History of Butoh in Hokkaido
Hokkaido Butoh Festival Artistic Director Hal Tanaka’s Memories
The 1st episode
高校生の頃、パンクバンドをやっていて地元苫小牧市のライブハウスでもらった一枚のチラシがきっかけで、そのチラシを頼りに小樽の北方舞踏派を訪ねてみた。
When I was in high school, I was in a punk band and received a flyer at a live house in my hometown of Tomakomai.
The flier intrigued me, and I visited the Hoppou Butoh ha in Otaru, which was mentioned in the flier.
舞踏がなんたるかも知らず、とにかく面白そうと言う単純な理由だけで国鉄小樽駅に降り立った。
地図を頼りに、異国のように石畳の敷かれてある情緒ある駅前通りを下り、やがて左に折れるとその洋館のビルはあった。
Not knowing what butoh was, I got off the train at Otaru Station simply because it looked interesting.
With the help of a map, I walked down an exotic, cobblestone-paved street and eventually turned left to find the Western-style building.
ビルからは激しい生ドラムの音が聴こえてきて、なんだろうと思っていると、頭をスキンヘッドにした黒いタンクトップに黒いスキニージーンズのハダシの男がビルの中から激しいドラムの音に追い出されるかのように踊りながら道路に飛び出てきた。
From the building I could hear the sound of heavy drumming and wondered what it was.
Suddenly, a barefooted man with a skinhead, wearing a black tank top and black skinny jeans jumped out into the street, dancing as if he was being driven out of the building by the intense drumming sound.
道路に出てきてもまだ狂ったように踊っているその男は、こちらに気付くとふと踊りを止めて、頓狂な顔をして「どっから来たの？」とこちらに尋ねた。
The man, who was still dancing like a madman when he came out onto the street, suddenly stopped dancing when he noticed me.
He gave me a strange look and asked, “Where did you come from?” he asked me.
今や世界の舞踏マスター・竹之内淳志との出会いであった。
竹之内淳志19歳とわたくし田仲ハル17歳。
It was my first encounter with the now world-renowned Butoh master Atsushi Takenouchi.
Atsushi Takenouchi was 19 years old and Hal Tanaka was 17 years old.
The Hoppou Butoh ha
photo Masamichi Shisa / 志佐 公道