Buto is rarely given the credit it deserves as one of the most innovative forms of dance and theater that emerged throughout the 20th century. One of the world's leading experts on the form, author Bruce Baird offers in The History of Buto a new account of a crucial and influential performance art of the latter half of the 20th century. Tracing the performances and techniques of ten of the most important names in the first and second generation of buto, including Hijikata Tatsumi, Maro Akaji, Carlotta Ikeda, and Kobayashi Saga, as well as following its migration abroad to France and elsewhere, The History of Buto puts on display the creativity of the founders as well as the variety of directions taken by subsequent dancers. In addition, this book places these choreographer/dancers at the center of many of our time's most important issues, demonstrating the importance and relevance of their reflections around the relationship between humans, technology and new media, and the status of gender and ethnicity in Japan, Europe, and the world. Baird guides us through all of this with an approachable, expansive view of an artform with which he is intimately and uniquely familiar.

About the Author
Bruce Baird teaches Japanese Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a research focus on buto, Japanese theater, and new media studies. He has published widely on buto including the massive co-edited volume Routledge Companion to Butoh Performance and the landmark book Hijikata Tatsumi and Butoh: Dancing in a Pool of Gray Grits. He is the recipient of two Fulbright Fellowships.

Reviews
In this book, Baird provides refreshingly frank description and analysis of their artistic and pedagogical practice centered on key themes such as gender and sexuality and the relationship between the individual and the social world. Offering what may be a concession to the interests of the average Japanese studies undergraduate, Baird also relates buto to contemporary Japanese otaku culture and the world of video games...Students and scholars of dance and dancers themselves will find this a compelling read. * Choice *
Students and scholars of dance and dancers themselves will find this a compelling read.... Highly recommended. * C. Brienza, CHOICE *
Baird's book is a welcome historical resource and commentary. His knowledge and first-hand research highlight the expansive nature of Buto's place in the 21st century. * Bonnie Sue Stein, Wendy Perron *
The book, with its deeply philosophical performance analyses based on close attention to materials in three languages (Japanese, English and French), is undoubtedly one of the most important resources on buto for English-speaking dancers and performing-arts scholars. It is also of interest for English readers in Japan, who are eager for powerful criticism and deep performance analysis of buto. * Nanako Nakajima, Theatre Research International *
Drawing from literature in multiple languages, Baird's book should have a broad, international audience. * Tanya Calamoneri, Dance Chronicle *



Book Information
ISBN 9780197630280
Author Bruce Baird
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions(mm) 150mm * 226mm * 20mm