Vangeline Theater/New York Butoh Institute to Present Akihito Ichihara in Times Square

Join Akihito Ichihara (Sankai Juku), ELF dancers and students on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 8pm at Father Duffy Square for the closing performance of the New York Butoh Institute Festival. The event is free to attend.

Akihito Ichihara is Japanese Butoh dancer (ELF, Sankai Juku). Ichihara started acting in his teenage years. In the 1980s, he was greatly influenced by watching the renowned Butoh troupe Sankai Juku on TV, which inspired him to explore a greater range of physical expression on stage. In 1993, he majored in theater at Nihon University College of Art. He was moved to pursue a Butoh career in 1994; in 1996, he studied under Semimaru, a founding member of Sankai Juku. In 1997, he appeared as a dancer in an opera directed by Ushio Amagatsu, the artistic director and choreographer of Sankai Juku, and later joined Sankai Juku. Since then, he has been featured in Sankai Juku's entire repertoire and most of Sankai Juku's world tours.

Ichihara is very active in various media, including the performing arts: theater, dance, and Butoh. In addition to his solo projects, he has worked with the most significant butoh dancers and butoh troupes in the history of contemporary Butoh. Since the 2005 recreation of "Kinkan Shonen" (which premiered in 1978), he has danced solos in some of Sankai Juku's performances and has led the group dances as one of the principal dancers. He is also in charge of the design and production of the accessories dancers wear on stage.

Parallel to his work with Sankai Juku, he collaborates with various choreographers, directors, and dance groups worldwide. He is also a guest faculty at Okayama University Graduate School and a guest speaker at international forums.

In 2022, he founded the dance company "ELF" with young dancers. Since then, ELF has held workshops and presented works at renowned institutions and universities worldwide. In the spring of 2023, ELF went on tour in Latin America in Bogota, Colombia, and various locations in Mexico, Taiwan, and San Francisco. These activities received critical acclaim and repeat invitations. The company plans a world tour in 2024.

For many years, Sankai Juku has continued to refine and systematize its techniques while performing around the world. Ichihara believes that this "Sankai Juku method" is the "dance d'école" of Butoh and is proud to have been deeply involved in this. Ichihara and ELF have received high acclaim worldwide with their workshops and performances based on the Sankai Juku method.

While many underground and grotesque expressions exist in Butoh, Ichihara, and ELF's Butoh dance has deeply resonated with people worldwide. This dance is based on the "Sankai Juku Method," a method accessible to everyone. By developing this method, Ichihara aims to go beyond Butoh by developing a dance technique that can bring a higher level of excellence to professional dancers in ballet, modern, and contemporary dance.

Ichihara hopes to continue learning, collaborating, progressing, and contributing to the development of dance worldwide. He is interested in creating and directing various dance projects that transcend borders, cultural differences, and styles of expression.

In November 2023, he was invited to attend an academic conference in Israel at several universities, and the National Museum of Art in Israel. The Academic Council also invited dancers from world-renowned dance companies to participate in performances directed by Ichihara. However, this was postponed due to the war breaking out.

Ichihara would like to resume his activities after this conflict. He aims to develop a form of dance that promotes empathy and mutual respect. His goal is to do this worldwide, even between countries and cities that still bear the scars of war. He would like to contribute by acting as a bridge and connecting people across the borders despite their differences.

By sharing physical expressions, dancing, and empathizing with each other, the hope is to transcend borders and contribute to peace efforts worldwide. Based on this idea, ELF advocates a "Dance Project without Borders."

VANGELINE THEATER/ NEW YORK BUTOH INSTITUTE aims to preserve the legacy and integrity of Japanese Butoh while carrying the art form into the future, with a special emphasis on education, social justice, research, and archiving. For more info, visit: www.vangeline.com Vangeline Theater programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. www.vangeline.com

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