Arts & Culture
Butoh Dance: Origins and Its Expression of Trauma
Quick fact
Butoh was radically born in 1959 when Tatsumi Hijikata performed 'Kinjiki' (Forbidden Colors), a shocking, taboo-breaking piece that repelled and mystified audiences, effectively launching the 'Dance of Darkness'.
Why this is interesting
You've seen those eerie, slow-moving figures with white skin and crawling eyes—but why did this dance, called butoh, emerge out of post-war Japanese rubble, and what does it have to do with trauma?