
$30 for drop in

WS #2
2-Day Weekend: Visual, Text and Body through Magic of Butoh
8 (Sat) and 9 (Sun) Feb
10am - 4:30 pm
@ LGI studio, North Melbourne
$300/$280

WS #3
2-Day Weekend: Butoh Master Atushi Takenouchi accompany by Hiroko Komiya
1 (Sat) and 2 (Sun) March
10am-4:30pm
@Industrial School, Abbotsford Convent
$330/$300

Combo Discount
All in one - WS#1, 2 & 3 / $700
2 WS-Type 1 - WS1 & 2 / $400
2 WS-Type 2 - WS1 & 3 / $420
2 WS-Type 3 - WS2 & 3 / $570

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Before proceeding with your purchase, please read these Terms and Conditions carefully.

CONTACT
butohout@gmail.com

ButohOUT! 2025: #2 Weekend Workshop: Visual, Text and Body—Feb 2025

ButohOUT! 2023 ButohBAR番狂わせOUT of ORDER

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ButohOUT! 2025
ButohBAR 番狂わせ
OUT of ORDER II

2-Day Weekend: VISUAL, TEXT and BODY through MAGIC OF BUTOH

“In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.”

— Carl Jung

This unique weekend workshop merges visual arts, text work, and Butoh, led by a trio of award-winning artists: Jacqui Stockdale (visual arts), Maude Davey(text), and Yumi Umiumare (Butoh). Participants will explore the notion of magic through an interdisciplinary approach that blends dance (body/movement), text (poetry/imaginative writing), and visual arts (drawing/object-making).

Continuing from last year’s theme, Out of Order, the facilitators will guide participants in exploring the tension between order and chaos. Through the juxtaposition of chaos and composure, abstract and concrete, visible and invisible, form and non-form, participants will embrace the indescribable and provocative realm of art-making in the spirit of Butoh.

The work created during the workshop will serve as inspiration for ButohBAR 番狂わせ OUT of ORDER II, a performance event in March 2025 (participation optional).

This workshop is open to all experience levels and artistic disciplines. Limited spaces available.

WHEN
8 (Sat) and 9 (Sun) Feb
10am - 4:30 pm

WHERE
Wxyz Studios
130 Dryburgh St,
Melbourne North
Google Map

COST
$300/280

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FACILITATOR & GUEST TEACHERS

• Yumi Umiumare

  Born in Japan, Yumi is an established Butoh dancer, choreographer and creator of Butoh Cabaret works. She has been creating her distinctive style of works for over 30 years and her creations are renowned for provoking visceral emotions and engaging with cultural identities with a sense of humor.
  
  Yumi’s works have been seen in numerous festivals in dance, theatre and film productions throughout Australia, Japan, Europe, New Zealand, South East Asia and South America and have received several Australian Green Room awards.  As a choreographer, Yumi has worked with many socially engaged theatre projects in Australia, including communities of First Nations, refugees and culturally diverse people and also inclusive companies.
  
  She is a recipient of the fellowship from Australian Council (2015-16) and a winner of the Green Room Geoffrey Milne Memorial Award (2017). Yumi is a key figure of the international contemporary Butoh scene and the artistic director of ButohOUT! festival in Melbourne since 2017, teaching and activating local and international Butoh communities. Yumi ‘s recent works focus on Dance, Tea and Spirit.

• Jacqui Stockdale: Visual Artist/Workshop Facilitator

  Based in Melbourne, Jacqui Stockdale is a multimedia artist known for her figurative paintings, drawings, staged photographs, collages and vaudevillian performances.

  She is drawn to the human condition, engaging in folklore narratives, masquerade and anthropological complexities. Stockdale graduated from Victorian College of the Arts in 1990 and Hobart Centre for the Arts in 1993. Her recent museum style installation, The Outlaws Inn, is based on the hidden narratives of the Australian anti-hero, Ned Kelly and includes comical life size figures, haunting soundscapes and animatronics.

  Recent commissions include animation for film, designing costume & installation for Japanese ButohOUT! 2021 and portrait commissions by The National Portrait Gallery, Canberra. Stockdale has exhibited in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia and has work held in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, The Museum and Art Gallery of Tasmania and the Watermill Collection USA.

• Maude Davey: Theatre maker/Workshop Facilitator

  Maude Davey has been creating performances in Melbourne and Australia for thirty-five years. Her primary focus is the creation of new work, particularly Cabaret and Variety Performance.

  Recent credits include: Gender Euphoria (Director/Producer) for Melbourne Festival and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and Gender Euphoria: Mighty Real (Director/Producer) Sydney WorldPride and Arts Centre Melbourne; Blessed Union (Actor) by Maeve Marsden at Belvoir Street Theatre; Set Piece (Actor) by Anna Breckon and Nat Randall. She is currently undertaking a PhD at La Trobe University looking at queer and feminist short form variety performance.

ButohOUT! 2025
Workshop Listing

WS #1
Weekly Training: Through Butoh & Beyond
21 Jan - 18 Feb
6-9pm
@ St Mary Anglican Church Hall
$140 for all sessions
$30 for drop in

WS #2
2-Day Weekend: Visual, Text and Body through Magic of Butoh
8 (Sat) and 9 (Sun) Feb
10am - 4:30 pm
@ LGI studio, North Melbourne
$300/$280

WS #3
2-Day Weekend: Butoh Master Atushi Takenouchi accompany by Hiroko Komiya
1 (Sat) and 2 (Sun) March
10am-4:30pm
@Industrial School, Abbotsford Convent
$330/$300

Combo Discount
All in one - WS#1, 2 & 3 / $700
2 WS-Type 1 - WS1 & 2 / $400
2 WS-Type 2 - WS1 & 3 / $420
2 WS-Type 3 - WS2 & 3 / $570

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Before proceeding with your purchase, please read these Terms and Conditions carefully.

CONTACT
butohout@gmail.com

#3 Weekend Workshop: Butoh Master Atsushi Takenouchi accompany by Hiroko Komiya — Mar 2025

Photo: Jordi Lagoutte, Emotion Seed

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ButohOUT! 2025
ButohBAR 番狂わせ
OUT of ORDER II

2-Day Weekend: Butoh Master Atsushi Takenouchi accompany by Hiroko Komiya

“Life of Flower.
You are the only flower in the world.
Giving a birth to the flower, blossoming the flower.
Flower opens life.
Flower is a soft body revolution.
Flower is love.
To open to universe with passing through darkness to brightness,
passing through life and death.
Flower always circulates life.
Flower continues opening.
A life of a flower draws the circle with the universe.”

- Atsushi Takenouchi

Atsushi Takenouchi, a global legend in Butoh based in Italy, is coming to Melbourne to lead a special weekend Butoh workshop, accompanied by live music from his long-time collaborator, Hiroko Komiya.

He will introduce the classic aspects of Butoh through his unique Jinen Butoh style. Jinen is an old Japanese word, signifying something larger than nature itself. In some Western thought, ‘Man’ exists above ‘Nature,’ with a separation between Nature, Man, and God. In Jinen, however, all things are interconnected—within each life resides a god.

Atsushi will guide participants through his life’s work, Life of Flower, exploring the many ‘flowers’ 花 through body and movement. He will also lead them in creating a final performance based on the workshop content, using a simple structure with guided improvisation.

Participants will have the opportunity to join an outdoor group performance during ButohOUT! 2025, as part of the AsiaTOPA festival in March 2025. (Optional)

This workshop welcomes both experienced practitioners and those new to Butoh who are ready to dive into the creative process.

WHEN
1 (Sat) and 2 (Sun) March
10am - 4:30 pm

WHERE
Abbotsford Convent
Industrial School
1 St Heliers St,
bbotsford
Google Map

COST
$330/300

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FACILITATOR & GUEST TEACHERS

• Atsushi Takenouchi - Butoh dancer, choreographer/ workshop facilitator

  Joined butoh dance company "Hoppo-Butoh-ha" in Hokkaido in 1980. His last performance with the company was worked on by butoh-founder Tatsumi Hijikata. Started his own "Jinen Butoh" since 1986 as a universal expression of nature, earth, and ancient times and impressions of the moment. Made 3years "JINEN" tour project throughout Japan for 600 site specific improvisations (1996-1999).

  Around this time, he learned the spirit of the universe of Kazuo Ohno and Yoshito Ohno. Since 2002, based in Europe, working on solo Butoh and collaboration projects with dancers and actors, with giving workshops internationally. Since 2015, he has started a long term JINEN Butoh school in Pontedera in Italy.

  www.jinen-butoh.com

• Hiroko Komiya - Sound artist / workshop supporter

  She expresses the image which comes from the air, space, movements, inner body, memory and transforms it into the sound without bound melody or rhythm. She has regularly accompanied JINEN Butoh performance and workshop by Atsushi Takenouchi since 1999.

  Based in Europe since 2002, she's been playing music for his performance and Butoh workshop internationally.Apart from Butoh, she collaborates with film, sculptor, painter, poet, costume designer and performers for exhibition, installation. In 2021, started project with Chris H.Lynn ; US film/sound artist, and created audio visual performance with dancers ( Hybrid Butoh Vienna Art Fes2022, Warsaw2023, Barcelona2023, Mexico2024 ). In Paris 2022, played in 11hours homage event for Félix Guattari (French psychoanalyst, philosopher) with artist group of Ramuntcho Matta. In 2024, creating 3rd collaboration album LENA CIRCUS ; French experimental band, and concert tour with them. Solo CD release; “eau nouvelle“(sometimestudio/Paris 2009), “Pendulum Sea”( beng!dischi/Italy 2016)

  http://www.jinen-butoh.com/hiroko_profile_e.html

ButohOUT! 2025
Workshop Listing

WS #1
Weekly Training: Through Butoh & Beyond
21 Jan - 18 Feb
6-9pm
@ St Mary Anglican Church Hall
$140 for all sessions
$30 for drop in

WS #2
2-Day Weekend: Visual, Text and Body through Magic of Butoh
8 (Sat) and 9 (Sun) Feb
10am - 4:30 pm
@ LGI studio, North Melbourne
$300/$280

WS #3
2-Day Weekend: Butoh Master Atushi Takenouchi accompany by Hiroko Komiya
1 (Sat) and 2 (Sun) March
10am-4:30pm
@Industrial School, Abbotsford Convent
$330/$300

Combo Discount
All in one - WS#1, 2 & 3 / $700
2 WS-Type 1 - WS1 & 2 / $400
2 WS-Type 2 - WS1 & 3 / $420
2 WS-Type 3 - WS2 & 3 / $570

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Before proceeding with your purchase, please read these Terms and Conditions carefully.

CONTACT
butohout@gmail.com

Beyond – Racing Through This Moment

20th Annual performance by Tenri University Creative Dance Club 
Beyond—Racing Through This Moment

22(Sun) Dec 2024, Nara Centennial Hall 18:00 start (17:00 door opens)

Yumi has great opportunity of choreographing and performing at the annual event of the Tenri University Dance Club, Nara Japan, renowned for winning numerous awards due to the high quality and creativity of their dance.Yumi has been staying in Nara for 2 weeks in December, to create and perform a piece, collaborating with 22 dancers and 18 Gagaku musicians to present it on the grand stage of Centennial Hall in front of an audience of 1,500!!

Gagaku, historically used as imperial court music, has been established for over ten centuries. It served as ceremonial music for the imperial court, major Buddhist temples, and Shinto shrines in Japan. Recognised by UNESCO, it is considered the oldest continuously performed orchestral music in the world.

55th year anniversary of the establishment 
20th Annual performance by Tenri University Creative Dance Club 
Beyond – Racing Through This Moment

Come and Join us!

EVENT DETAILS:

22(Sun) Dec 2024

At Nara Centennial Hall 18:00 start (17:00 door opens)

Link (in Japanese ): 
FIND OUT MORE HERE

Enquiry (in English):
CONTACT YUMI

____________________________

ゆみうみうまれは、日本・奈良の天理大学創作ダンス部の創立５５周年、２０回目の記念イベントにおいて、振付とパフォーマンスを行う素晴らしい機会を得ました。同部は、そのダンスの高いクオリティと創造性によって数々の賞を受賞していることで知られています。うみうまれはiは12月に2週間奈良に滞在し、22人のダンサーと18人の雅楽演奏者と共に作品を創り上げ、1500人の観客を迎える奈良100年会館の大舞台で披露します！

雅楽は、歴史的に皇室の宮廷音楽として使用され、千年以上の歴史を持っています。

皇室の儀式や、日本の主要な仏教寺院や神社で演奏される音楽として発展しました。ユネスコによって世界最古の継続して演奏されているオーケストラ音楽と認められています。

乞うご期待！

創部５５周年
第２０回創作ダンス部単独公演、

Beyond この瞬間を駆けぬける　

１２月２２日（日）開演１８：００　（１７：００開場）

（於）奈良１００年会館大ホール

リンク：https://www.tenri-u.ac.jp/event/46906/

TOKYO — OWARI Workshop

☆ TOKYO ☆

OWARI workshop by Yumi Umiumare
(Owari contains OWARI終わり: finishing, and WARU割るcrack open, and 悪naughty）

9(Sat) November 10:00-16:00@Studio Sun and Moon in Yotsuya　9500 yen

There will be also have a live performance followed by the workshop and special combo tickets available, Finish(OWARI) what you want, Don’t be a goody goody but let us 'break through' to begin for somthing new!

This is a special one-day workshop by Yumi Umiumare, a performance artist and Butoh dancer from the vast open land Australia.

Moving your ‘body’
Making your ‘sound’
Conning with unknown and invisible things
Arising from within and without.
Dance with freedom, joy, depth and mystery.

<Connect>
Connect with the deepest part of yourself and become part of the surrounding space.

<Greet each part of your body>
Inspired by Butoh’s founder Tatsumi Hijikata's words: “Each part of the body has its own kingdom.”

<Open, laugh, to break through>
Open up, laugh, and break through.

<The empty space>
Empty yourself and surrender to the space around you.

<Greet the invisible things and your inner monster>
Dance with the quirky beings and monsters that live inside your body.

<CreationSOUZOU and ImaginationSOUZOU>
Let us “create” and “imagine.”

DETAILS:

Workshop: 9(Sat) Nov 2024 @10:00-16:00

Event by 高橋 広部京子, 音十羽 のりこ

Where: Studio Sun and Moon, Tokyo JAPAN

Duration: 6 hr

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Performance:  9(Sat) Nov 2024 @19:00

WARSAW, POLAND Workshop

☆ WARSAW ☆

BUTOH KAI 6 begins with the performance "Tea Trance" by the Japanese dancer YUMI UMIUMARE living in Australia. The day before the workshops, on November 16, you will be able to see it free of charge thanks to funding from the Mokotów District Office/Warsaw Railway Station). Check out the program! In the meantime... on Sunday, November 17, we encourage you to take part in workshops (registration rules at the bottom of the entry) relating to the artist's dance philosophy:

“In Butoh, dance connects with forces that come from inside the earth and simply pass through the body. The dancer does not move; traffic passes through them.” — Akaji Maro (DaiRakudakan)

Butoh can be mysterious, abstract, and esoteric, but it can also serve as a creative gateway, catalyst, and even lead to unexpected breakthroughs.

Australia-based Japanese Butoh dancer/choreographer Yumi Umiumare guides participants through special focus points, helping them explore the physical and philosophical dimensions of Butoh from both classical and contemporary perspectives.

This unique workshop also explores Butoh's connection to Yumi's ongoing passion for ritual and ceremony, integrating elements of the Japanese tea ceremony and her recent exploration of Jujutsu 呪術, the Japanese concept of shamanism.

We invite both experienced practitioners and those who are just starting their adventure with butoh to the workshops.

Special focus points

>Embodiment and Presence: Immerse yourself fully in the present moment by expressing raw emotions and experiences through Butoh while creating simple rituals to enter sacred spaces with mindfulness and intention.

>Symbolism and Ritual: Explore the rich symbolism and ritual elements as you explore the philosophy of the Japanese tea ceremony and its essence of 和 (harmony), 敬 (respect), 清 (purity) and 寂 (peace), abstracted through contemporary Butoh styles.

>Mysteries and magic: delve into the mysteries of Jujutsu呪術, where everyday life intersects with the sacred and profane, discovering the spiritual connection between the visible and invisible worlds.

>Transformation and self-expression: Experience catharsis through movement, ritual and spiritual exploration, discovering deep emotions and releasing tension.

The project is supported by Creative Australia, under the international engagement program 2024.

DETAILS:

Performance When: 16 (Friday) Nov

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Workshop When: 17(Sat) Nov

Event by Fundacja POMPKA, ButohSfera and Anita Zdrojewska BUTOHSFERA | Fundacja Pompka, ul. Narbutta 46/48 lok. 51, Warszawa

Duration: 5 hr

VIENNA, AUSTRIA Workshop — Butoh for unlocking Our Inner Beast - For All Dance Abilities Bodies

☆ VIENNA ☆

A Workshop for disabled and non-disabled dancers and performers. Join Australian-based Japanese Butoh dancer and choreographer Yumi Umiumare for an inclusive workshop that explores the foundational philosophy and physical practices of Butoh for disabled and non-disabled beginners, dancers and performers.

Yumi is an established Japanese Butoh dancer, choreographer, and creator of Butoh Cabaret works. She moved from Japan to Australia in 1993 after touring with the seminal Japanese Butoh company DaiRakudakan. For over 30 years, Yumi has been creating her distinctive style of works, renowned for provoking visceral emotions and engaging with cultural identities with a sense of humour. Her creations have been seen across Australia, Japan, Europe, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and South America, and have been featured in numerous festivals worldwide.

As a choreographer, Yumi has worked on many socially engaged theatre projects with Australian Aboriginal communities, refugees, culturally diverse groups, and inclusive companies. She has been the artistic director of ButohOUT! in Melbourne since 2017, playing an active role in the international contemporary Butoh scene. Yumi’s recent works focus on Dance, Tea, and Spirit, seeking deeper integration between the arts and spirituality.

Photography by Leah Jing McIntosh

Information, reservations and registration: viennabutohfest@gmail.com

The project is supported by Creative Australia, under the international engagement program 2024.

WORKSHOP DETAILS:

When: Nov 23(Sat) and 24 (Sun) 10am-12pm

Where: Arashi Colletive Movement Center, Augasse 2-6, 1090 Wien, Hösaal 5

108€​​

1 workshop/2 hour: 60,-
2 workshops: 108,-

By Yumi Umiumare – (Japan/Australia)

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VIENNA, AUSTRIA Workshop — Creative Gate Way to Butoh through Ritual and Spirit

☆ VIENNA ☆

"In Butoh, dance is connected to the forces that come from the center of the earth and simply pass through the body. The dancer is not doing the movement; the movement is coming through them."
— Akaji Maro (DaiRakudakan)

Butoh is often mysterious, abstract, and esoteric, yet it can also act as a creative gateway, a catalyst for transformation, and a path to unexpected breakthroughs. In this unique workshop, Australian-based Japanese Butoh dancer and choreographer Yumi Umiumare will guide participants through an exploration of Butoh’s physical and philosophical dimensions, blending classical techniques with contemporary interpretations.
​
Yumi’s workshop also incorporates her deep passion for ritual and ceremony, combining elements of the Japanese Tea Ceremony and her recent focus on Jujutsu 呪術, a form of Japanese shamanism. This immersive experience is open to both seasoned practitioners and those new to Butoh, offering a profound opportunity for personal and creative discovery.
​
Special Focus Points:

Embodiment and Presence:
Immerse yourself fully in the moment, expressing raw emotions and experiences through Butoh. Create simple rituals to enter sacred spaces with mindfulness and intention.

Symbolism and Ritual:
Explore the rich symbolism and ritualistic elements of Butoh, discovering the philosophy behind the Japanese Tea Ceremony and its core values of 和 (harmony), 敬 (respect), 清 (purity), and 寂 (tranquility), abstracted through contemporary Butoh styles.

Mysteries and Magic:
Delve into the mystical world of Jujutsu 呪術, where everyday life intersects with the sacred and profane. Uncover the spiritual link between the visible and invisible worlds.

Transformation and Self-Expression:
Experience catharsis through movement, ritual, and spiritual exploration, releasing deep emotions and tension while discovering new forms of self-expression.

Participation: Open for all who have the experience or curiosity of movement practices, art and nature. No previous experience is needed.

The project is supported by Creative Australia, under the international engagement program 2024.

WORKSHOP DETAILS:

Sat 23.11 & Sun 24.11
14:00 - 18:00

@Arashi Colletive Movement Center

Augasse 2-6, 1090 Wien
Hösaal 5

1 day workshop: 80€​​
2 workshops: 150€​​

​Information, reservations and registration
viennabutohfest@gmail.com

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Butoh Master in Vienna: Get Ready for this Experience!

Join us for お茶酔い TEA TRANCE, a mesmerizing new experimental solo work by the talented Yumi Umiumare, Japanese Butoh Master one of the pioneers of this dance in Australia, blending the essence of Butoh, Japanese tea ceremony, and visual installation.

In this performance, Yumi takes us on a journey exploring the space between daily routines and rituals, the mundane and the devotional. Experience a captivating transition from the sedate to the dramatic, the real to the surreal, and the playful to the macabre—delving into the themes of life and death while evoking the profound spirit of Butoh.

Date: Nov 30, 2024
Time: 20:00
Location: Das Lot Space, @das.lot Absberggasse 31, 1100 Wien
Tickets: 25€ / 15€ (students and seniors)
Get your tickets now! Visit the Das LOT website to secure your spot.
Let the act of tea drinking be your gateway to transcendent realms!

The project is supported by Creative Australia, under the international engagement program 2024.

Tea Maze お茶の迷路

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Entangling old world Kabuki mystique with volumetric 3D performance, “Tea Maze” summons the sacred power of female archetypes and deities in a truly unique VR experience.
In collaboration with the team from the Centre for Transformative Media Technologies, Japanese-Australian performance maker Yumi Umiumare opens a Jujutsu 呪術 (Magic) portal to unfold the colourful characters of OKUNI — an initiator of Kabuki Japanese theatre in 1600’s Edo period.
Evolving out of Yumi’s solo work, “Buried TeaBowl – OKUNI”, the team combine Virtual Reality and Volumetric video to portray the many essences of the divine feminine.
Punk, playful, and exuberant, this is an intimately epic and profanely sacred ritual that invites an audience revolt of the spirit.

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CREDITS
Director - Yumi Umiumare
John McCormick - Director
Yumi Umiumare - Creator / Performer
Casey Richardson - Creative Director
John McCormick - Producer
Casey Richardson - Digital Artist
Emrys McFerran - Digital Artist
Ai Yamamoto - Composition and Sound Design
Dan West - Composition and Sound Design
Kim Vincs - Volumetric Research Lead