Essential Embodied Arts: Butoh
 | |
photo by Sue Averett
|
Maureen momo Freehill, MFA, CYI
Monday April 22
9:30 am - 4:30 pm
The unique art of Butoh originated in Japan. It is based in authentic experience & revelation of the soul's landscape as it arises through body sensation, felt senses and the imagination. Butoh can enhance performance or therapy by developing a "body poetry" in which meaningful metaphors & images are directly accessed and embodied through movement & sometimes voice. As with much of Japanese traditional arts, these basic metaphors arise primarily from nature.
This day will be a nourishing, magical and gentle immersion in our own felt senses & aesthetic responses; especially those that arise when we contact the inspiring presence of natural world. We begin in the studio using evocative music & poetic imagery for the morning butoh lesson; then head out to enjoy the rich natural diversity of Selby Gardens for lunch & our afternoon session. Here we will identify & dialogue with significant plants, animals & elements of nature that can become life-long allies for ongoing creative process and healing. Participants will experience awakened attention, increased capacity for sensation & active imagination. This builds a sense of embodied connection & belonging in the natural world as well as confidence & freedom for full-bodied physical & vocal expression. Participants will leave with new & powerful tools for ongoing artistic practice & session work.  | |
photo by Rex Hohlbein
|
Participants will need to provide own transportation to Selby Gardens & pay additional admission fee (TBD) if not members.
Maureen Momo Freehill, MFA, CYI
is an internationally recognized & sought after expert in the art of Butoh and a wide range of Embodied Arts practices including Asian Theater, Aerial Yoga, Embodied Voicework, Conscious Dance, Eco-Somatic Therapy & Sacred Geometry of the Body. She is an activist who brings together worlds of east & west; sustainability, science & performing arts.
Maureen founded & now directs BUTOPIA: The Pacific NW Retreat Center for Embodied Arts in Nature and SOMA: Sanctuary Of Moving Arts on Whidbey Island in Washington State ( www.butopia.net). She created over 600 site-specific dance performance films, mostly based in nature, that can be viewed on line at www.dailydance.net.
Register online here.
|
