New York Butoh Kan

Established in 2008, New York Butoh Kan (NYBK) was an effort to strengthen resources for studying Butoh and Noguchi Taiso in New York. The NYBK Training Initiative was the first and only program of its kind in the United States; it facilitated rigorous physical training and enriched students with the first-person historical context of Butoh from international masters. The NYBK endeavored to set forth an integrative training opportunity for the dancer, actor, and interdisciplinary performer, creating a platform for the future development of new work. It was the only program in the United States dedicated to the intensive study, exploration, and expansion of the practice of this potent contemporary form, which challenges conventional definitions of dance/theater. The Noguchi Gymnastics Method is a base technique for Butoh training. It encompasses philosophy and a set of exercises developed by Michizo Noguchi in the 1960s. It is based on a unique concept of perceiving the human body as a sack of water (skin) in which the bones and organs float. The NYBK brought for the first time to the USA, Noguchi Taiso teacher Mari Osanai and hosted a direct student of Michizo Noguchi, Imre Thorman, along with a selected group of first, second, and third generation of Butoh masters.

The NYBK Training Initiative was a catalyst for developing LEIMAY’s Ludus Practice.