Atsushi Takenouchi

Atsushi Takenouchi joined butoh dance company "Hoppo-Butoh-ha" in Hokkaido in 1980. His last performance with the company, "Takazashiki"(1984) was worked on by butoh-founder Tatsumi Hijikata. Atsushi has started his own "Jinen Butoh" since 1986 and created solo works "Itteki" "Ginkan" as a universal expression of nature, earth, and ancient times and impressions of the moment, meeting with people and environment. He made 3year “JINEN” tour project throughout Japan for 600 site specific improvisations (1996-1999). During this time, he studied a spirit of the universe under Kazuo Ohno and Yoshito Ohno. In 1999-2000, “Sun & Moon” tour project -12 countries in Europe and Southeast Asia - danced in nature and historical site. Since 2002, he has been mainly based in Europe, working on butoh dance collaboration project with dancers and actors in France, Poland, U.S.A and other countries. In 2002 and 2004, he received 1 year art fellowship funded by Japanese government and Japan Foundation. In 2005, he presented solo "Stone" in Avignon festival and choreographed a butoh procession with twenty dancers through city in the festival. Recently, he is also focusing on creating group performance.
“Koe”(Paris,NY/2003),“Gen”(Paris,NY,Warsaw/2004,2005),“Butoh Byo” (Paris/2006),“U-Pipe”(Italy/2006), “Life and Death, Mandala of Transmigration”(Paris/2007).

Atsushi Takenouchi performs JINEN. He utilizes the form & movement of dance which is derived from plants & animals, and other natural/artificial objects. His dance is based on the premise that Butoh is born from human expression, the ability to appear inside and outside, movement to conceal the inside, and overall consciousness. Dances are developed in natural and artificial settings, creating solo works based on the essences that arise from various surroundings.
His Butoh workshop opens widely for beginners, students, dancers, actors, performers, and also for children and physically challenged.
Currently he holds JINEN Butoh workshop in various countries for actor and dancers. And he deepen this work and expand into creation for group performance.

Performing solo Butoh works at the theatres, I keep on Butoh dance also in various urban space, historical site, nature setting and environment. And, I am planning to make project for creating group Butoh performance and Butoh procession with performer, artists from various nationality. The field for activity is inside space, theatre space, urban space, building, ruins, historic site and natureside.