B i o g r a p h y

Natsuko Kono

is a Japanese-born Butoh dancer, teacher and choreographer.

Born in 1975, grew up in Kobe, near the Pacific Ocean.

In 2002 she moved to UK for six years, studied Performing Arts at Birkbeck University of London, then went on to dance in a number of countries. In 2015 she landed on the Baltic Island Rügen and has been living between in the middle of the nature on the island and the big capital city Berlin, Germany.

Since 2005, she has collaborated with renowned Butoh artists such as Yumiko Yoshioka, Katsura Kan, Tadashi Endo and Fran Barbe. She has also danced an opera by German film-maker Doris Dörrie in 2009-2010.

Natsuko was an invited artist in 2013 Dublin Butoh Festival, 2014-2015 Moving Bodies Festival and 2015 Paris Butoh Festival and 2024 Summer Werft Frankfurt International Theater Festival, 2024 BIG Butoh Internatinal Gathering by her solo dance productions.

In 2013-2014, Natsuko ran Butoh Academy in Novi Sad, Serbia and worked 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 Germany, 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 direction to support artists from any professions to work on their own projects with residency surrounding by great nature.

BUtoh　舞　　　　　　　踏

Natsuko grew up in the city centre of Kobe, Japan and earthquake struck when she was 19years old.

' I was trained as a sprint swimmer when I was young. In 1995, I experienced a major earthquake and for the first time in my life I faced a lot of death and both the ugly and beautiful sides of humanity. Everything was confused between reality and fantasy. “How can the solid foundation of your life (the earth beneath your feet) betray you in this way? Is nothing stable, even the foundations on which we walk?” It took me a while until I was able to walk by my own feet again. This even had repercussions on my body-mind, a stuck inner self.

In my dance, I explore this sensation of non-equilibrium, walking a tightrope between life, death. My personality, life experience, sensitivity and fears lead me to explore and transform the space and so to dance. I have both Japanese and Taiwanese heritage, and all the stories of the in-between leads me to create dances, to let stories emerge.'

Education

Birkbeck the University of London (Performing studies: Dance )

The Central London College of Reflexology

Trainings: Suzuki Method of Actor Training, Noguchi taiso, Noh theatre, Budo

Languages: Japanese, English, German

Qualifications: Reflexology, Calligraphy, Kimono dressing

photo: Karsten Bartel