led by Shinichi and Dana Iova-Koga
with musical intervention by Nik Herold
curated by Solveigh Artschwager
For 6 days, 10 people aged between 20 and 87 from Italy, Germany, and Switzerland came together to explore the Japanese dance theatre training Butoh in the middle of the idyllic mountains of South Tyrol. Under the guidance of internationally recognized Butoh teachers Shinichi and Dana Iova-Koga, the focus was on movement research that was open to all body forms and movement capacities.
The workshop combined improvisation training, imaginative guidance, and physical precision to rediscover one’s dance. The various spaces in and around BASIS provided a supportive backdrop for the immersive explorations. Through deconstruction and composition, participants developed the ability to respond to the moment clearly, decisively, and playfully.
Together we engaged in a dialogue about how to enrich and expand our ever-evolving dance. Experimenting with movement, body sounds, moving together, and listening to ourselves and our surroundings inspired the ensuing music-making, in which the dance found its sound.
I am fascinated by how movement, dance, and music can create a space for free development and self-expression that allows people to show themselves and connect, regardless of their different backgrounds. Dance allows for a deeper connection with the present moment and encourages mindfulness, listening, and caring for each other.
I believe that our cultural and social backgrounds, histories, and environments shape not only our thoughts but also our bodies, and that dance can help us discover new forms and modes of expression through ourselves and others. Small impulses from outside or inside can find space in the body and create new movements. I like to experiment with new environments, inner images, or other bodies, immersing myself in a different world each time.
For me, this way of moving together reflects inclusion, diversity, communication, and mutual understanding and can contribute to social responsibility in art and culture.
The entire project with additional pieces by Shinichi and Dana Iova-Koga, including “Dance on Land” (Dance On Land 2016 on Vimeo) was exhibited in the BASIS gallery in Schlanders in August and curated by Katrin Gruber and Solveigh Artschwager.
