Atsushi Takenouchi - JINEN BUTOH / PROFILE


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PROFILE

Atsushi Takenouchi (Butoh dancer , choreographer )

Atsushi born 5 Jan 1962 in Mie prefecture, Japan. Joined the butoh dance company “Hoppo-Butoh-ha“ in Hokkaido in 1980. His last performance with the company was "Takazashiki" (1984), which was worked on by butoh founder Tatsumi Hijikata.

Atsushi started his own theme “Jinen Butoh” in 1986 as a universal expression of nature, earth, and ancient times, environments.

He made a three-year “JINEN” tour project throughout Japan for 600 site-specific improvisations (1996–1999).
Since this time, he has been inspired by the spirit of the universe of Kazuo Ohno and Yoshito Ohno.

Since 2002, he has been mainly based in Europe, working on Butoh dance collaboration projects with dancers and actors in Italy, France, Poland, Spain, U.S.A., South America, and other countries.
Joining in festivals such as Paris Butoh Festival, NY Butoh Festival, Avignon off Festival, etc, he has been presenting his solo pieces.

He has started 4-6 months JINEN Butoh school in Pontedera in Italy since October 2015.

Film
“Ridden by Nature” (by KiahKeya /2014)The recent work in Alaska and Hawaii, an environmental art film, has received 35 film awards. (New York Int’l film festival 2016/ Martinique Int’l Film Festival 2015/ World Music & Independent Film Festival WMIFF 2016/ Polish Int’l Film Festival 2016/ Aviff Cannes Art Film Festival 2016/ and more ) official site & trailer>>> http://riddenbynature.com/

“Mediterranean”- Atsushi Takenouchi Jinen Butoh Film;directed by Michel Tabet release soon (2020) trailer>>> https://youtu.be/8kDSahLwKPU.

Group works & Collaboration work
"Beating Heritage" (Paris,2001), Tanagokoro-group(Paris,Osaka,2001) ”Koe”(Paris,NY/2003), “Gen”(Paris,NY,Warsaw/2004-2005), “U-Pipe”(Italy/2007-2009),
"Il Corpo Dentro" Costume design; Sonia Biacchi( Brussels,Italy 2008-2019),
“8 Seasons”(France 2008-2010), “Soumatoh”(France,Poland,2009- 2012)

Solo works
"Tanagokoro"(1994), “Itteki”(1995), “Ginkan(1995), “JINEN”(1996), “Stone”(1999), “Tenmon”(2003), “Gekkai” (2004), “Ki Za Mu”(2005), “Hane no Ki” (2010), “ Thousand Drops, Thousand Flowers” (2011), ”Emotion Seed”(2014), ”EMBRACE”(2017), “Naked Existence” (2018), “No Name Island”(2019).

Aomori Touboukan ph by Tomohisa Saitoh

What is JINEN

Jinen is an old Japanese word. Its meaning encompasses ALL that is even larger than nature. In the West, "Man" exists above "Nature," and maintains and protects it. Above Man, there is "God". In other words, there is a separation between Nature, Man, and God. Jinen expresses the perception of the universe before such a separation occurred. In ALL things there lives god. God is the "Flow of the River of the Universe" that embraces the sun and moon, and the earth that is the origin of the birthing of all Nature including Man. God lives within man, plants, animals, even in man-made things like houses. Jinen is the word that describes the universe, its' origin and natural course. All things connect to this river, and are part of the river of Jinen.

Man generally receives beautiful forms from Nature, such as the plants or animals. However, many forces of nature, such as huge earthquakes that I have experienced myself, destroy people, organisms and nature. This is the breath of this planet. This is also the swirl of the River of the Universe that embraces all life and death, light and dark..

This is Jinen. There is nothing Man can do. All that I was able to do after the earthquake was to live with the people who had encountered live and death, and to pray and dance with them. Inside Jinen, the helpless life force embrace life and death, feel that even such life and death are connected to all things, and dance a prayer. This view of nature has already existed in the art forms created by ancient people. Every life form performs the dance of life and death by being alive. All things are dancing with Jinen.

Jinen Butoh is to join together with all the life that are already dancing, to dance with the flow of the universe that is Jinen. We remove the wall of consciousness that perceives dance as the individual " I " dancing. We are dancing with, and are danced by , the Jinen, accepting all the environment and conditions around us as Jinen.

Atsushi Takenouchi 　

Aomori Touboukan ph by Tomohisa Saitoh

HISTORY OF ATSUSHI TAKENOUCHI

1962

- Born in Matsuzaka, Ise city, Mie prefecture.(Japan)

1980

- Entered butoh dance company "Hoppo – Butoh - ha" of Otaru, (Hokkaido/Japan)

1984

- Butoh performance "TAKAZASHIKI", his last performance with the company, taking choreography by butoh-founder Tatsumi Hijikata.(Tokyo)

1986

- Starts solo performance and drawing, having a theme of JINEN.(Osaka)

- Established nature schools "Dance with nature" for children and their parents. (Osaka)

1994

- Osaka Dance Experience Festival JINEN Butoh Performance "TANAGOKORO" at Osaka TORII HALL. (Osaka/Japan)

- JINEN Butoh Performance Solo"GINKAN" at Thater Intiy (Osaka/Japan)

1995

- Osaka Dance Experience Festival JINEN Butoh Performance "ITTEKI" at Osaka TORII HALL (Osaka/Japan)

- Requiem dance at memorial service "the Ceremony of Regeneration", praying for repose of souls at shelters in Kobe (the stricken area by a big earthquake) (Kobe/Japan)

1996 ~1999

- Performed "JINEN", which was based on his impressions from every place, climate, people, music, at the remains, Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, nature fields, and theaters and halls visiting around cities, villages, islands all over Japan. Hold workshop "Dance with Lives" for dancers, expressionists, and university students, kindergartner, mentally and physically disabled people. Hold private exhibition of his drawing. He also studied a spirit of the universe under Kazuo Ohno and Yoshito Ohno. (Japan)

1999

- Performed solo "STONE" in Korea and Japan Dance Festival at Theatre Zero (Seoul)

1999 ~ 2000

- Starts performing JINEN - butoh tour "Sun & Moon" in 12 countries at natural locations all over the world. Had more than 100 performance in France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Czech, Hungary, Austria, Norway, Spain, Thailand, Cambodia during the tour [Nerja cave in Malaga(Spain), the coast of Limini, in Marseille(France), Dragon stone circle in Brighton(UK), Former Sachsenhausen concentration camp (Germany), The wall of Berlin(Germany), Angkol Wat in Shiem Riep(Cambodia), Killing Field in Pnompen(Cambodia), Thai Cave in Phetchaburi province(Thailand), Aka mountain tribe village(on the boarder of Laos and Thailand)]

2000

- Set up the team "Breathing Heritage" with the concept of "dancing the forgotten human's memory". "Tanagokoro" - group - at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree, "Breathing Heritage" at Ambassade du Japon.(Paris)

- JINEN Butoh 4weeks Workshop“Haru-Juku”at Sika Theater(Osaka/Japan)

- Performance "Stone" at Theater KANA in Szczecin, Theater Maly in Warsaw, Konfrontacje Teatralne Festival Lublin (Poland), and Theatre Des Augenblicks (Vienna), Duncan center (Prague), Espace culturel Bertin Poiree (Paris). Workshop at youth center in Czarnocin (Poland), and (Prague), Performance at National Nature Park – Westonbirt Arboretum- in Britain(UK)

2001

- Osaka Dance Experience Festival JINEN Butoh Performance "Tanagokoro" - group - at Osaka TORII HALL (Osaka/Japan)

- Natureside workshop at the Adirondacks, up state New York. Solo performance "Stone" at Gallery CAVE in NYC. Collaboration performance with Ransom Corp(USA)

- "Ren-mitsu" collaborative performance with Japanese traditional dance at Enishi-an, (Osaka)

- Solo performance "ITTEKI" at Theater KANA in Poland, "Stone" Poland tour.( Poland)

- Butoh Festival, Jinen butoh solo "ITTEKI" at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree ( Paris)

- "Breath2001" collaboration performance with Red Earth (UK) at Canterbury Festival 2001, (UK

2002

- Jinen butoh solo "Stone" and workshop in Resonant Wave Festival in Berlin (Germany)

- Jinen butoh solo "TENMON" and workshop in Butoh Festival 2002 at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree (Paris)

- Natureside workshop project in Adirondacks, up state NY, Presentation in NYC(USA)

- 1year collaboration dance project in Europe as an arts fellowship funded by the Japanese government.

- Workshop project in Poland; at MCCA (Warsaw), Tratwa association (Olsztyn), BWA (Wroclaw), and CK Zamek (Poznan). Jinen butoh solo"ITTEKI" at Teatr Maly (Warsaw), and CK Zamek in Maski Festival (Poznan)

- Danced for a requiem at Birkenau, Auschwitz (Oswiecim/Poland)

2003

- Jinen butoh solo "STONE" in the international conference The Human Body - A Universal Sign at Manggha centre in Krakow (Poland), "Stone" in the 1st Butoh Festival at Teatro Astoria (Lerici/Italy)

- 5 weeeks workshop project at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree (Paris)

- New creation "GEKKAI" in the 4th Butoh festival at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree (Paris)

- Group piece "KOE" at Theatre du Lierre (Paris) and in NYC at Angel Orensanz Synagogue (NY)

- Butoh Dance performance"Burning Earth" with Kathi Von Koerber (NY)

- Ex..it! 03 3rd international butoh & contemporary dance exchange. Choreographed "Crying Evolution" with contemporary dancer Yael Schnell (Israel),Workshop camp at Schloss Broellin (Germany)

- Performance in the full moon celebration at Osaka Ecology study centre (Osaka/Japan)

- Poland tour: "ITTEKI" at Theatre Confrontation International Festival (Lublin). "JINEN" in Parchowo. Workshop performance project "DEAI" for Polish young people in monar and German teen-agers at Teatr KANA (Szczecin), "GEKKAI" at Teatr KANA (Szczecin) and Centrum Kultury Zamek (Poznan), "ITTEKI" at Zak (Gdansk)

2004

- Jinen butoh solo"STONE" at Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio (Yokohama/Japan)

- JINEN Butoh solo improvisation "Fire's eye" & "Tree's eye" (in Yaku island/Japan)

- Collaboration performance with African dance "Fleur de Boue" with Afra Crudo, Ladji Diawara, Jean C.Dussin, Hiroko Komiya at Art Zora and at INECAT (Paris)

- Starts 1year JINEN Butoh collaboration work project "Inside movement and JINEN" in France, Poland, and U.S.A by the Japan Foundation Fellowship.

2005

- Workshop and group performance "GEN" (Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree/Paris)

- Butoh & free music improvisation with Sharif Sehnaoui (electric guitar), Jean Borde (contrabass), Thierry Madiot (bass trombone), Christine Sehnaoui (saxophone), Hiroko Komiya (stone, shell, voice) at Les Voutes, and at La Guillotine (Paris)

- Natureside workshop project "Connection between Nature, body and yourself" (Yaku island/Japan).

- Collaboration with company "Fields of Wonder". Site specific group performance "Fields of colour" in the flower field in 'Week van de Bollenstreek 2005' festival(Leiden / Holland)

- Improvisation "Ki Za Mu" with Marie-Gabrielle Rotie in London (UK)

- Solo JINEN Butoh performance "Stone" at Theatre de la Dance Golovine, Avignon and Butoh Yin-Yang Procession in Festival Avignon - Off 2005.(France)

- The 5th nature side Butoh workshop at the Adirondacks (USA)

- Group performance "JINEN – Pros Eafton" worked on ancient Greek tragedy and Butoh, at the Arts Center of the Municipality of Athens – Parko Eleftherias (Greece), in collaboration with "Sin+Ergasia" (Athens)

- JINEN Butoh workshop project and Solo Butoh "KI ZA MU" in Butoh festival Poland-Japan Dialogue of cultures At the Cultural Centre KLUB "ZAK" (Gdansk/Poland)

- Solo Butoh "GEKKAI" At Centrum Manggha (Krakow/Poland). TANZ COOPERATIVA Butoh project, solo Butoh "JINEN" & project group performance "GEN" at Festival Sztuka Ulicy Warsaw Street Festival (Warsaw/Poland)

- Jinen butoh solo "KI ZA MU"at Theatre KANA (Szczecin/Poland)

- Butoh workshop in the project for Monar of Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian young people at youth centre in Czarnocin(Poland)

- Butoh Barter 2005 workshop and presentation project, "The Mandala of life and death" (Warsaw/Poland)

2006

- Group performance "BUTOH-BYOU" at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree (Paris) and the Yin Yang Butoh procession in the square in front of Centre George Pompidou (Paris)

- Solo Butoh improvisation "KI ZA MU" in Paris Butoh festival (Paris)

- Stage en nature Butoh dans les Pyrenées (France)

- The 2nd JINEN Butoh Nature side workshop and performance in Yaku island in South Japan(Japan)

- JINEN Butoh workshop and solo performance in Chicoutimi (Quebec/Canada)

- JINEN Butoh workshop project "Playing Fruits" with ALBA association, in Pisa link Dansa festival 2005 (Italy)

- Solo Butoh "Stone" at the theater "Anoixis" Athens (Greece)

- Solo Butoh improvisation "KI NO ME" for a requiem for the late Mr. Zygmunt Duczynski at Teatr KANA (Szczecin/Poland)

- Solo JINEN Butoh performance “TENMON"at Manggha -Centre of Japanese Art & Technology in Krakow(Poland)

2007

- Spectacle creation workshop project & JINEN Butoh work shop group performance "Life and Death, Mandala of Transmigration”at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree(Paris)

- Collaboration with Company Mobilis-Immobilis "8 seansons" direction:Maflohe Passedouet Choreograph/dance Atsushi Takenouchi, Live music: Hiroko Komiya Electric music: Ramuntcho Matta Interactive projection program: Cedric Plessiet At: Mediatheque de Camponac in Bordeaux (France)

- Atsushi Takenouchi solo, Butoh festival Paris 2007《En hommage aux 100 ans de Maitre Kazuo ONO 》"Fleur de midorigo-　title name given by Yoshito Ohno. at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree(Paris)

- “Le Festival "A Corps Et A Travers"　Solo JINEN Butoh improvisation. Nature side workshop & workshop group improvisational presentation, organisé par l’association EQART (Marciac/France)

- The third JINEN Butoh Nature side workshop and Solo Buto in Yaku island (Japan)

- Atsushi Takenouchi & Kathi von Koerber Dance in Alaska and Hawaii "Ridden by Nature" environmental art film by Kiahkeya (Alaska and Hawaii)

- New York Butoh Festival 2007Atsushi Takenouchi solo butoh "Ki Za Mu"at Theater for the New City.JINEN Butoh workshop at Dance Theater Workshop(NYC/U.S.A)

- Ex..it! 07 4th international butoh & contemporary dance exchange. Workshop camp. choreographed "Memory of cemetery" with contemporary dancer Yui Kawaguchi (Japan). at Schloss Broellin (Germany)

- Inside Out Festival 2007 Site specific performance”Enclosure” evoking the hidden history of 5000years ancient hill fort of Hambledon Hill. Directed by Red Earth(UK)

- Solo butoh performance" Fleur de midorigo "Choix du Titre: Yoshito ONO at Teatr KANA (Szczecin / Poland)

- Butoh Barter project,JINEN Butoh workshop and presentation at theatre TR Warszawa.(Poland)

2008

- Atsushi Takenouchi Jinen Butoh performance JINEN Butoh sol “SKIN”- improvisation #4, At théâtre. La Fabrick . Jinen Butoh workshop performance& Butoh procession organized by Cie La manivelle at: Piace Foch in Millau (France)

- 150eme Anniversaire des relation Franco-Japonaises.35eme Anniversaire du jumelage enter Nancy et Kanazawa　Atsushi Takenouchi improvisation performance with Sosana Marcelino ,at Grand Salon de l'Hotel de Ville de Nancy(France)

- Margose Festival 2008 Project in Marseille improvisation music & butoh : Didier Lockwood,Caroline Casadesus,Dimitri Naiditch,Makoto Yabuki,Atsushi Takenouchi at Studios DECANIS 22 (Marseille /France)

- Collaboration with Company Mobilis-Immobilis "8 seansons" direction:Maflohe Passedouet Choreograph/dance Atsushi Takenouchi At: theatre de la Reine blanche, (Paris)

- Butoh Festival 2008 solo JINEN Butoh "EMBRACE" at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree(Paris)

- The fourth JINEN Butoh Nature side workshop and Solo Buto in Yaku island (Japan)

- JINEN Butoh solo” SKIN - improvisation #5”《A homage to 101 years old master butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno》 (Tokyo/Japan)

- "U-PIPE" Jinen Butoh group performance "U Pipe" Compagnia NU + Atsushi Takenouchi & Jinen Butoh workshop at Piccolo Parallelo in Romanengo/Milano(Italy)

- "Il Corpo Dentro"Butoh performance in collaboration with Sonia Biacchi (costume designer) c.t.r. at Venezia Candiani(Italy)

- Solo JINEN Butoh performance "STONE" organized by Artrace at the Sunflower theater . Improvisation at 3,000 yrs old cedar tree .JINEN Butoh work shop(Beirut/Lebanon)

- Butoh Barter 2008 JINEN Butoh workshop and workshop group performance project in Warsaw at Pracownia Wschodnia. Performance"Yin Yang" TR Warszawa(Poland)

2009

- Spectacle creation workshop project & JINEN Butoh workshop group performance “SOU-MA-TOH ” - Lanterne magique-　at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree(Paris)

- Butoh Festival 2009 JINEN Butoh solo improvisation "KAKELA"music:Lena Circus (trio experimental) at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree(Paris)

- Collaboration with Company Mobilis-Immobilis "8 Seansons" direction:Maflohe Passedouet Choreograph/dance Atsushi Takenouchi at: Theatre de L'Universite De Poitiers,(Poitiers/France)

- Work in progres, Workshop group presentation, element from performance “Sou Ma Toh” organized by Cie La Manivelle at théâtre. La Fabrick (Millau/France)　

- JINEN Butoh Live in Okinawa, Butoh: Atsushi Takenouchi ,Tabaan ,Music: Hiromi Kondo, Hiroko Komiya at Ginowan and Yomitan (Okinawa/Japan)

- JINEN Butoh solo "Ki Za Mu" solo pieces &"kakela" solo improvisation at Little More Chika (Tokyo/Japan)

- JINEN Butoh solo"kakela" solo improvisation at Space ALS-D　(Kyoto/Japan)

- Atsushi Takenouchi solo Butoh improvisation "kakela" with musician Shazad Ismaily at Cave (NYC/USA)

- "U-PIPE" Jinen Butoh group performance Compagnia NU + Atsushi Takenouchi & Jinen Butoh workshop at ( Milano/Italy)

- Butoh performance in collaboration with Sonia Biacchi (costume designer) creation "Caminando " at Centro Culturale Candiani　( Venice/ Italy)

- Contemporary Dance Group"Syn+Ergasia"& Atsushi Takenouchi performance. Jinen Butoh workshop“The Apollonian and Dionysian element in butoh” in Athens(Greece)

- 10th Festival - CULTURE BONDS,JINEN Butoh solo improvisation "JINEN" organized by theatre Kana

at Łasztownia –Fishing Port Gryf.(Szczecin / Poland)

- Atsushi Takenouchi solo Butoh improvisation "JINEN"at Theater MATUCANA 100,JINEN Butoh workshop at Centro Cultural Anandamapu (Santiago, Chile)

- Creat Open Air Performance- Residency JINEN Butoh workshop studio and natureside organized by CB09 ( Talca/ Chile)

- JINEN Butoh workshop and Plant medicine Retreat in collaboration with Kiahkeya ( Hernando Villa and Kathi Von Koerber )at Lake Titicaca On the sacred Incan island, Isla del Sol,(Titicaca/ Bolivia)

- Solo Butoh performance "TENMON" organized by Artrace at the Sunflower theater. Improvisation at Baalbek (ancient Heliopolis).JINEN Butoh work shop(Beirut/Lebanon)

2010

- SoloJINEN Butoh performance " HANE NO KI " music: Nicolas Moulin, Hiroko Komiya at Espace Culturel Bertin Poiree(Paris)

- Collaboration with Company Mobilis-Immobilis "8 Seansons" direction:Maflohe Passedouet Choreograph/dance Atsushi Takenouchi at: Atrium deChaville,( Chaville/ Ile-de-France /France)

- Jinen Butoh Group Spectacle work in progress "Sou Ma Toh- Lanterne magique- " organized by Cie La Manivelle at théâtre. La Fabrick (Millau/France)　

- MusiqueAction 2010 -Nancy-, solo JINEN Butoh ” SKIN - improvisation #7 . JINEN Butoh workshop at CCAM at: Centre Culturel Andre Malraux.( Nancy / France )

- JINEN Butoh solo " Stone" at Bhrat Nivas Auditorium . JINEN Butoh workshop inside studio and natureside / (Auroville/India)

- Solo butoh improvisation performance"JINEN" at Cultural Spaces Chandralekha / JINEN Butoh workshop ( Channai / South India)

- JINEN Butoh solo performance "MI-HITOTSU " - homage for Arthur Rimbaud-,　music: Antoine Letellier,Hiroko Komiya at Little More Chika (Tokyo/Japan)

Publication
1994 - " Dance with Nature in the Rice Festival" picture book.
poem and calligraphy and illustrations by Atsushi Takenouchi.

          ( published by Nobunkyo- Rural Culture Association-)
   2005   - " Dancing Identity: Metaphysics in Motion" written by Sandra Fraleigh
   2006   - " Hijikata Tatsumi and Ohno Kazuo" written by Sandra Fraleigh & Tamah Nakamura

2011 - "On the silk route of gesture" written by Wiesna Mond-KozŁowska

2012 - "Healing the fabric of the universe" written by De Carolina Diaz

Video/DVD

1996 - "The　2nd Osaka Dance Experience1996 RE-VIEW"（TORII HALL/Japan）

1998 - "JINEN in Iwaya 1997"（BE-BOX）

1999 - 1996～1998 Ginyu-Butoh "JINEN" digest & "Tanagokoro・Itteki・Ginkan" digest

(Denyu-Kohboh /Japan)
2005 - "KI ZA MU" 2005 (Teatr KANA/Poland)

2008 - Film "Silken" (11 minutes) Directed by Damien Serban and Yann Bertrand

(Autour de Minuit Présente/France)

- SOGO ISHII punk years 1976- 1983 dvd box I. film "Asia Strikes Back" ( Japan / 1983)

Directed by Sogo Ishii (Transformer/ Japan )

2010 - JINEN Butoh performance "STONE"(70minutes) at the Sunflower theater in Beirut 2008

(Artrace/ France)

2012 - Film "Ridden by Nature" directed by Kathi von Koerber filming in Alaska,Hawaii and Arizona
(Kkiahkeya/ USA)