Our new performance all started with this the Zen Zen Zo Butoh workshop.
“Zen Zen Zo is a Brisbane-based physical theatre ensemble at the forefront of contemporary performance and training in Australia. Founded in 1992, the company has continually produced edgy, innovative theatre experiences ranging from radical interpretations of classics to original new works. These have been showcased throughout Australia and Asia.” (Retrieved from http://www.zenzenzo.com/About/Artistic-Vision April 2010).
During the workshop, I experienced a whole new type of theatre, which not only gave me new theatrical skills, but it also widened my perspective about theatre and the purpose of theatre and inspired me to develop further and learn more.
I experienced several new types of warm ups and exercises. What I found most fascinating was the Butoh walk and faces, back exercises and partner exercises. One of the first exercises we did, after being briefed about what Butoh is and simple stretches was tracing. We worked in pairs, with one person moving his/her finger, and the other following the finger with his/her nose determinedly. I found it most interesting being the follower, as I saw it as a challenge. How accurately can I follow the finger? What can I picture the finger as to improve my performance? I also found it interesting to work in pairs with new people (there were several people I didn’t know at the workshop) and see how they would move and act like. This warm up inspired us to think about using tracing in our upcoming performance and during the following classes in school, we used this technique as one of our warm ups. I think it helps you to become more comfortable with another person, as well as to explore your own body (the person moving the finger can sometimes come up with extremely challenging moves and combinations etc.)
Another exercise I really enjoyed was the back exercises. We worked both as pairs, and individuals were we focused on being expressive with and explore our backs. This much focus on the backs was completely new to me, and I was fascinated by how much one can actually show and see from the back. It’s something completely opposite from every-day life or movie acting, and I found it very surreal and captivating. In a way it’s harder to express a message, but it is more real as it is more open to different types of interpretation- and that’s how life really works. We don’t all view things the same, and simplifying things and telling something in a more abstract way encourages different perspectives and individuality. If you like, this is a more primitive way and during the workshop we tried to convey our messages in a way that’s more similar to what animals do than what humans what do. I’ve realized that Butoh helps you to release the inner animal in you, which is extremely relieving and captivating. I think this is one of the major reasons why I enjoyed this workshop and Butoh so much, it lets me act like a wild natural animal without being judged.
The Butoh faces was another completely new aspect to me. At first, I was a bit self conscious about making such “ugly” and grotesque faces- it’s not everyday that someone encourages you to drool like an old man and show it to a group of people. However, after I while I relaxed and I started to enjoy it. Again, I saw this new aspect as a challenge, and I wanted to be good at it. I think the faces and the walks is a major reason why Butoh differs from other types of theatre. Greek Theatre for example, as far as I know, the faces used are inspired by the feelings experienced by the character one’s playing. Butoh is partly inspired by the character (if you’re playing a specific character), but often it’s inspired by different images. These images includes texture, animals or something physically happening to your body such as ant on face, orchestra in the head etc. They are often very extreme and not normal/beautiful images but they help to create a shocking and interesting performance.
To conclude, I was fascinated by:
How far I can go
How far I dare to go
The power and story behind Butoh
How fast I can pick up new skills
How I can use my previous dancing skills in drama
How I can affect other people
How affecting other people affects me
How stepping out of your comfort zone feels some comfortable afterwards.
