Kazuo Ohno Dance studio official Website

About Kazuo Ohno

Short biography

1906-1949

1906
Born in Hakodate City, Hokkaido.
1925-28
Graduated from Ohdate Public High School in Akita prefecture. After teachig one year at Izumizawa Elementary School in Ohdate, went to Tokyo to enter Japan Athletic College (Nihon Taiiku Daigaku). Studied Denmark Exercises and Rudolf Bode Expression Exercises.
1929
Saw the Spanish dancer "La Argentina " Antonia Merce at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo. Ohno points to this experience as the origin of his desire to become a dancer. Graduated from Japan Athletic College. Began working as a physical education teacher at Kanto Gakuin High School, a private Christian school in Yokohama. Sometime during the next five years he was baptized as a Christian on the beach at Kamakura.
1934-36
Seeing the German Expressionist dancer Harold Kreutzberg (a disciple of Mary Wigman) dance in 1934 influenced him to begin studying with Takaya Eguchi and Souko Miya in 1936. Eguch and Miya , two of the pioneers of Japanese modern dance, had brought back "Neue Tanz" from his study at Mary Wigman's dance institute in Germany.
1938-38
Drafted into the Japanese Army as a Second Lieutenant, eventually became a Captain in charge of provisions.
1945
After returning to Japan, took up teaching at Soshin Girls School and began substitute teaching at Eguchi Dance School.

Page top

1950-1959

1949-55
First dance concert, a joint performance with Mitsuko Ando (another disciple of Eguchi): "Ennui for the City," "Shoes," "A Hat " and "Kind God." Tatsumi Hijikata saw this perfomance and was influenced by it to begin studying with Ando when he moved permanently to Tokyo in 1952. Ohno and Hijikata met through Ando sometime between 1952 and 1954. First solo dance recital held in 1949 ( "Devil Cry," "Tango," "First Flower of the Linden Tree"). Subsequent recitals held in 1950 ("Spring Offering," "Festival," "Beyond the Field," "Harp of Zion," "Lotus Wandering Child"), 1951 ( "Spring Tide," "Downtown Dance") and 1953 ( "Unfinished Thoughts," "Fox and Stone Figure," "Fruits from Heaven"). He also appeared on television in 1953 and participated in one of Ando's concerts in 1954.
1956
Participated in a "Ballet Pantomime" performance with Mamako Yoneyama and Tatsumi Hijikata, at Haiyu-za theater in Roppongi.
1959
Performed "The Old Man and the Sea" (based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway) at Daiichi Seimei Hall Participated with Hijikata in "6 Avant-garde Artists- An Experience for 650 People" at Daiichi Seimei Hall. Hijikata performed a revised two part version of "Kinjiki" (Forbidden Colors), which included a section choreographed for Ohno based on the character Divine, the aging male prostitute in Jean Genet's "Notre -Dame -des -Fleurs".

Page top

1960-1969

1960
Participated in the first "Tatsumi Hijikata Dance Experience Concert" at Daiichi Seimei Hall. Danced a revised version of "Divine" and a piece based on Lautreamont's "The Song of Maldoror".
1961
Participated in the second "Tatsumi Hijikata Dance Experience Concert" at Daiichi Seimei Hall. Dances included "A Secret Daytime Ritual of Hermaphrodite" and "Sugar Cake".
1963
"Sacrifice Ceremony" at Asahi Hall. Kazuo Ohno danced the role of koken (the black-robed assistant in traditional theater), Monaaru Sato played the ritualist, other dancers included Akira Kasai and Takeshi Watanabe.
1965
Participated in "A Rose-colored Dance: A La Maison de M. Shibusawa", choreographed and directed by Hijikata; artists included Natsuyuki Nakanishi and Tadanori Yoko, other dancers included Yoshito Ohno, Mitsutaka Ishii, Koichi Tamano and Akira Kasai.
1966
Participated in the break-up performance of Hijikata's group Ankoku Butoh-ha: "Illustrated Textbook of the Rewards and Punishments of Sex Tomato" at Shinjuku Kinokuniya Hall. Directed and choreographed by Hijikata
1967
Guest appearrance in Tomiko Takai's dance recital, "Keijijogaku" (Metaphysical Emotion). Based on the poetry collection of the same name by Ikuya Kato. Hijikata directed and choreographed; artists included Akira Shimizu, dancers included Yoshito Ohno, Koichi Tamano and Akira Kasai. Guest appearrance in Ishii Mitsutaka's dance concert at Daiichi Seimei Hall "Butoh Genet," a dance influenced by both Jean Genet and Aubrey Beardsley.
1968
Guest appearrance in Ishii Mitsutaka's dance concert "O Genet" at Ginza Gas Hall. Guest appearrance in Tomiko Takai's second dance recital, "Mandala Mansion" at Daiichi Seimei Hall. Theme taken from a poetry collection by Ikuya Kato. Hijikata directed and choreographed.
1969
Starred in "A Portrait of Mr.O," a movie directed by Chiaki Nagano.

Page top

1970-1979

1971
Starred in a second movie directed by Nagano, "Mandala of Mr. O."
1973
Starred in a third movie directed by Nagano, "Mr. O's Book of the Dead."
1975
Guest appearrance in Yasuhiko Takeuchi's dance concert, "Song of Narcissus" at the small hall of Shinjuku Kosei Nenkin.
1977
Premiere of "Admiring La Argentina," at Daiichi Seimei Hall. Directed by Hijikata. Awarded the Dance Critics' Circle Award for 1977.
1979
Performed "A Canoe Passes under the Cherry Blossoms" (based on a poem by Kazuko Shiraishi) as part of a dance concert of commemorating Takaya Eguchi at Yubin Chokin hall.

Page top

1980-1989

1980
Invited to the 14th International Festival in Nancy, France. Performed "Admiring La Argentina," and "A Dreame of a Fetus." In June and July gave performances with his group (which included Minoru Hideshima, Mitsuyo Uesugi, Moritsuna Nakamura and Tokuji Ikebe) in Strassbourg, London, Stuttgart, Paris and Stockholm. In August gave a lecture demonstration as part of Montreal's "Symposium '80" at the University of Quebec. Performed "Admiring La Argentina" at the Theater Alfred la Liberte.
1981
Performed "My Mother" at Daiichi Seimei Hall. Directed by Hijikata In July performed "Admiring La Argentina" at the International Theater Festival in Caracas, Venezuela. Gave a lecture demonstration at the University of Caracas. Six night performance alternating "Admiring La Argentina" and "My Mother" at La Mama E.T.C. in New York City.
1982
Toured Europe: performances included theater festival in Munich, Copenhagen, Barcelona and Avignon.
1983
Performed in Italy in February and Israel in March. Visited the Dead Sea for the first time.
1985
Participated in the 1985 Butoh Festival in Tokyo. Performed "Admiring La Argentina" and premiered "The Dead Sea" (a duo performance with Yoshito Ohno) at Marion Asahi Hall. Performed "The Dead Sea" and "Admiring La Argentina" at Joyce Theater in New York City, as part of the "Close-up of Japan" series sponsored by the Mitsui Group.
1986
Tatsumi Hijikata died of cancer on January 21st. Performed in Australia, Brasil, Argentina, Berlin, United States and Europe.
1987
Premiered "Water Lilies", a duo performance with Yoshito Ohno, in Sttutgart. Performed "Water Lilies" as part of the "Hommage to Tatsumi Hijikata" Butoh Dance Festival at the Ginza Saison Theater.
1988
Participated in the First New York International Festival of the Arts. Performed "Water Lilies" at the Asia Society. Premiered "Mushi Biraki" (Insect Metamorphosis) as part of the Tokyo International Theater Festival, at Seibu Studio 200 in Ikebukuro. Participated in Dresden Comtemporary Music Festival. Gave a lecture demonstration at the previous Mary Wigman School and performed "Admiring La Argentina" at Kleines Haus.
1989
Toured Italy: workshop in Venezia and outdoor performances in the summer festivals of Sardenia, Lipari and Salina in Sicily. Gave workshop and performances in Vienna. Participated in Festival International de Nouvelle Danse in Montreal, the IMMT Festival in Budapest, Europalia Japan in Belgium and the Cervantino Festival in Mexico.
In November performed at Teatro Petruzzeli in Bari and at Spazio Zero in Rome. Workshop and performances in West Berlin. Visited Cremona where lute-maker, Stradivalius lived. Decided to create a piece related to Stradivalius at the municipal theater of Cremona in 1990.

Page top

1990-1999

1990
Performed "Admiring La Argentina" and "The Dead Sea" at the AI Hall in Itami and "Insect Metamorphosis" at the Nanatsu-Dera Kyodo Studio in Nagoya.
First book "The Palace Soars into the Sky" was published by Shicho-Sha. The book includes his essays on Butoh piece creation, photos of each work and articles about Ohno.
In May premiered "Ka Cho Fu Getsu"(Flowers-Birds-Wind-Moon), a duo performance with Yoshito Ohno at Teatro Ponchielli in Cremona.
Performed in Japan: in Yokohama within the Yokohama-Barcelona City Creation in June and in Takamatsu, Sapporo and Kushiro in August.
In September performed "Water Lilies" at Premier Dance Theater of Harbourfront in Toronto, as part of the "Close-up of Japan" series sponsored by the Mitsui Group.
In October and November performed in Gottingen, Paris and Prague. In Paris stayed 3 weeks to give workshop and performances within the Iles de Danse Festival.
1991
Performed "Water Lilies" at the Kanazawa-city Cultural Hall in January. Performed "Ka Cho Fu Getsu" at the Ginza Saison Theater in Tokyo in August.
Toured Europe in August through September: performances in festivals of Castiglioncello and Rovereto in Italy, Helsinki and Geneve.
In September performed "Hook-nose Salmon of Ishikari" as a tribute to the Ishikari River and returning salmon on an outdoor stage at the mouth of the Ishikari River and "The Dead Sea" in the precinct of the Chofuku-ji temple in Nanao.
Starred in "The Scene of the Soul", a film directed by Katsumi HIRANO.
Performed "Admiring La Argentina" at the Shonandai Cultural Center in Fujisawa.
1992
Performed in Wuppertal and Gottingen in January. A series of 4 performances, titled "Dreams of 10 Nights", celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Terpsichore Theater at the Terpcichore in Tokyo in February.
Premiered "A White Lotus Bloom" at the Tokyo FM Hall with Yoshito Ohno (dancer) and Haruna Miyake (composer) in March. Performed in Berlin as part of the "Close-up of Japan" sponsored by the Mitsui Group, and in Bremen in April.
Toured Brasil and participated in festivals in Londrina, Santo Andre and Belo Horizonte in June through July.
"Dessin", his second book, was published by Ryokugei-Sha. The book includes his drawings and notes on Butoh piece creations.
Premiered a Butoh piece of "Oguri-Hangan and Terute-Hime" with Yoshito Ohno (dancer), Toshiyuki Tsuchitori (percussionist) and Harue Momoyama (singer) in Ogaki in November.
Performed "Ka Cho Fu Getsu" in Kushiro in November and "Water Lilies" in Tokyo in December.
1993
Performed in the Hong Kong Arts Festival in February.
Appears in a TV program by NHK, "Music Fantasy - KUROZUKA" based on a Noh play "Kurozuka" in March. Performed "A White Lotus Bloom" in the Kawasaki City Museum in March.
Appeared in a Butoh piece "Palace Soars Across the Sky" held in a warehouse in the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Premises in April.
In August performed "A White Lotus Bloom" in Odate and "The Dead Sea" in Akita as a part of JADE Festival and also participated in the Butoh Festival in Seoul.
Toured the United States including Los Angels, Seattle, Omaha, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York, Richmond, Amherst in October through November.
Received a Cultural Award of Kanagawa Prefecture in November.
Performed "Oguri-Hangan and Terute-Hime" with Yoshito Ohno (dancer), Toshiyuki Tsuchitori (percussionist) and Harue Momoyama (singer) in Shonandai Cultural Center.
1994
In April performed "Water Lilies" in Teatro Fonte in Yokohama, as the first program of the Kazuo Ohno Retrospective of his representative works since 1977.
Participated in the Singapore Festival of Arts and in the Guandu Arts Festival of Taipei in May through June.
Toured Lisbon, Paris, Avignon and Perigueux in July and August. In September performed "Admiring La Argentina" in Teatro Fonte in Yokohama, as the 2nd program of the periodic retrospective.
In October invited to an event of the Odin Theater's 30th anninversary in Holstebro of Denmark and performed in Warsaw.,
In December performed "Oguri-Hangan Terute-Hime" in Tokyo.
1995
In February performed "The Dead Sea" in Teatro Fonte in Yokohama, as the 3rd program of the periodic retrospective.
In April premiered "The Road in Heaven, The Road in Earth" in the Keio University in Yokohama."KAZUO OHNO", a 14min. film by Daniel Schmid was premiered in May.
In October participated in the Art Summit Indonesia'95 and toured Padangpanjang (West Sumatra) and Jakarta.
In November performed "My Mother" in Teatro Fonte in Yokohama, as the 4th program of the periodic retrospective.
1996
Performed "My Mother" in New York in February.
Appeared in "The Written Face", a film by Daniel Schmid.
In March performed "The Road in Heaven, the Road in Earth" in Osaka.
In May presented "Ka Cho Fu Getsu" as the 5th program of the periodic retrospective in Teatro Fonte. Participated in Carrefour International de Theatre in Quebec.
In October performed "The World of Kazuo Ohno -- From Divinarianes by Jean Genet" in Yokohama.
1997
In March performed "The Road in Heaven, The Road in Earth" in Ferrara, Rimini and Remscheid.
"Workshop's Words" was published by Film Art Sha in April.
In May through June toured Brasil. Performed "Water Lilies" in Osaka in September and in Hakodate in October.
In November presented "The Road in Heaven, the Road in Earth" as the 5th program of the periodic retrospective in Teatro Fonte.
1998
In February performed "My Mother" in Yokohama. Designated as the Messenger of the Year on the International Dance Day by International Theater Institute.
In June performed "Mu" with Hideo Kanze(Noh actor) in Tokyo.
In November received a Cultural Award of Yokohama City and performed "The Road in Heaven, The Road in Earth" in Tokyo. In December performed "The Road in Heaven, The Road in Earth" in Osaka.
1999
In March gave an atelier performance in the studio next to his home.
In June paticipated in the Juksan International Arts Festival in Korea.
In September "Bread for Soul" was published by Film Art Sha. Had operations for cataract and cerebral hemorrhage.
In October received the Michelangelo Antonioni Award for the Arts and performed "Celebration" in Venice.
In December, performed "Requiem for the 20th Century" n New York.

Page top

2000-

2000
In January performed at Torii Hall in Osaka.
In June performed "Flower of the Universe"in Yokohama. In October performed "Flower of the Universe" in Tokyo at the Tokyo International Festival of Performing Arts.
In November hospitalized because of internal bleeding in the left buttock and cancelled the performances for the rest of the year.
In the same month "Kazuo Ohno On Screen" was held, where 16 films on Kazuo Ohno was screened.
2001
In January the video/DVD"Kazuo Ohno: Beauty and Strength" was published by NHK software.
In March resumed the atelier performance at Kamishoshikawa, Yokohama and continued to give a performance per month until July.
In October performed "Flower"at Shinjuku Park Tower Hall, Tokyo at the Tokyo International Festival of Performing Arts.
In November received the grand prize of Oribe Awards.
2002
In January performed at Kyoto Seika University and received the Special Award of the 1st Asahi Performing Arts Awards.
In May participated in Nakagawa Yukio’s performance "Flower Fanatic"in Echigo-Tsumari Art triennial 2003.
In September performed "Life, in My Butoh: the form and the soul"in Tokyo.
In November performed at Isamu Noguchi Room, Keio University.
2003
In Februray performed "My mother’s song"at Kanamori Hall for its 15th anniversary of its opening.
In April performed and screened "Palace Soars Across the Sky(1993)"at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse for its 1st anniversary of its opening.
In August performed at Aichi Arts Center in Nagoya to commemorate the opening of Kazuo Ohno video library.
In September gave an open-air performance"Death connection" at the Site of Reversible Destiny—Yoro Park, Yoko, Gifu.
In October performed at the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art within the exhibition "In honor of Tatsumi Hijikata."
In November performed "The dearest person"with Yoshito Ohno in Kiryu.
2004
From June to July Kazuo Ohno Festival 2004 was held under the joint sponsorship of Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio and BankART 1929.
On the occasion "The Kazuo Ohno Photo Album"was published by BankART 1929. DVD"KAZUO OHNO & Portrait of Mr.O"was published by Canta Ltd. "KAZUO OHNO"was originally directed by Daniel Schmid in 1995 and "Portarit of Mr.0"was directed by Chiaki Nagano in 1969.
2005
From October to November Kazuo Ohno Festival 2005 was held under the joint sponsorship of Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio and BankART 1929. On the occasion "Kazuo Ohno and Tatsumi Hijikata in the 1960s" was published by BankART 1929.
In December performed in Yoshito Ohno’s “Isshin” at Yokohama’s Teatro Fonte.
2006
In July film director, Koki Tange filmed Kazuo at home and in the dance studio for “Jesus Flowers Death Life.”
In October Kazuo Ohno Festival 2006 was held under the joint sponsorship of Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio and BankART 1929. Participated in his 100th birthday celebrations with many well-wishers. “The Butterfly Dream” by Eikoh Hosoe was published by Seigensha publishers.
From October to January 2007, the Louvre Museum screened “The Portrait of Mr. O” as part of their exhibition “Corps etrangers, Dance, Dessin, Film.” In December the Centre Pompidou, Paris screened “Kazuo Ohno A Long Interview.”
2007
In January Hyakkaryouran Gala Concert was held at the Kanagawa Prefectural Seishonen Centre to celebrate Kazuo’s centenary birthday. Joined all the guest artists for the curtain call. Film Art-sha published “A Hundred Years of Butoh.”
In March “Kazuo Ohno as though speaking to himself”, a documentary film by Koshiro Otsu, was screened. From March to April an exhibition “Buon Compleanno, Maestro. Omagio a Kazuo Ohno” was held at the Archeological Museum of Bologna, Italy.
In October Kazuo Ohno Festival 2007 was held under the joint sponsorship of Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio and BankART 1929. Joined Carolyn Carlson on-stage after her performance of “Double Vision.” This was to last ever public appearance. BankART 1929 published “Kazuo Ohno at 100.” The Japan Society in New York organized “Kazuo Ohno at 101, a three-week marathon of Butoh performances.”
In November Meiji Gakuin University organized symposium: “Kazuo Ohno: Butoh and Life.”
In December hospitalized during which period received a constant flow of visitors.
2008
In February released from hospital. Remained bed-bound at home afterwards. From March to May an exhibition “Kazuo Ohno 101” was held at SESC Paolista, Sao Paolo. The exhibition was shown also in Campinas and Rio Preto.
In October Kazuo Ohno Festival 2008 was held under the joint sponsorship of Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio and BankART 1929.
2009
From September to October Kazuo Ohno Festival 2009 was held under the joint sponsorship of Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio and BankART 1929.
2010
In February Yoshito Ohno collaborated with Anthony and the Johnsons in “Anthony and the Ohnos” at the Tokyo’s Sogetsu Hall, featuring a screening of Kazuo’s films. DVD “Kazuo Ohno Flower/ An Offering to Heaven. Ikebana Master Yukio Nakagawa’s Challenge” was published by Canta Co. Ltd and NHK Enterprise.
On June 1st urgently hospitalized in Yokohama. Surrounded by his family and those close to him, Kazuo Ohno passed away at 16:38, at the age of 103.
On July 17th “Bravo! A Joyous Send-off for Kazuo Ohno” was held at BankART Studio NYK, Yokohama. Over 700 hundred people made their farewells and showed their gratitude to Kazuo. The memorial book “Kazuo Ohno Chronicle of a Lifetime 1906-2010” was published by Canta Co. Ltd.

Short biography