Butoh is a contemporay dance form birthed in Japan in 1959. Some know it, to others it is liminal from media blips. Ultimately is an improvised somatic performance, liminal in that respect. It is a beautiful and challenging niche in culture. Butoh has NW concentrations in Seattle, BC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boulder, Chicago, New York, Mexico, more. That includes Portland organized by Carl Annala.
If you like, the movie Butoh: Body on the Edge of Crisis gives a history.
Portland's most famous butoh performer, Mizu, has ridden off into the sunset with her love. With that, Portland has a continuing butoh festival and workshops throughout the year.
This year visiting artists are Joan Laage/Kogut Butoh, Julie Becton Gillum, Minja Mertanen, Vanessa Skantze, Iván Espinosa and Co, Ash Pillar, Arlo King, Amapola, Salty Xi Jie Ng, Olga Kravtsova, Monel Chang, and Didi (Freddi) Wyss.
For movers, Minja Mertanen, Vanessa Skantze, Julie Becton Gillum and Joan Laage/Kogut teach workshops. The workshops are a bargain.
Last year, the festival was graciously hosted by Portland Art Collective. Now it occupies the New Expressive Works studio.
The Northwest Butoh Festival in Portland. https://northwestbutohfestival.crd.co/ https://newexpressiveworks.org/nwbutohfestival2026 at New Expressive Works Studio 810 SE Belmont.
Workshops Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 6PM-10, 10AM-2, and 10AM-2 respectively. Prices in links.
Performances Thursday, Friday, Saturday. 8PM Indiviual tickets $25, $20, senior/artist/student $15. All performance ticket $60.
