Julie Becton Gillum has been dancing for 60 years. Her artistic journey has taken her around the world sharing this beloved dance through teaching and performing. For Julie, Butoh and Noguchi Taiso envelop each other, weaving an essential elemental bond for training the body, creative research and performance.

She was awarded the 2008-09 NC Choreography Fellowship and used the funds to travel to Japan to study Butoh, her primary form of artistic expression.

Julie guides a butoh practice based on 24 years of research, training and performance. After training with many butoh masters, she has developed “13 Aspects of Butoh” that encompasses this training and Julie’s personal research. Students will explore the basics of Space, Time, the Senses, internal and external Forces, the Body’s functions and structure. Other Aspects of Butoh include more subtle explorations of “ma,” a Japanese concept of space, time and in-between, as well as “jo ha kyu,” another Japanese concept of modulation and movement roughly translated to mean that all actions or efforts should begin slowly, speed up and end swiftly. Some of the Aspects of Butoh are based on quotes from my mentors such as, “Dance like the ghost of yourself.” (Natsu Nakajima) or “Every dance is a prayer.” (Kazuo Ohno) or “You must train to have technique, but what is most important is ‘smoke’ or ‘flower’.” (Seisaku). Other Aspects explored will be the Face, Prayer, Masculine and Feminine.

Nomadic Dance Collective Programs

May 9 thru June 04 | Nunisi Body Retreat in Georgia