“The reason we dance is because there are many things we do not understand.”
— Kazuo Ohno
About the Workshop
Butoh emerged in a time of profound social and cultural rupture. It was born as a revolt of the body, as a means to free oneself through dance. As a performing art form, it seeks to break with the automatisms of movement and the mechanical structures of choreography. A dance that does not necessarily begin by constructing movement, but by listening to the body and opening it to the uncertainty of the unknown.
Rooted in Butoh and informed by somatic practices, this workshop invites participants to explore the deconstruction of movement and of human identity through movement, opening the inner flower, getting rid of ourselves and allowing what is bigger than us to dance through us. Resting from ourselves and learning to fall into the movement that is constant and already there - the movement of life itself.
The workshop will focus on reducing unnecessary tension and allowing movement to emerge organically through sensation, imagery, and inner perception. The workshop creates a quiet, attentive space to stay with the process and allow the unexpected to emerge. Introspection, writing and drawing are highly encouraged, allowing space for what is being born in the process."
In the workshop, we will explore:
- Somatic practices inspired by Noguchi Taiso, a Japanese bodywork approach developed by Michizo Noguchi, which understands the body as a “body of water” — fluid, adaptable, responsive to gravity and space. These practices help release habitual tension, reorganize movement patterns, and cultivate ease and efficiency.
- Other somatic movement practices influenced by the work of Yumiko Yoshioka, Min Tanaka, Imre Thormann, emphasizing softness, weight, breath, and the body’s natural intelligence.
- Guided improvisation through images, a core tool in Butoh, using poetic and physical imagery to stimulate inner landscapes and transform sensation into movement.
- Tools to connect the inner experience with the outer world, through performance, sharing the journey with the eyes of those watching.
The workshop is open to all bodies, with or without previous dance experience. An interest in performance is required. Whether this is your first experience with movement or you are a professional in dance, theatre or performance, you are welcome.
What matters is a willingness to dive deeply into yourself, explore what emerges, and share it through performance.
Schedule:
Saturday, 21 November, 10:30–20:00 (with breaks)
Sunday, 22 November, 10:00–21:00 (with breaks)
The workshop ends with a Butoh Jam.
Venue:
4fT - Tanzplattform Leipzig, Studio 2
Erich-Zeigner-Allee 64e, Leipzig
Registration: https://forms.gle/pCdMGKTYtcikQqc47
(Non-residents may request accommodation in their registration)
Information & contact: semchenko.r.g@gmail.com
About Virginia Torres
Virginia Torres is a Spanish independent artist, dancer, performer and somatic researcher. Her background spans Flamenco and Classical Spanish Dance, later evolving toward Butoh and improvisational practices. This trajectory reflects an ongoing search for authenticity and originality in movement, positioning her work within an experimental and cross-disciplinary field.
She has created and performed several solo works and she has been part of several European Butoh festivals such as Hybrid Vienna, Valence (France), Alma Negra (Spain). As a performer, Virginia collaborated with Mamu DanceTheatre under the direction of renowned Butoh artist Tadashi Endo in 2022.
Her most recent and relevant work, Borboleta do Céu e da Terra, was developed through a residency program in collaboration with Shinehouse Theatre in Taipei, Taiwan. The piece premiered in Madrid 2025 under the direction of Matilde J. Ciria. At the moment Virginia is developing new work with a duo project with the Taiwanese artist Chia Chun Xu exploring the world of movement and experimental sound within the worlds of Butoh, Flamenco and experimental noise.
Beyond stage work, Virginia has spent the last years collaborating closely with Quinta Ten Chi in Sintra, Portugal, organizing workshops, retreats, and research-based events focused on somatic practices and embodied investigation as well as traveling to Asia sharing workshops and doing artistic research.