Bangkok's fifth International Butoh Festival, set for next month, celebrates a half century of the artform

In the 50 years since the first butoh performance premiered in Japan, the artform characterised by white body makeup and muscularly meditative motions, has spread around the world, including Bangkok, where the fifth International Butoh Festival will be held next month.

Performances and workshops will be at Democrazy Theatre while a photo exhibition and the closing ceremony will be at the Pridi Banomyong Institute on Thonglor.

The fest opens with a performance by Spain's Rocio Fernandez, Japan's Keiko Yamaghuchi, Nyoba Kan of Malaysia and the Butoh Co-Op Thailand on December 12 and 13 at 7.30. On December 19 and 20 at 7.30, Joao Roberto de Souza from Brazil, Thailand's B-Floor Company and Michael Sakamoto from the US will perform.

Workshops get under way on December 11 at 6 with de Souza's "The Body in Time and Space". American-Japanese Sakamoto explains the concepts of Zen in "Mind/Body/Time" on December 12 from 11 to 2. On December 13 at 1, Yamaghuchi introduce the main element in dancing butoh through different exercises in "Moved Beings".

The final workshop on December 14 at 6 will focus on "Body Manipulation", with Terry Hatfield focusing on channelling energy through qi gong and shiatsu massage.

The closing ceremony on December 21 at 7.30pm will be a Solstice Butoh Jam with all the artists joined by guest musicians from Silpakorn University.

 PRIMAL FACTS

>> The fifth International Butoh Festival runs from to December 11 to 23 at Democrazy Theatre Studio on Soi Sapankoo near Lumpini subway station (exit 1) and at the Pridi Banomyong Institute on Soi Thonglor.

>> Tickets to each show cost Bt400. Workshops are Bt500.

 >> Call (089) 167 4039 or|e-mail bfloor@bfloor|theatre.com.