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Corporeal Reformation: Butoh Explorations and Body as Phenomenon

Remembering is a form of empowerment. As it pertains to this experience that includes the body the term corporeal reformation is used. It is a way of saying at this moment my body needs a reevaluation, a reorganizing, a re-shifting that is deep and spiritual. A remembering of something that came before that is so embedded in ourselves that it is a part of well being. It is a daily practice that by no means will be complete.

This workshop will explore basics (grounding stances), poetic dance notation (Butoh-fu), improvisational image making, body as phenomenon.

Butoh is an avant garde dance form that emerged after World War II and Westernization had devastated Japan. In rejection of Western beauty standards, the dance focuses on highly controlled forms that often emphasize imperfection and exploratory movement. Dance themes often connect to nature and evoke the gravitational pull of the earth on the body. A dance of life, butoh looks deeper into understanding forms known to us from long ago. Butoh is now an internationally practiced and recognized dance form.

If you are interested in volunteering for this workshop or would like to pay a sliding scale rate please email josie at info@razethewhitebox.com.

Divinebrick (josie j)

Artist divinebrick (josie j) is a self iconoclast search for the sacred primordial being. divinebrick name is a placeholder for an idea that the self is a divine phenomenon holding and care taking the grander whole. Decolonizing the self is the remembering of the soil the self is made of. The name “josie j” is the further erasure of the colonized self accepted for autonomy.

In 2010 josie j began studies in dance with Koichi and Hiroko Tamano. The Tamano’s are Berkeley based Butoh Masters, once students of Tatsumi Hijikata.

josie j has also studied movement with Oguri In Venice, Ca. Oguri being a greatly influential dancer in josie j’s style. While in San Francisco working with the Tamanos josie j worked with performance artist Guillermo Gomez-Pena, who works in a Psycho Magic style.

Gung Fu and Tai Chi practice is also influential in josie j’s corporeal explorations. Studying these Chinese ancient medicines with James Ibrao, from 2013 till his passing in 2020. Sifu James Ibrao was a martial arts legend living in Los Angeles, CA.

Visual, sound, video and craft arts are also mediums that often are used in josie j’s work.