Holland Festival: About Kazuo Ohno

Alongside Tatsumi Hijikata, Kazuo Ohno (1906–2010) is considered one of the originators of butoh, the experimental Japanese dance form that is also a great inspiration for associate artist Trajal Harrell. Instead of butoh’s customary improvisation, Kawaguchi follows a radically different method by reconstructing Ohno’s iconic solos, like Admiring La Argentina (1977) and My Mother (1981), down to the smallest detail. 

If you are familiar with Ohno’s work, you will recognise his movements in Kawaguchi’s body. If you are not, you will see a performance in which the memory of dance and the intangibility of time are central. What is imitation, and what is original?

This year's associate artist of Holland Festival, Trajal Harrell says the following about About Kazuo Ohno:  

"One of the guests will be my best friend from Tokyo, choreographer and dancer Takao Kawaguchi. We share an affinity and love for Kazuo Ohno."

Meet the artist: Takao Kawaguchi

For Takao Kawaguchi his background in mime forms the basis of his career as an artist. During the after talk on Thursday June 12th Takao talks with moderator Maaike Muis about his wide range of projects at the intersection of experimental theatre, dance and performance art, in which he used his body as the main medium.