Butoh: a bibliography of Japanese avant‐garde dance

Abstract

PurposeThis article's aim is to provide an annotated bibliographic resource guide for scholars researching butoh and academic and research libraries with collection development areas specializing in modern dance and/or Asian studies. Butoh is a Japanese avant‐garde dance form developed in 1959 as a reaction against Western influence in Japanese politics and culture. Butoh's founders, Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno, have created a dance movement that is growing in popularity in the USA, influencing psychology, fashion, music, art and architecture.Design/methodology/approachSearches were performed using a variety of databases, catalogs and online sources in dance and videos were reviewed at the New York Public Library of Performing Arts.FindingsUnlike most modern dance forms, butoh does not have a specific technique that can be passed down from teacher to student, yet it has characteristics (e.g. extremely slow movements) that create the butoh “look”. Butoh collections are fairly small, which will appeal to organizations with small budgets.Originality/valueNo other scholarly, annotated bibliography currently exists for those interested in researching or collecting information on butoh.