Unbearable Darkness - Choy Ka Fai

Witness an uncanny cybernetic dance experiment conjuring Butoh master Tatsumi Hijikata from beyond the grave using a spirit medium, live dance, motion capture and a lively digital avatar. Unbearable Darkness explores the legacy of the expressive and historic dance form Butoh, questioning its appropriation in Western culture while searching for a new choreographic language for the Asian body. This paranormal performance stirs up long-gone spirits and investigates the choreographic process of a ghost.

A note on Tatasumi Hijikata

Tatsumi Hijikata (1928-1986) was a Japanese choreographer and a founder of Butoh. Butoh arose in Japan at the end of the 1950s, encompassing a diverse range of techniques including dance, performance, theatre, and movement. Hijikata would often refer to his form of physical expression as ankoku butō (“dance of darkness”).

Duration: 60 minutes

Performed in Japanese (with English surtitles)

Recommended for audiences aged 16+

Dive deeper...

Take a peek behind the scenes as Choy Ka Fai poses the question, How does a ghost choreograph?, a captivating keynote lecture in which he traces the unorthodox research process and intriguing methodologies deployed in the creation of this unique work.