Ko Murobushi † (JP)

BIOGRAPHY

Ko Murobushi (1947 - 2015 †) was one of the best known and acclaimed Butoh artists in the world and was recognised in Japan as a leading inheritor of Hijikata's original vision of Butoh. He studied with Hijikata in 1968, briefly 'giving up' dance to become a "Yamabushi" mountain monk, back into society he founded the Butoh-group Dairakudakan together with Ushio Amagatsu, Akaji Maro and others. 1974 he created the Butoh-magazine Hageshii Kisetsu (Violent Season) and founded a female Butoh-company Ariadone with Carlotta Ikeda, for which he did many choreographies. Two years later he founded a similar only-male Butoh-group: Sebi.

With a co-production of these two groups he brought the Butoh to Europe and contributes to the recognition of Butoh in Europe: "Le Dernier Eden - Porte de l’au - delá" succeeded in Paris in 1978, and was followed by a big tour through whole Europe with Ariadone in 1981/82. From 1988 Ko concentrated on duo-productions with Urara Kusanagi, and toured in the following years in Europe and South America.

On the one hand he continued to open his dance and the Butoh to the worldwide influences, on the other hand he tried to research his work much deeper into its Japanese roots. His solo productions "[Edge01]", "[Edge02]" and group production "[Edge03]" were invited by several international dance festivals, such as ImPulsTanz Festival, Montpellier Dance Festival, and London Butoh Network Festival, a.o. He received numerous awards for residencies worldwide, including in Mexico, India and New York. Ko was in great demand as a workshop teacher.

In 2003, he settled his unit Ko & Edge Co. with three young Japanese dancers, presented "Handsome Blue Sky" for Jade 2003 Hijikata Memorial in Japan, and caught frantic applause. In 2004, this unit Ko & Edge Co. presented new series titled "Experimental Body" which is searching “edge” in a physical way. In 2005, Ko & Edge Co. presented "Handsome Blue Sky" in US-Canada tour in five venues. One of his latest solo performances is called "quick silver", his latest duo performance with Bartabas was titled "Le Centaure et l'animal". Both lead him to world tours. In November 2013, he continued to produce the experimental movement in Japan under the title – "1001nights" at the Yokohama Redbrick Warehouse.

His choreographies as well as his solo performances continued to establish Ko Murobushi as one of the highest reputed representatives of Butoh, and every moment challenged Ko to reach new possibilities of Butoh.

08.04.2016

© 
        Marta Lamovsek
© Marta Lamovsek
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Performances
2014
Ko Murobushi
Enthusiastic Dance on the Grave (Choreographer)
2014
Ko Murobushi
Faux Pas (Choreographer)
2013
Kô Murobushi
Ritournelle / Danse 'MILLE PLATEAUX' vol.1 (Choreographer, Dancer)
2012
Ko Murobushi
quick silver (Choreographer, Dancer)
2011
Ko Murobushi
Mu(s) - krypt blues
Music: J-F. Pauvros (FR), Alain Mahé (FR), Dorothée Munyaneza (FR/RW) (Choreographer)
2010
Ko Murobushi
Hommage an Kazuo Ohno by Ko Murobushi (Choreographer, Dancer)
2008
Ko Murobushi
[quick silver] (Choreographer, Dancer)
2003
Ko Murobushi / Carlotta Ikeda & Compagnie Ariadone
Haru no Saiten / Un Sacre Du Printemps
2002
Ko Murobushi
[Edge 01]
2002
Ko Murobushi
[Edge 02]
2001
David Zambrano & Guest
David Zambrano invites....
2001
Ko Murobushi
Edge 01
1992
Ko Murobushi
Velvet
1989
Compagnie Ko Murobushi
Solos
Oni 1, Mayu-ka
1988
Ko Murobushi & Urara Kusanagi
Ephémère
Research
2001
Coaching Project Butoh in Process
2000
Coaching Project Coaching Project
1999
Pro Series Pro Series
1998
Coaching Project Coaching Project
Workshops
2008
2001
Danse Butoh
2000
Danse Butoh
1999
Danse Butoh
1998
Danse Butoh
1993
Composition, Danse Butoh
1989
Butoh
1988
Butoh
1987
Butoh
danceWEB
2003
danceWEB Mentor