Nicosia workshop brings the art of Butoh dance

A three-day workshop taking place at ARTos Cultural and Research House is inspired by the art of Butoh dance – a form of Japanese dance theatre that encompasses a diverse range of activities, techniques and motivations for dance, performance, or movement. Led by the Greek and Berlin-based artist Iphigenia Vogiatzki, the training will touch on moving with and exploring the body, and imagination to attempt to reveal its essence in dance.

In the last decade, Iphigenia has dedicated herself to the research of the body as a holistic being. Her main field of exploration is perception, transmission and embodiment. The workshop on April 14 to 17 aims to bring those practices in. “We will give space to transform and step on the path to make the dancing entity visible,” say organisers, “letting it take us on a journey to places we have never been before.”

The training is open to dancers, actors and anyone interested in exploring their dancing entity. Though demanding, it is open to everyone no matter their previous dance experience. The first part of the workshop is titled Entering the Body and will focus on physical warm-up and body awareness training. The second part, Approaching Dance, will concentrate on creative work, exploring physical imagination and embodying inner landscapes.

On the evening of the last day Iphigenia will present her solo piece titled Dead Bird’s Eye, a dialogue with Anton Chekhov’s Seagull at ARTos House. Following her performance, workshop participants may also take the stage next to present a dance performance inspired by the training.

Dancing Entity

Butoh dance workshop. April 14-17. ARTos Cultural and Research House, Nicosia. 10am-3pm. €200. For registrations: [email protected]  or 99-377483