I sent a short story out for possible publication in a science fiction anthology last week. I haven't had a story published in ages, so it's high time I get my arse back in gear. I hope it gets published ( Read more... )

Though past years have turned me more in the direction of athletics, I am still dancing. I've just been doing a lot more study and teaching than I have performances. Today, I received the most excellent news that I'm the recipient of a scholarship to continue my butoh training from September through to April. I'll be studying with Denise ( Read more... )

For the past week, I spent the majority of my time in Studio E of The Children's Dance Theatre in Cabbagetown. I've been going to this studio off and on for about six years now: as long as I've lived in Ontario. I go there to study butoh, and occasionally other dance styles, as well. This week, I was studying under the tutelage of Denise ( Read more... )

Here's what I've got going on, right now, in terms of movement training. And yes, I consider my CrossFit part of my dance training, even if it isn't dance, per se.

Training:

• Ongoing, 3-4 times per week: CrossFit training
  
• Jan. 9-13: Embodiment Butoh workshop with Denise Fujiwara
  
• Feb. 16, 17: Dancing from Inside Out with Margie Gillis
  
• March 3: An ( Read more... )

Since I moved to Ontario about four years ago, I've been taking in as many butoh workshops and performances as I can, devouring them as though starving. I've studied with Denise Fujiwara, Yuko Kaseki, and now, Jocelyne Montpetit.  Each of my teachers has a different approach to the other, but the underlying thread remains the same: an emptiness, ( Read more... )

You don't want my help ( Read more... )

One of the main reasons I moved to Ontario was to continue developing as a dance artist. And one of the styles that brought me here was butoh.

Since I moved here, I have been studying butoh and contemplative dance whenever I could with Denise Fujiwara at Fujiwara Dance Inventions. I've had to miss a couple of workshops because of money issues. ( Read more... )

My voice has been gone since very early on Sunday morning. I can only make squeaking sounds. I sure hope it comes back soon, because teaching dance class without a voice is a special sort of challenge I don't want to repeat. I've been sick for over two weeks now, and it's getting really old. I haven't been to the gym in about three weeks, and I ( Read more... )

Imre Thormann, who I believe I've linked to in this series before, performs butoh at Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Shiga (Japan) in summer 2006. The live music is by Swiss jazz pianist Nik Baertsch and his band "Mobile". His muscular control amazes me. I see what looks a bit like Nauli to me, and can't help but wonder if that's something he studies in ( Read more... )

Butoh dancers Maya Dunsky and Artour Astman perform a section from When the Room Becomes Water. I really like the use of colour in this otherwise stark composition.

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