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Thu 12 Jun ’25 and Fri 13 Jun ’25
Holland Festival: About Kazuo Ohno
Takao Kawaguchi (JP)
Final tickets
© Takuya Matsumi

Holland Festival: About Kazuo Ohno

Takao Kawaguchi (JP)
Thu 12 Jun ’25 and Fri 13 Jun ’25
Kawaguchi uses archival footage of Kazuo Ohno’s performances as a basis
Thu 12 Jun ’25
and
Fri 13 Jun ’25

In About Kazuo Ohno, Takao Kawaguchi pays tribute to legendary Japanese butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno. Not by interpreting his style, but by meticulously copying his movements, based on film and photo material. 

Alongside Tatsumi Hijikata, Kazuo Ohno (1906–2010) is considered one of the originators of butoh, the experimental Japanese dance form that is also a great inspiration for associate artist Trajal Harrell. Instead of butoh’s customary improvisation, Kawaguchi follows a radically different method by reconstructing Ohno’s iconic solos, like Admiring La Argentina (1977) and My Mother (1981), down to the smallest detail. 

If you are familiar with Ohno’s work, you will recognise his movements in Kawaguchi’s body. If you are not, you will see a performance in which the memory of dance and the intangibility of time are central. What is imitation, and what is original?

'One of the guests will be my best friend from Tokyo, choreographer and dancer Takao Kawaguchi. We share an affinity and love for Kazuo Ohno.'

Trajal Harrell, associate artist Holland Festival 2025 

Aftertalk Thursday June 12th

Duration: 110 min. 

please note: a pre-performance will start at 19:00 in F2

Part of

Credits

choregraph and danser Takao Kawaguchi

© Takuya Matsumi