A Tribute to Ushio Amagatsu – In conversation with Sankai Juku

Name: A Tribute to Ushio Amagatsu – In conversation with Sankai Juku
Start: 10/5/2024 12:00:00 AM +08:00
End: 10/5/2024 12:00:00 AM +08:00

(Japan)

5 Oct 2024, Sat, 1.30pm

1hr 15mins

(Intermission: None)

Esplanade Black Room

This event is over.

Photo credit: Shintaro Shiratori

Synopsis

Come for a conversation with the company dancers of Sankai Juku, to celebrate the late Ushio Amagatsu’s half-century contribution to butoh and contemporary dance.

One of the world’s most influential and respected dance choreographers, Amagatsu founded Sankai Juku in 1975, creating moving works of art for close to 50 years before his passing in March 2024. Known for visual spectacles that are minimalist yet elegant, Sankai Juku productions have had spiritual resonance with audiences around the world. This talk will unpack Amagatsu's creative process, with a focus on his last choreographic work, TOTEM – Void and Height, his methods and his legacy from the perspective of the company dancers, some of whom are founding members of Sankai Juku.

The talk will also spotlight some of the pivotal moments in Amagatsu’s career, such as the company’s first international tour to France in 1980, sparking the formation of his key concepts of "differences and universality" and his approach to butoh as “a dialogue with gravity” – principles that continue to shape the artistic process of the company.

Be sure to catch the international premiere of TOTEM – Void and Height by Sankai Juku, the last choreographic work of the late Ushio Amagatsu.

Advisory:

Patrons who have registered will have priority entry into the venue.
Patrons who have registered must arrive early and be seated in the venue at least 5 mins before the start of the event. Otherwise, their slots will be released to walk-in patrons on a first-come, first-served basis.
Additional standing slots are available at the door on a first-come, first served basis.
This is a free standing/seating event. If the event is not fully registered, limited chairs may be available for walk-in patrons on a first-come, first-served basis.

Admission Age:

6 and above.

Language: English, Japanese

Things to Note:

Accessibility Advisory: We provide a range of access services and relaxed performances for patrons with access needs. For wheelchair-accessible seats, please call Esplanade Customer Experience at 6828 8377 for assistance. Concessions for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and up to one accompanying companion are available. | View our accessibility guide

For information about late seating, photography and more, please read our general advisory.

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Artist Information

Sankai Juku

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Sankai Juku is a butoh dance company founded by the director and choreographer Ushio Amagatsu in 1975.

Since 1982, Sankai Juku has premiered a new work approximately once every two years, 17 of which were commissioned by Théâtre de la Ville, Paris. Sankai Juku has performed in 47 countries and visited more than 700 cities in the world.

Ushio Amagatsu

Born in Yokosuka, Japan in 1949, Ushio Amagatsu founded the butoh company Sankai Juku in 1975.

He created Amagatsu Sho (1977), Kinkan Shonen (1978) and Sholiba (1979) before embarking on his first world tour in 1980. He started working and creating in France in 1981, particularly at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris. That same year, he created Bakki for the Festival d'Avignon. With Théâtre de la Ville, Paris, he has created and co-produced 16 productions since 1982.

Amagatsu also worked independently outside Sankai Juku. In 1988, he created Fushi on the invitation of Jacob’s Pillow Foundation (USA), with music by Philip Glass. In 1989, he was appointed Artistic Director of the Spiral Hall in Tokyo where he directed Apocalypse (1989), and Fifth-V (1990).

In February 1997, he directed the opera Bluebeard's Castle by Bartok conducted by Peter Eötvos at the Tokyo International Forum. In March 1998 at Opéra National de Lyon, France, he directed the world premiere of Peter Eötvos’s opera Three Sisters, which received the Prix du Syndicat National de la Critique Award in France. Three Sisters has been staged for the 2001–2002 season at Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, at Opéra National de Lyon, and at Wiener Festwochen, Austria, in 2002.

In March 2008, Amagatsu directed another opera by Peter Eötvos, Lady Sarashina, which premiered at Opéra National de Lyon and received the Prix du Syndicat National de la Critique, France. It was later staged in Opera Comique in February 2009 and in Teatr Wielki, Polish National Opera, Warsaw in April 2013.

Amagatsu has also presided on the jury of International Choreographic Competition of National Academy of Dance, Italy (2011), the Jury of the Toyota Choreography award (2002–2005) and the Jury of the International Meeting of Dance of Bagnolet (1992).

Awards and merits received include: Commandeur de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres by French Cultural Ministry (2014), the Purple-Ribbon Medal by the Japanese government (2011), Geijyutsu Sensho Prize (Art Encouragement Prize) by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (2004) and Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Letters by French Cultural Ministry (1992). The work HIBIKI received the 26th Laurence Olivier Awards (UK) for Best New Dance Production (2002).

Amagatsu passed in March 2024 at the age of 74.

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Date & Time

5 Oct 2024, Sat

1.30pm

Esplanade Black Room

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