Dramatic and precisely articulated with occasionally disturbing imagery, butoh rose from the ashes of nuclear war in 1960s Japan and grew into a performance art that reflects anguish as well as a time-halting sense of transcendance. Internationally known butoh troupe Sankai Juku is coming to Yerba Buena Center this week to present the local premiere of its landmark work, the deeply-felt and visually spectacular Hibiki: Resonance from Far Away. Butoh fans, rejoice.
Mastering the tricky feat of morphing profound ideas into recognizable yet simple images, Hibiki uses slowly pooling water and white powder to reflect the journey from desolation to rebirth. In swirling costumes, the six male dancers - painted white from head to toe - weave hypnotically through the large scale set.
On the afternoon of November 13, troupe founder and choreographer Ushio Amagatsu will give a rare public talk in tribute to the legendary founder of butoh, Kazuo Ohno, who recently passed away at the age of 103.
November 11-14. YBCA's Novellus Theater, 701 Mission Street. Tickets are $31-60 at 415-978-2787 or www.ybca.org
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