Butoh Artist in Residence, Taipei 9

Raining stopped early in the morning. I had a presentation in evening.

I was nervous because it was my first time to do it in English. I just did my best with my all English skill and body language. 

Speaking is harder than dancing. I appreciate their generosity and patience.

After my preseason, there was a "Q and A" time. I introduce some of them.

Q. Identity issue 

A. By painting white, I erase my identity. I become just a container. I accept anything, such as god, ghost, beast, anger... 

At the beginning of Butoh history, they tried to find out their advantages as Japanese, but now, Butoh has been influencing people all over the world. It is paradoxical.

I think it is not nationalism. The important thing is "what is human being".

Q. Gender issue

A. When I dance at Dairakudakan, Maro is a director. I think my role is to give him my empty body, and he give me images. By that, my body is moved. 

Judgment, which is my favorite or not is not my role. I'm just a container.

When I direct my performance, I use consciousness. I construct movements based on my aesthetics.

The atmosphere of my performance is different from Dairakudakan's one, but my experience in this company is one part of my consciousness.

It's not an answer of gender issue, but we always erase it while practicing. 

What kind of gender appear is depends on the scene that the director make.

Butoh | Emiko Agatsuma / 我妻 恵美子 | 舞踏 | AGAXART