Ren Gyo Soh Training Course 2020
Ren Gyo Soh offers the 10 week training course with Yokko. She teaches Butoh, movement and physical theatre training both nationally and internationally. Each program ranges from 30-100 hours. In addition, she has taught performing arts, acting, dance and theatre programs at universities. She has also worked privately with clients who are interdisciplinary artists, visual artists, singers, performing artist including a Grammy award winner. This course will be the condensed version of what she has offered in those programs.
She now serves as an adjunct faculty member at the New Group BFA Acting program at Long Island University Brooklyn (LIU Brooklyn), and the MFA Acting program at Brooklyn College, and a guest teaching & performing artist at Atelier Teatro Fisico (Turin-Italy). She has held her workshop at St. Lawrence University (NY), SUNY New Paltz (NY), Amherst College (MA), Actors Studio Drama School MFA, Stella Adler Academy of Acting, The Actors Studio (NYC) in USA, and also in Edinburgh (UK), Warsaw (Poland), and Izmir (Turkey). She has also taught at UNFIX NYC, Ecstatic Dance, and other organizations in New York City.
She now serves as an adjunct faculty member at the New Group BFA Acting program at Long Island University Brooklyn (LIU Brooklyn), and the MFA Acting program at Brooklyn College, and a guest teaching & performing artist at Atelier Teatro Fisico (Turin-Italy). She has held her workshop at St. Lawrence University (NY), SUNY New Paltz (NY), Amherst College (MA), Actors Studio Drama School MFA, Stella Adler Academy of Acting, The Actors Studio (NYC) in USA, and also in Edinburgh (UK), Warsaw (Poland), and Izmir (Turkey). She has also taught at UNFIX NYC, Ecstatic Dance, and other organizations in New York City.
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Spring Course I January - May 2020Date: January 30 - April 18 (Shifted to Online, and finished the course in May 28)
Duration: 8 weeks 20hours (Added 5 more hours due to COVID-19 in Online class setting) Tuition: $325- (variety of discount available) Class Meeting Time: Thursdays 7-9:30pm in person class, 6-8pm Online Course Thorugh this program, you will cultivate your instruments so that you may access not only internal materials but also external materials around for any creative circumstances. Through Butoh training, you will be revealing, discovering, and unfolding hidden self; which is a gift that you have, and you will be able to share them with others. You will practice to let go of your self and to be "possible body" (I call it "available body" as well.), which you may be able to transform (or become) anything else (both living objects and non-living objects). Your body is a vessel. Through movement exercises, you will learn knowledge of your instruments, so that you may apply it to your work functionally.
Everyone is different: When you bring an individual life into work, it will blossom with the unique surprise of each artist. Butoh brings vibrancy to your life. And it challenges your limitations physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You will develop breathing, concentration, relaxation, emotional capacity, physical & mental stamina, and imagination. And in this way, you develop your own “living body.” You may experience more “living” than you do in your daily life. Butoh activates your vital energy. This Workshop incorporates Butoh, Pure Movement, Noguchi Gymnastic, Acting, Voice & Movement, and Yoga. |
Student Testimony:
I took Ren Gyo Soh’s Spring Training Course and was amazed by the amount that I learned. From body awareness to a comprehensive examination of Butoh history, philosophy and techniques, Yokko opened up an avenue of physical expression that I would not have been able to achieve on my own. -Suzanne Willett |
Fall Course I September 22 - December 1 2020Session Date: Tuesdays 8-10pm
Duration: 10 weeks 20 hours of in class training + Performance Party in Dec. 5 Tuition: $250- (Artist Discount $225) **FILLED: Waiting list is open. Please apply if you would like to be on the waiting list. Class Description:
In this online training course, we will focus on discovering and developing your craft. While we explore this new society we’re living in Ren Gyo Soh will continue to offer essential training through an online format. I believe this adds an extra layer that is ever evolving! What is happening right now certainly has been influencing all of us as people and artists. So why not to use this oppotunity to evolve ourselves and our work? You will cultivate your instruments (Body, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Energy, Emotion) through training, so that you may access internal and external materials for any creative circumstances. Through Butoh training you will be revealing, discovering, and unfolding your hidden self. This is a gift and you will be able to share that with others. You will practice how to let go of yourself and be “the possible body" (Also called "the available body"), so that you may be able to transform/become living and non-living objects. Your body is a vessel. Through these movement exercises, you will learn your instrument so that you may apply it to your work. I believe everyone is different and when you bring your individuality into your work, it will blossom with unique surprise. Butoh brings vibrancy to your life and it challenges your physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual capabilities. You will develop your breathing, concentration, and relaxation skills. You will also expand your emotional capacity, extend your physical and mental stamina, and deepen your imagination. Through this practice, you develop your own living body. You may experience more living than you do in your daily life as Butoh activates your vital energy. At the same time, you will learn to let go of the self and experience the empty, unknown, mystical self. You will be fully you, everyone else and also no one... you can be space itself. I recommend this training course to someone who resonates with the ideas of transformation, possibility, availability, evolution, change, fusion, curiosity, passion, dreams and freedom from restriction. I highly recommended this course to any artist who is interested in incorporating Butoh into their work and who is in need of some creative inspiration for your work. :) This course incorporates Butoh Dance, Pure Movement, Noguchi Movement, Acting, Voice, Yoga & Physical Theatre (Basic Viewpoints, Basic Laban, Basic Lecoq). Course Requirement
-Wifi -Space to move (Ideally quiet space for you) -Sign for the liability agrement (Take care of your health and body condition) Course Schedule:
Tuesdays 8-10pm (EDT/EST) Sep.22, 29, Oct.6, 13, 20, 27 NO CLASS in Nov. 3 Nov. 10, 17, 24, Dec. 1 Showcase Dec. 5 Course Assignments & Project -Weekly Assignments (Readings & Practice) -Project (Creating your own work) -Showcase at the end of the course to celebrate |
"My dance is the expansion of human concept- letting a human body metamorphosis into anything including an animal, a plant, even an object which does not have a life, and the fundamental ideology of my butoh is finding the possibility." -Tatsumi Hijikata
"Butoh is a dance of life" - Kazuo Ono
"You are enough" -Elizabeth Kemp
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"There is no light without darkness" -many teachers
"Butoh is a sensation; not a presentation"-
"Butoh is breathing"
"Pay attention to the cracks, because that's where the light gets in"
-Leonard Cohen
If it is hidden, there is a flower. If it is not hidden there is no flower.
-Zeami (From Flowery spirits)
"Butoh is a dance of life" - Kazuo Ono
"You are enough" -Elizabeth Kemp
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"There is no light without darkness" -many teachers
"Butoh is a sensation; not a presentation"-
"Butoh is breathing"
"Pay attention to the cracks, because that's where the light gets in"
-Leonard Cohen
If it is hidden, there is a flower. If it is not hidden there is no flower.
-Zeami (From Flowery spirits)
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ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Yokko is an Actor, Butoh & Theatre Artist from Japan, specialized in Butoh Dance, Movement, Acting, Physical Theatre, and Yoga. She is also a choreographer, director, Theatre educator, certified therapeutic essential yoga instructor, and USUI Jikiden Reiki Master Teacher as well. She has acted in, devised and choreographed a variety of local and international shows, having won several awards, including "Best One-Woman Show", "Best Choreography" "Best Physical Theatre" and "Best Actress" for Butoh Medea (United Solo NYC 2014 & 2015 at Theatre Row, TVolution 2018 Hollywood Fringe Awards). Butoh Medea was selected to perform in Warsaw, Poland. (United Solo Europe 2015, Teatre Syrena), toured Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015, nominated The Asian Arts Award. It has been touring Europe and Universities in the USA since 2016. (www.butohmedea.com) Other Theatre credits include Lone Wolf Tribe's Body Concert (Labapalooza! 2018 at St. Ann's Warehouse), Hide Your Fires (Pan Asian Rep's NU Works, United Solo 2017: Theatre Row), BALDY (CRS NYC, United Solo 2013, Hollywood Fringe 2013, Fringe NYC 2012), Dance Credits Include Shira Hime Ryu (NY Butoh Institute Festival 2018 at Theatre For The New City), Hijikata Tatsumi's Last Words (Dance Medium, Noguchi Room, Hijikata Archive, Keio University, 2018), ManJuShaGe:A flower on earth, A flower (Dance Medium, Noguchi Room, Hijikata Archive, Keio University, 2017), FACET (Irondale Center, White Wave, Hollywood Fringe 2013). Her choreographed work, SHINKA has been received several awards including Outstanding Premiere Production of a play and Outstanding Choreography from the New York Innovative Theatre Foundation (IT Awards 2019). Yokko also acted in several local and international films, one of which is the Student Academy Winner film, Cloud-Kumo (2016). Recently she has been appearing several music videos as a Butoh dancer including Cage The Elephant (Grammy Winner - Best Rock Album 2017)- Ready To Let Go (2019), NOIA- AUSENCIAS (2019) directed by Amy Gardner, POW! - Dream Decay (2019), and Automatic - Too Much Money (2019) She is the artistic director of an NYC based multi-award winning Butoh & Theatre group Ren Gyo Soh. B.A. in Theatre (UAlbany), M.F.A. in Acting (The Actors Studio) www.yokko-online.com Currently she serves as a Adjunct Fucalty at The New Group BFA Acting at Long Island University Brooklyn, and MFA Acting at Brooklyn College. She teaches Movement & Butoh for Actors. ------------------------- Do what you believe, Believe what you do; And, Surrender To Unknown path; No fear Dark to the light, We emerge from the darkness, And, We will be guided To the light. We surrender- To the creation. -Yokko |
AWARDS/GRANTS Yokko has been reciveing several awards as a performer/actor, choreographer and director.
Butoh Medea (Performer, Choreographer)
Winner of Best One-Woman Show (United Solo NYC 2014)
Winner of Best Choreography (United Solo NYC 2014)
Winner of Best Physical Theatre (United Solo NYC 2015)
Winner of Best Actress (TVolution 2018 Hollywood Fringe Award)
Recipient of Special Award (Thespis Festival 2018, Kiel Germany)
Nominated for Asian Arts Award (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015)
Nominated for Best International (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2018)
Nominated for Best Dance & Physical Theatre (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2018)
SHINKA (Choreogrpaher, Director)
Winner of Outstanding Premiere Production of a Play (New York Innovative Theatre Award 2019)
Winner of Outstanding Choreography & Movement (New York Innovative Theatre Award 2019)
Winner of Outstanding Production of a Dance & experimental production (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2018)
Winner of Outstanding Choreography (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2018)
Winner of Outstanding Ensemble (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2018)
Nominated for Outstanding Actress featured role (The New York Innovative Theatre awards 2018-2019)
Nominated for Outstanding Direction (NY IT Award 2018-2019)
Hide Your Fires: Butoh Lady Macbeth (Performer, Choreograper)
Winner of Best Physical Theatre (United Solo NYC 2017)
Winner of Best Sound Design (United Solo NYC 2017) with Jorge Olivo
Winner of Best International (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019)
Winner of ENCORE Producers Award (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019)
Nominated for Best O-face Award (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019)
ANTIGONE (Actor)
Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Antigone, Planet Connection 2016),
BALDY (Actor)
Nominee for Best International Performance (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2013)
En (Choreographer, Dirctor)
A recipient of 2019 Brooklyn Arts Fund a new project, En.
Butoh Medea (Performer, Choreographer)
Winner of Best One-Woman Show (United Solo NYC 2014)
Winner of Best Choreography (United Solo NYC 2014)
Winner of Best Physical Theatre (United Solo NYC 2015)
Winner of Best Actress (TVolution 2018 Hollywood Fringe Award)
Recipient of Special Award (Thespis Festival 2018, Kiel Germany)
Nominated for Asian Arts Award (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015)
Nominated for Best International (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2018)
Nominated for Best Dance & Physical Theatre (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2018)
SHINKA (Choreogrpaher, Director)
Winner of Outstanding Premiere Production of a Play (New York Innovative Theatre Award 2019)
Winner of Outstanding Choreography & Movement (New York Innovative Theatre Award 2019)
Winner of Outstanding Production of a Dance & experimental production (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2018)
Winner of Outstanding Choreography (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2018)
Winner of Outstanding Ensemble (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2018)
Nominated for Outstanding Actress featured role (The New York Innovative Theatre awards 2018-2019)
Nominated for Outstanding Direction (NY IT Award 2018-2019)
Hide Your Fires: Butoh Lady Macbeth (Performer, Choreograper)
Winner of Best Physical Theatre (United Solo NYC 2017)
Winner of Best Sound Design (United Solo NYC 2017) with Jorge Olivo
Winner of Best International (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019)
Winner of ENCORE Producers Award (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019)
Nominated for Best O-face Award (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019)
ANTIGONE (Actor)
Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Antigone, Planet Connection 2016),
BALDY (Actor)
Nominee for Best International Performance (Hollywood Fringe Festival 2013)
En (Choreographer, Dirctor)
A recipient of 2019 Brooklyn Arts Fund a new project, En.
