The butoh body is born together with the space. Because of the space, the body becomes alive and drinks reality with all the senses wide open. In dancer’s butoh body the living matters meet, filling the body. The body confronts the living matters and undergoes a change. What can be born out of this meeting? What truth will the living matters bring?
This is how the dance is born. In this process the living matter acquires a symbolic significance. In a confrontation with the body, the matter becomes a means of conveying ideas about the human being and the world.
Transformations are part in the series of projects performed beyond the traditional stage. Anna Bralkowska / TO-EN sets her dance in unusual places. Meeting with the audience can happen in a gallery, valley, factory, public spaces …
Butoh is a contemporary dance form originated in Japan in the late 1950s. Breaking the principles of Japanese aesthetics, butoh dancers created new modes of expression. In dance poetry and grotesque, predacity and sensuality, merged together. With time new generations of butoh dancers appeared also in Europe and butoh started to evolve. Between 2005-2009 Anna Bralkowska / TO-EN was apprenticed to SU-EN – Swedish butoh dancer, choreographer and artistic director of SU-EN Butoh Company. From 2009 TO-EN’s work is based in Poland. She creates performances, interdisciplinary projects, ephemeral actions in collaboration with many artists.
Anna Bralkowska / TO-EN, butoh dancer. Between 2005-2009 she was a disciple of SU-EN, butoh artist, choreographer and artistic director of the SU-EN Butoh Company in Sweden. Within the scope of the apprenticeship TO-EN has participated in many performances, projects and workshops. TO-EN has completed her examination solo project from SU-EN Butoh Company with the work White – bialy in March 2009 in Stockholm. TO-EN works with artists from the fields of experimental music, visual arts, fashion designers, craftsmen and many more. Major works are: WHITE – bialy (2009),
an ongoing photography project together with photographer Pawel Maciak (2009-), Jaskrawosc / Intensity (2009), Przemiany / Transformations (2009).
Krzysztof Topolski / Arszyn (1973) – musician in field of electronic and electroacoustic music, drummer, sound and multimedia artist, acts under alias Arszyn, holds workshops, concerning contemporary music, listening and soundscape, had been a curator of art and educational projects in Centre of contemporary Art “Laznia” in Gdansk. Pursuits and explores percussive music, composing and performing electronic and electroacoustic music, improvised and rock music. Works In field of sound installations. He cooperated, cooperate and occasionally performed with musicians/artists/curators like : Mariusz Waras, Daniel Muzyczuk, Tomasz Duda, M.bunio.S, Emiter, Tomasz Szwelnik, Muk, Thomas Lehn, Andrew Sharplay, Mikolaj Trzaska, Hoec, Dj Wojak, free103point9, Wojtek Mazolewski, Ania i Adam Witkowscy, Lukas Jiricka, Tomasz Zietek, Martin Blazicek, Dominik Bukowski, Hevelius Brass, Robert Sochacki, XV Parowek, Tianna Kennedy, Damian Catera, Lukasz Ciszak, Janusz Mackiwicz, Columbus duo, Paulus, Lukasz Kos, Tomek Kopcewicz, Dagna Sadkowska, Michał Gorczynski. He is a member of PSeME (Polish Society for Electroacoustic Music).
oluhi – she graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Interior Design dep., Krakow, Poland. oluhi was unveiled by the Warsaw store – the most – for the Tokyo based agency “Dune”. It gave her a chance to produce and happily sell oluhi collections in Japan. In 2007 o. took part in ‘el boton’ Mango Fashion Awards, Barcelona, and was classified among 50 designers, from all over the world, for the second stage of the competition. In 2009, together with a friend, a vj and a film producer, pani k., they showed during off fashion week, Lodz, Poland and opener music festival, Gdynia, Poland.
Pawel Maciak – Engaged in photography, painting, graphic, video. Author of critical articles. Musician – temporary working on a project “White deer”. Graduated from Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz (Graphics and Painting Department). In 1996 Maciak received graduation diploma of Prof. A. Bartczak wood-cut studio. Studied also photography, painting and typography. Maciak’s works were shown on many individual and collective exhibitions.