BUTOH

CRADLING EMPTY SPACE
A Book by VANGELINE

Artistic Director of the Vangeline Theater/New York Butoh Institute
www.vangeline.com

This fascinating book delves deep into the origins and evolution of the unique Japanese dance form, butoh. VANGELINE herself is a moving force in the butoh world, recognized internationally as both dancer and teacher, and now, author. She has created book that is both scholarly and engaging.

Butoh originated in Japan, born in the bleak aftermath of World War II. It is most often associated with darkened stages and minimalism of movement and attire. It was also male-dominated and controlled. Butoh’s growth and evolution essentially parallel the economic and social changes in Japan as the years passed. Now women make up about 50 per cent of butoh dancers.

Fundamentally, butoh is an introspective form where pure unvarnished internal feelings morph into body movements. It is not a performance but an expression of the dancer’s deepest sensations, and experiences. As it became more well-known and spread to other countries, it drew inspiration from French films such as “Les Enfants du Paradis”, the ballet of Nijinsky, and the art of Klimt.

CRADLING EMPTY SPACE is richly illustrated with photos, charts, and drawings. VANGELINE also brings psychology, altered states of consciousness, and brain chemistry into the mix as she explains this extraordinary dance form which, by definition, defies definition. This book is a true classic.

-Karen D’Onofrio-