Natsuko Kono
dance and performance
舞踏蝶workshop
B i o g r a p h y
Natsuko Kono
is a Berlin and Rügen based passionate artist with a great Butoh spirit. She was born in 1975 Kobe, Japan, studied Performing Art at The Birkbeck University of London. Natsuko has been working internationally as a dancer as well as a dance teacher and choreographer. She was an invited artist in 2013 Dublin Butoh Festival, 2014-2015 Moving Bodies Festival and 2015 Paris Butoh Festival and more by her solo dance productions. She also has been working with Butoh Artists Yumiko Yoshioka, Katsura Kan, Tadashi Endo and Fran Barbe among there dance theatre productions since 2005, both in dance and opera directed by Doris Dörrie. In 2013, Natsuko established Butoh Academy in Serbia and has been working there as a Butoh teacher and choreographer. In 2016, She founded ‘Butoh Initiative’ in Berlin and organizing and giving intensive Butoh Workshops in regular base.
Natsuko was Invited for Butoh workshops held in England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Portugal, Serbia, Romania and Japan.
On the northern island of Germany, Rügen, She offers individual Butoh training as well as guidance to support artists from any professions to work on their own projects with residency surrounding by great nature.
UrBAN BUtoh 舞 踏
Natsuko grew up in the city centre of Kobe, Japan and earthquake struck when she was 19years old.
'When I was young I experienced a major earthquake. This tragic situation impact my mind and body. How come the one fixed base in your life (the solid earth under your feet) can betray you like that? Is there nothing stable in life, not even the founding on which you walk? In my dance I explore this feeling of un-balance, betrayal and death. My performances are socially based but also go deep into myself to explore the profound inner feeling. Life experience and sensitivity lead me to move and fears and concerns are my motivation to be a good dancer. My heritage is both Japanese and Taiwanese, and all the in-between; dance - in other words, life-death or bringing stories to life in the realm of the Arts for me is an obsession, a passion, and a necessity’
Education
Birkbeck the University of London (Performing studies: Dance )
The Central London College of Reflexology
Trainings: Suzuki acting method, Noguchi taiso, Noh theatre, Budo
Languages: Japanese, English, German
Qualifications: Reflexology, Calligraphy, Kimono dressing
photo: Karsten Bartel