Trangression and the sacred : the body as seen through Hijikata Tatsumi's 'Dance of Darkness' and two of his critical Western influences, Georges Bataille and Antonin Artaud

Abstract

This dissertation examines the body in Butoh performance. The transgressive and sacred potential present within Hijikata Tatsumi’s dance is considered within a post-structuralist conceptual framework. The cultural and historical contexts within which Butoh emerged and the ideas that Hijikata drew upon in the formation of his dance, are analysed. These include elements from his own native philosophical, spiritual and shamanic traditions and influences from Western thinkers and artists, most notably Antonin Artaud and Georges Bataille, who exerted a major impact on his dance. The diverse sexual practices and concepts of gender that existed throughout Japanese history are explored, with special attention given to Kabuki performance for its acts of cross-dressing. I argue that Butoh dance continued the deconstructive process of this theatrical tradition, parodying and disrupting the borders which marked conventional gender roles and fixed identities. Subversive aspects of sexuality were present in Hijikata’s performance, as he staged ecstasy in scenes that portrayed violence, the abject and grotesque.