03/10/2021 Critiphotodanse

Stage Review on "La cantate solitaire (lonely chorus)" choreographed by Juju Alishina performed at the Aleph Theater (Ivry-sur-Seine, France)

30 september 2021.

Juju Alishina

Born in Kobé, Japan, Juju Alishina founded in 1990 in Tokyo the company NUBA which will perform in many international festivals. In 1998, she decided to settle in Paris, gave numerous courses, workshops and masterclasses, as well as various shows, including one at the Palais des Congrès in front of several European political figures, including Jacques Chirac. Her style is a mixture of traditional and avant-garde dance in which Butoh takes a leading role. She documented her method in a book, « Butoh Dance Training - Secrets of Japanese Dance through the Alishina Method " first published in 2010 in Japanese and subsequently in French and English  . She has created at least fifty choreographies. For this new work created as part of the Palimpsestes, she proposed to Michel Titin-Schnaider to compose a music in three parts, La cantate solitaire, three sound tableaux of an Olympian calm, the first, quite dark, based on male voices, the second, mixed voices creating a neutral atmosphere, and the third, female voices, more airy, more mystical, paintings that she has admirably furnished with her particular style, a Butoh nourished from all over the world. human and artistic history of her country, thus approaching the art of Kazuo Ohno.

It is perhaps the first part of this creation that turns out to be the most fascinating, due to the immaterial beauty of the character she embodied, a celestial being in a kimono, hiding his face under a veil of the most beautiful effect, like women of the Japanese nobility of the time to hide their beauty, even obscure their personality. Her gestures, charged with great emotion, are extremely delicate. At times, a strange grace emanates from her gestures, from her whole body, making her timeless. It's hard to say in words what they express because they are born from abrupto, conceived unconsciously. This is the reason why the gestures of a Butoh performance, which is not codified, is never reproducible. But the gesture that is born, heavily loaded with meaning, can nevertheless be interpreted in various ways by the audience, and felt differently by each one. This is what makes it so charming and interesting. For me (J.M. Gourreau), my experience of this show combines beauty with sensuality and diversity, Juju Alishina as a dancer with a very great presence having succeeded in inserting a theatrical game as expressive as it is fascinating into a soothing, calm and balanced choreographic play. Her dance neither narrates nor portrays; it evokes or suggests: that is why it is so fascinating. As its name suggests, "The solitary cantata" expresses, in a timeless way, the loneliness and desocialization of the isolated being, which we observe more and more often nowadays.

Written by Jean-Marie Gourreau

 03/12/2021 Magazine J'Mag #22 

Interview of Juju Alishina

Juju Alishina

NUBA Japanese dance company in Paris

- Could you introduce us to your Japanese dance company?

My name is Juju Alishina, I am a choreographer, dancer and teacher of Butoh dance and traditional Japanese dance. Butoh is a contemporary dance born in Japan.

I run my company to create performance pieces and organize Japanese dance classes and workshops.

Our main activity is to play artistic performances at events and festivals in France and abroad. I danced with dancers and musicians. But because of the sanitary situation, I mainly offer solo actually.

Since the first lockdown, I have started teaching online. Now I am more and more present and reachable by internet.

At the same time, I share educational videos on YouTube teaching Butoh dance techniques.

YouTube channel 

- What has been your background so far?

I was born in Kobe, Japan and trained at the "Fujiwaka" school - Japanese Traditional Dance School in Tokyo - where I obtained the title of professional dancer ("Natori") as well as the diploma of teaching (“Shihan”. At 19 years old, I joined a Butoh company and worked there until I was 21 years old. I did a lot of research and studies around dance until I was 27 years old, where I started my own company called "NUBA", with the advice of my master, which is the name of an African tribe whose people wear white make-up, an aesthetic very similar to that of the dancers of Butoh.

The company "NUBA" moved to Paris in 1998. The objective of our company is to transmit Japanese art in France and in Europe through artistic and educational works.

My choreographic work around Asian dance today draws on other disciplines such as fine arts and contemporary music. My Dance Method is published in three different languages and is read all over the world.

In fact I wrote a book in 2010 " Butoh Dance Training " which has been translated into French and English and published in Japan, Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia.

- What are your references, influences and sources of inspiration? 

My references are the Japanese Kabuki theater - its staging, the costumes, the white makeup, the music. 

The founders of Butoh - Tatsumi Hijikata, Kazuo Ohno, 

and many grand operas that I have discovered in Paris.

Butoh is a contemporary dance and a complete living art.

Butoh is extremely modest, which is why I incorporate diversity into this art, through influences from Kabuki, opera and Japanese Zen meditation. 

I have been influenced by Hokusai's painting, literature and poetry like Chuya Nakahara and the philosophy of Roger Caillois.

For traditional Japanese dance, I imported kimonos and fans from Japan for my dancers, in order to transmit the authentic culture to the West.

I trained in Japan from childhood, which I passed on to young dancers. This training concerns the dance technique but also the "Kitsuké" clothing in kimono, behaviors, postures and everyday gestures according to Japanese tradition.

- What are your projects and objectives for the coming months and for 2022?

I will be in Japan from December 2021 until March 2022. During those months I will be focusing on online classes and performing in Japan.

Back in France from April 2022, in addition to the artistic performances, we will organize intensive Butoh workshops in Vichy from April 25 to April 30, and in Paris in July and August 2022.

In addition, I would like to release my next book for this year 2022.

- What do you think is the definition of an artist?

An artist is a person who expresses him/herself from his/her bones, producing something of his own that no one can replace, someone who is in it 24 hours a day.

All of his/her daily activities are linked to art, and every little stimulus is linked to his/her creation.

- What advice could you give to someone who would like to get started in your world or in dancing?

I teach online, which can be a good introduction to dance for anyone interested in Butoh. The course is international, I speak French or English, the participants come from Europe, the United States and Asia. Anyone who wants to try can take one free class.

To continue training and learning, I also give regular classes in person. The great thing about online courses is that they allow you to learn and practice wherever you are (confined or not).

Today, for people who are curious to see a Butoh show, I advise them to go watch a short excerpt on YouTube first, then go see a live one.

The Butoh Festival in Paris takes place every year in June in the 1st arrondissement, for one month. You can go there, there are a lot of different troupes and I often danced in this festival.

- To conclude, would you have a last message to send to our readers to make them want to discover you or rediscover you?

Through the courses and the Butoh performances that we offer, you will be able to broaden your knowledge of authentic Japanese art and discover a contemporary discipline of the performing arts, inspired by a great cultural tradition.

Photographers: Stella Chang, Philippe Thomert, Tristan Maruyama

Original article in french