“They should... drop a ladder deep into their own bodies and climb down it. Let them pluck the darkness from within their own bodies and eat it.” — Tatsumi Hijikata

Dance of Ecstatic Darkness is a new Butoh Mutations collective dance and free-movement jam, introduced this year as part of the London series.

The session offers an open-form, non-judgemental dance space. It is a place for Butoh Mutations participants to improvise and deepen their practice, and also an invitation for those who are simply curious — including people with no prior experience of Butoh or dance — to dip into what Hijikata called the dance of darkness.

The three-hour gathering follows energetic rather than purely rhythmic principles. Movement arises from sensation, inner imagery, and cellular listening, rather than steps or technique. The sound journey is carefully curated and may include deep drone, minimalist and dark electronic music, indigenous vocal traditions, and live sound and voice, offering acoustic and sensory support for rich encounters with inner landscapes.

The session unfolds in three phases:

• Arrival and descent (30 minutes): participants are gently guided “down the ladder” through breath, micro-movement, and attention.

• Immersion (90 minutes): open, self-directed dancing — diving and swimming in one’s own inner terrain.

• Return and integration (30 minutes): a soft landing through rest, reflection, sharing, drawing or journaling, accompanied by warm tea.

This is not a performance or technique class, but a ritual dance space — welcoming, exploratory, and grounded in embodied listening.

Schedule:

15 March 2026: 7.00 - 9.30 pm

5 July 2026: 7.00 - 9.30 pm

13 December 2026: 7.00 - 9.30pm

📍 Colet House, London