Eiko & Koma: Delicious Movement (Part 1)

Eiko (left) and Koma, by David Fullard (Photo Credits: Eiko & Koma http://eikoandkoma.org/index.php?p=ek&t=images&id=2355)

DELICIOUS MOVEMENT: CLASS WITH EIKO

BACKGROUND

Students of Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno, pioneers of Japanese butoh, as well as Manja Chmiel (disciple of Mary Wigman, German Expressionist dancer), Eiko & Koma produce works containing movements that are raw, simple yet extremely powerful. The slowness and sustained qualities of their movement helps portray the natural landscape they paint with their bodies. In terms of set and costume design, Eiko and Koma use a lot of earth tones, and they also use the pale makeup that resembles those characteristics of butoh performers. Their work can be described by the words such as “elemental”, “archaic”, “un-materialistic”, “raw”, and perhaps “grotesque”. What is interesting to me is how they arrest the audience aesthetically.

The artists are famous for performing in outdoor venues and in living installations. Eiko and Koma have transcended boundaries to the level of visual art in that they, the performers, are the exhibited art. The duo adopt roles as directors, performers, choreographers, and set/costume designers--which goes to show how meticulous and sincere they are towards their work.

Here is a video about Eiko and Koma from their official website:

My Parents from Eiko and Koma on Vimeo.

MY FIRST CLASS WITH EIKO

I am very fortunate to be enrolled in a course taught be Eiko herself called "Delicious Movement." It is an one-credit movement class that only meets four times this Spring semester. In our first class on February 4, we learned to move while being “rested” and “accepting”. Now I am a classically trained ballet dancer who strives for perfection and technical virtuosity. Surprisingly, however, I fell in love with Eiko's movement style.

When Eiko demonstrated, she would lay down on the floor, close her eyes and begin to move very slow and subtly. It was as if she was moving her muscles a centimeter at a time, and her body was so in sync with her breath. The sequation of the movements was stunning. Honestly, how many ways CAN you move on the floor? But every time she would demonstrate, it looked completely different and most of all, effortless. I wonder whether her ability to move so slowly stems from having total control or from relaxation.

While we moved, Eiko would tell us to be open to "the butterfly that could land on our bodies" and "the dream." We were supposed to move restfully, waiting for this butterfly or this dream that is could come to us like an epiphany any minute and be gone the next. Sounds a lot like instructions for an improvisation exercise doesn't it? But no, this was different somehow. There was a delicate balance to be achieved. You are supposed to move "restfully," with the least amount of effort yet be in total control of your body. When your body finally registers this effortless movement and your breath is in control--almost like you are going to drift off into a dream.

It was a marvelous experience, and I look forward to the next three classes AND the Art Work talk given by both Eiko and Koma on Tuesday, March 8:

Art Work Series: Eiko & Koma

Tuesday, March 8, 6:00 p.m.

The New School—Wollman Hall

65 West 11^th Street, 5^th Floor

Admission is FREE and open to the public. Seating is limited.

Choreographer-dancers EIKO & KOMA are famous for groundbreaking performances and site-specific works that stretch the boundaries of the art. At The New School, they discuss their Retrospective Project (2009–2012), which highlights works created over several decades, and show documentary videos created for the project. Their newest work, Naked, a living installation, will be at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, March 29–April 9. For more information, visit www.eikoandkoma.org.

IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS WITH EIKO & KOMA:

DELICIOUS MOVEMENT WORKSHOP

March 15-16, 2011

Baryshnikov Arts Center, NYC

Delicious Movement Workshop


Tue & Wed 7-9:30pm
Baryshnikov Arts Center, Studio 6A


$65, pre-register online at www.movementresearch.org



Grounded in Eiko & Koma's movement vocabulary, the Delicious Movement Workshop is emphatically noncompetitive and appropriate for all levels of ability and training. We will move/dance to actively forget the clutter of our lives so as to fully “taste” body and mind.

Delicious Movement is presented by Movement Research and Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), and is offered in conjunction with Eiko & Koma’s living installation Naked at BAC, March 29 - April 9. For more information on Naked, visit www.bacnyc.org.

NAKED AT BARYSHNIKOV ARTS CENTER

New York, NY

March 29-April 9, 2011

Tuesday-Friday/ 6 PM - 10 PM


Saturday/ 3 PM - 9 PM

Tickets: FREE

(Reservations may be made in advanced at www.smarttix.com)

Baryshnikov Arts Center
 Studio 6A


450 W. 37th Street

New York, NY 10018

212-868-4444


This two-week-long movement/visual art installation features Eiko & Koma’s exploration of nakedness, desire, and the elasticity of time. Eiko & Koma will be on continual view in a hand-crafted environment of their design, in closer proximity to the audience than ever before. Audiences may come and go as they wish – or stay all evening.
 Naked was commissioned by the Walker Art Center and premiered there in November 2010. This event is part of Carnegie Hall’s citywide Japan NYC Festival and is presented in partnership with Asia Society and Danspace Project.