LADDER 梯子 BUTOH and MASK PERFORMANCE

"Ladder 梯子"- Collaboration with Emiko Agatsuma (Butoh Dancer) and Miya Turnbull (Mask Artist)

Experience a unique collaboration where Emiko Agatsuma (Tokyo, Japan) and Miya Turnbull (Halifax, NS) come together for a mesmerizing performance. Witness the fusion of Butoh dance and photo-realistic portrait Masks in a one-of-a-kind show that will transport you to a dream-like world. Don't miss this opportunity to see these creative artists blend their talents in a captivating performance alongside stunning custom music created and performed live by Gozu Mezu (Hitoshi Sugiyama) (Edmonton, AB).

"Ladder 梯子" explores layers of cultural identity, masking, Japanese references and connections of shared ancestry and memories. The project also researches and honours multiple generations through the history of the Japanese diaspora in Canada as experienced by Miya's maternal family and many others. The performance floats in and out of the spirit realm, referencing folklore and imagery such as Yokai (supernatural entities). Emiko and Miya have been working together in a creative residency in Halifax, N.S. from April through to June to combine their artistic skills to create approximately a 40 minute performance. Hitoshi has been working remotely and in-person with Emiko and Miya, to create an ambient musical landscape also inspired by his Japanese and Canadian experiences, paired with live performances of Taiko drumming and Shinobue (Japanese flute). Together during their creation residency, new masks of each performer have been created and inspired by the choreography, movement and music and in turn, the performance has been influenced and informed by Miya's masks in true collaboration form.

This showing is just the beginning of their collaboration together. They hope to further expand and develop their project and showcase across Canada and Japan in the future.

For more information about the project, please visit: https://www.agaxart.com/ladder

Ticket Information:

There are 3 Performances so when you purchase your ticket, make sure you are selecting the correct date and time you would like to attend.

Friday, June 28th: 7:30pm + Artist Talk to follow

Saturday, June 29th: 2:00pm + Artist Talk to follow

Satruday, June 29th: 7:30pm

General admission is $20.

There are discounts available to use as needed if finances are a barrier for you. Please use passcode: LADDER5 for a $5 discount and passcode: LADDER10 for a $10 discount. You have to manually enter these when you select your tickets. Ticket sales will help support our project and venue costs.

Bus Stop Theatre Lobby and Bar opens 1 hour before each performance. Doors to the stage open 30 minutes before. Please stay after each show to chat with us!

Biographies:

Emiko Agatsuma is a versatile Japanese artist recognized for her role as a traditional Butoh dancer, choreographer, and as the long standing Artistic Director at AGAXART, a platform dedicated to nurturing Butoh talent in Japan and internationally. www.agaxart.com and Instagram: @emiko.agatsuma

Miya Turnbull is a multi-disciplinary visual artist based in Kjipuktuk (Halifax, NS). She is primarily a mask-maker, and new to her practice is performance. Miya is 3rd and 4th generation mixed Japanese Canadian and British Canadian. www.miyaturnbull.com and Instagram: @miyamask

Gozu Mezu is also known as Hitoshi Sugiyama. He was born and raised in Japan and is currently based in Edmonton, Alberta. He is a musician specializing in improvisation, ambient electronic music as well as Taiko (drum) and Shinobue (flute). He has released 2 albums under the name of Gozu Mezu: Homesick (2022) and Shogyomujo (2022). https://t-a-i-l.ca/artists/gozu_mezu/index.html and Instagram: @gozu_mezu

This project has been generously funded by the Tokyo Arts Council (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture), Arts Nova Scotia (Support4Culture), the Canada Council for the Arts/ Conseil des arts du Canada. We would also like to thank Prismatic Arts Festival, Kinetic Studio and the Japanese Society of Halifax for their support.