SEIREI – Spirit of Nature

Butoh Performance – Site-Specific Glass Collaboration

with Koichi & Hiroko Tamano, Harupin-Ha Dance Company

For this one-weekend-only performance at Theatre of Yugen, San Francisco (2004), I designed and created site-specific glass elements integrated into the dancers’ costumes and stage, including sculptural and wearable forms, suspended droplets, and mirrored surfaces.

These elements interacted dynamically with movement, light, and the live musical score composed and performed by Nanos Operetta, creating a dialogue between sound, material, and dance.

The intimate theater was filled to capacity, with audience members seated along the edges of the stage. This immersive collaboration highlighted the tension and beauty of Butoh, turning fragile glass into an extension of the body and the dance itself.

Photo credit: Doug Slater