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STUDENTS FOR... The New York Butoh-Kan: Training Initiative Program (NYBK) is a is a joint effort of CAVE and GARNICA LEIMAY AcTS LAB (LEIMAY) to strengthen resources of the study of Butoh dance. NYBK facilitates rigorous physical training, enriching students with first person historical context from international masters. NYBK endeavors to set forth an integrative training opportunity for the dancer, actor, and/or interdisciplinary, performer creating a platform for the future development of new work. The first phase of this initiative will take place at CAVE's studio in Brooklyn, New York from March 28th through July 26th 2008. Consisting of four Intensives, and six Introductory training sessions, led by international guest masters, along with Performance Research and Open Study Group Sessions led by LEIMAY's artistic director and invited masters.The integrative training is based on Butoh Dance philosophy and practice, Noguchi Gymnastics-a Japanese gymnastic method on relaxation of the body, and Voice and Actor training especially those akin to the traditions of Grotowski. During the Performance Research Session, participants will explore themes of inter-media pieces that are being developed by LEIMAY and CAVE, together with the guest master teachers.From this first phase, one participant will be chosen from each Intensive Session to receive 30 hours of rehearsal time at CAVE studio; As many as three students, will receive half tuition scholarships for LEIMAY's Performance Research Session.CAVE opened its doors in 1996 and is now one of the longest running experimental art spaces in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For the past seven years CAVE has organized nearly 50 butoh workshops, giving the opportunity to 800 local / international dancers to study with some of the greatest masters of this art form. To date, CAVE has produced three editions of the biennial international New York Butoh Festival; each festival has presented historical / educational films, as well as lectures and workshops with Japan Society, The Noguchi Museum, New York University, Yale University, Fordham University and the Martin E. Segal Graduate Center of the City University of New York.GARNICA LEIMAY AcTS LAB (LEIMAY) is a performance lab, dedicated to the exploration of the actor-dancer craft, training practices and performance possibilities through the creation of art installations, dance-theater pieces, inter-media collaborations, improvisational studies and training projects.Considered one of Japan's major contributions to the performing arts of the 20th century, Butoh is an avant-garde performance form that originated in the late 1950s and evolved in the turmoil of Japan's postwar landscape. Over the last few decades, Butoh as an art form has evolved to include individual artists and groups devoted to teaching and performing not only in Japan, but throughout the world. Butoh defies easy definition and embraces paradox. It fuses the traditional with the avant-garde, complex choreography with improvisation, and wild physicality with meditative stillness. The New York Butoh-Kan Training Initiative is the only current program in the United States is dedicated to study, explore and expand the practice of this potent contemporary art form, which challenges conventional definitions of dance/theater.PHASE I Session I (Noguchi Gymnastics/Mari Osanai)Session I Introductory March 28, 29 & 30 (fri 6:00 pm - 10:00pm / sat-sun 11:00 am - 3:00 pm) Osanai’s works with the philosophy and training methods of Michizou Noguchi (founder of Noguchi gymnastics), who conceives of the body as a living sack (skin), filled with fluid, in which the bones and internal organs float."Session I Intensive March 31 - April 11 (mon - fri 10:00 am - 2:00 pm) Participants will explore deeply Noguchi’s gymnastics. "The essence of body movement is inner change. By breaking down the contact area within, this responsiveness allows freedom of movement, with finely tuned textures. The reality of change, the tendency to try to catch all things, that which comes to life, is the meaning of Taisou(Gymnastics)." - Michizou Noguchi.Session II (Tanden “body center” Exploration / Minako Seki)Session II Introductory April 18, 19 & 20 (fri 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm / sat-sun 11:00 am - 3:00 pm) During Minako Seki’s introductory training, the participant will become acquainted with "hanging", her term for the "Universal Position". Utilizing the principles of Noguchi, along with Seki’s own unique methods, the participant will learn to work with the basic energy of the body, the "Tan-Den".Session II Intensive April 21 - May 2 (mon ~ fri 10:00 am - 2:00 pm / sat-sun 11:00 am - 3:00 pm) day off 24 & 28 The Intensive session focuses on developing Seki’s themes more deeply. Relaxation is explored, specifically how to e relaxed while “hanging”. Full concentration is utilized to give absolute freedom to the senses. The basic energy of the “Tanden” contacts the whole group as dance unfolds.Session III (Butoh Fu “notation” & Space Exploration / Katsura Kan)Session III Introductory May 9, 10 & 11 (fri 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm / sat - sun 11:00 am - 3:00 pm) Focusing on “Shouken” - the initial path of The Buddha’s Noble Eight Fold Path, participants will work on observation and patience. Through “moving” & “thinking” Kan will introduce his butoh.Session III Intensive - May 13 - 23 (mon ~ fri 10:00 am - 2:00 pm / sat-sun 11:00 am - 3:00 pm) day off 18 "Quality & Atmosphere" is the theme of the first five days. Focusing on space created by the body and movement, examining the presentation of space atypical to western dance. Using Buddha Notation of Kan,Katsura” as a prototype, we will each create our own Butoh notation in the second half.Session IV (Butoh Ma “emptiness” and “space in between” / Tadashi Endo)Session IV Introductory June 5, 6 & 7 (thu - fri 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm / sat 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Tadashi Endo endeavors to let participants reach their inner emptiness. This creates possibilities to gain the intensive and clear expression that is well-known in Butoh.Session IV Intensive June 9 -19 ( mon ~ fri 10:00 am - 2:00 pm / sat 12:00 - 4:00 pm ) day off 15 Tadashi Endo’s method aims to make the invisible visible. The minimum amount of movements lets the expression of feelings and situations grow to highest intensity. Emphasis is placed on balance between energy, tension and control. "The dancer shall not dance - but should be danced"Session V ( Animal and Corps Exploration / Ko Murobushi)Session V Introductory A June 21 & 22 (sat & sun 11:00 am - 3:00 pm) The main focus of this session is the exploration of animal’s walks and animal’s dance. Participants will experiment with deconstructions of this mimesis. Students will be also guided through sensory exploration and image-based transformations.Session V Introductory B June 23 & 24 (mon & tue 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm) The main focus of this is the exploration of being dead and corpse dancing. “Try to ask a corpse, ‘what is a corpse?’” Students will be also guided through sensory exploration and image-based transformations.Session VI (Study Group / GARNICA LEIMAY AcTS LAB) April 6, 27; May 18, 25, June 8, July 13 & 20 (Sun 4:00 pm-7:00 pm Pls. check program at www.leimayactslab.org Organized as an open to all series of master talks, lectures, screenings of Butoh related materials and physical practice meetings, LEIMAY’s Study Group works towards connecting, analyzing and deepening and making available the training and ideas unfolded during the masters' sessions. The meetings encourage the continuity of physical training, cultivating relationships for the creation of future locally premiered performances. Meetings facilitated by LEIMAY’s artistic director Ximena Garnica, along with occasional guest speakers.Session VII (LEIMAY’s Performance Research Session / Ko Muromushi) June 26 - July 6 (weekdays 10:00 am - 2:00 pm / sat - sun 11:00 am - 3:00 pm) Day off 07/01 This Performance Research Session led by master Ko Murobushi will provide a unique opportunity for intensive physical training. GARNICA LEIMAY AcTS LAB is currently working with Ko Murobushi to create a new inter-media piece to be presented in 2009. The preliminary ideas and choreographic explorations for this new work will be workshopped during this session. Some participants will be invited to participate in following sessions of the development of this piece.PHASE I MASTER TEACHERSKO MUROBUSHI trained and performed with butoh’s creator, Tatsumi Hijikata, and was a founding member of Dairakudakan, the longest-running butoh company. Murobushi also founded influential companies Ariadone and Sebi, bringing company productions to introduce many European audiences to butoh. Based in Japan, he tours internationally with his Ko&Edge Co. and as a highly sought-after solo performer and teacher throughout Europe and the Americas.TADASHI ENDO was born in Peking, China, Japanese Butoh dancer, choreographer, director Tadashi Endo synthesizes the traditions of Noh, Kabuki and Butoh. He founded his own way of dance, known as Butoh MA. MA, in ZEN-Buddhism, means "emptyness" and "space between the things" Tadashi Endo is guest professor at the "Hochschule für Darstellende Kunst" in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, "The Academy of Music and Moving Arts" in Jerusalem, Israel, and at the Núcleo Interdisciplinar des Pesquisas Teatrais, Unicamp, University Campinas, Brazil.KATSURA KAN is a Butoh artist among the ranks of Japan’s first generation of Butoh. He performed with the seminal Butoh troupe “Byakkosha” (1979-1981). Kan has worked with what he calls dancers in remote locations throughout Africa, Europe, South East Asia for the past 28 years, in addition to performing his creative works in cosmopolitan culture.MARI OSANAI was born in Aomori, Japan, Mari Osani has trained in Classical Ballet, Noguchi Gymnastics, Yoga, Tai Chi and Hip Hop. The philosophy and practice of Noguchi Gymnastics has had a strong influence on her creations; and her unique movements are realized through interweaving these diverse techniques. She has performed in Japan, Canada and the USA.MINAKO SEKI was born in Nagasaki, from 1985 a dancer for Butoh-Dance-Company DANCE-LOVE-MACHINE, directed by Tetsuro Tamura, performed in Europe with this production in 1986. In 1987 she was co-founder of tatoeba - THEATRE DANSE GROTESQUE, the first german-japanese Butoh Ensemble (Berlin). She has taught workshops in Berlin, Santiago de Chile, Bolivia, Japan, San Francisco and New York.