Tokyo stages and live arts, theatre and biodiversity
Let us start the spring in laughter and in français with ImproTokyo. The French troupe will pick themes from the audience and improvise, on March 21st, 7pm, at this nice community space which is Our space Hatagaya.
Pour les réservations, improtokyo arobase outlook.fr
Sankai Juku dancer and founding member Semimaru will have a butoh workshop in Toyama prefecture in August 2026, a week of training and co-creation leading in a one time performance and show at the end of the session. A unique chance to enjoy Japan, butoh, and nature.
If you are not ready for such an experience, you still have a chance to learn butoh at the regular workshops of Wakaba Kohei around Tokyo. The choregrapher and butoh dancer holds 2 to 3 workshops a month, very affordable, open to newcomers, in a great atmosphere. Could be a good mise-en-bouche before daring to join Sankai Juku retreat… In March, trainings on the 7th, 19th and 29th, including a session of butoh inspired contemporary dance (and on February 21st).
The Yokohama dance collection 2020 competition laureates Von.noズ will present their latest works at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre from March 6 to March 8. The young choregraphers’ duo were featured a full article in Dance Magazine latest issue, and were supported by Sai no Kuni / Saitama Art Foundation for their work in progress. This piece which is not without humour builds on an ever busier present, where it is difficult to find the time, merging contemporary dance with a twist of drama. You might think It is not the time to go and see them in TMT, but in such a case it will never be the time.
Une comédie de René de Obaldia à la fois drôle et cruelle, tragique et légère, qui met en scène un couple et son professeur de jeux télévisés – et si celui-là gagnait à Supercrack, pour la plus grande joie de celle-ci ? Où vont-ils être entraînés par ce … rêve ? La troupe Kuroko, qui nous avait réjoui avec Pour un oui ou pour un non (Nathalie Sarraute) et Cuisine et dépendances (Jaoui/Bacri) revient le 30 mars avec une équipe en partie renouvelée. Un nombre limité de représentations à ne pas manquer ! En français, exclusivement.
The Kuroko company will perform in French one play of René de Obaldia theatre trilogy. A brilliant comedy, it will rejoice all those who can pick up Moliere in the original text.
An oratorio in commemoration of Gracia Hosokawa, from the noble Akechi family of Kumamoto, and whose father killed Oda Nobunaga in 1582, will be performed for the first time in Tokyo on May 10, 2026. Titled A path of light, the love of Gracia Hosokawa, this graceful and deep works, composed by Minako Tokuyama in 2025 and still in the creative process, was first played in Kumamoto last year, in remembrance of the 2015 earthquake. Written in Japanese, supported by solists and a choir, it highlights the destiny of a Christian convert at the end of the 16th century. It is a rare instance of religious based Japanese contemporary music, in the form of an oratorio with great melodic lines, written and sung in Japanese.
Click here for a review of the concert
On March 28 and 29, Session House Kagurazaka will present the 3rd leg of their journey though dance. Three works will be performed : Resilient skies II (San Diego Dance Theater), A women is a journey (Mademoiselle Cinema), and My hero (R.Kondo).
In July 2025, Session House resident company Mademoiselle Cinema traveled to the US for conducting workshops and presenting a works themed around immigration at San Diego Dance Theater. As a continuation of this journey, in March, dancers
from San Diego Dance Theater’s resident company will be invited to
Japan. Together with Ryohei Kondo, artistic director of Saitama Art Foundation and choregrapher and founder of Kondors, who spent his childhood abroad, and Mademoiselle Cinema, they aim to create a unique stage experience that will transcend borders and backgrounds— with active audience participation and deep intercultural dialogue. Through dance, memories of the body, personal narratives, and new encounters come vividly to life. It will also be a great opportunity to see renowned choregrapher Ryohei Kondo in an intimate performance, and probably without a high school uniform, this time.
For the program (in Japanese)
For Session House English website (booking is easy and can be made per mail in English)
Following the brilliant Rite of spring from Jongye YANG, Dairakudakan company will perform from March 2nd to March 8th Shinshoku, a new work for 7 dancers choregraphed by Kenta SAKAZUME. Is the title Erosion / 侵食 or is it about a new color /新色 stemming from the steps ? Just Katakana characters, could be something else, and I do not know what/who is hanging in the bag – at this stage no further information is available, but we shall be looking forward to going to Kochuten in Kichijoji again for a new experience.
Tickets will go on sale on January 31st.
For some thoughts about Jongye YANG Rite of spring, here.
For more on butoh, there.
The Meetup for Edo-Tokyo Traditional Performing Arts will take place from January to March 2026. This new festival focuses on Performing arts originating from the 14th century, like Noh, Kyogen, Gagaku, to more modern forms such as Japanese traditional dance or popular street arts and folkloric customs, covering theater, music and dance. The programme is rich and diverse, and inclusive of Non-Japanese figures, both with an accessible website and linguistic support for most performances. Even for those most attracted to new performing arts forms, it is a chance to have a glimpse into tradition and enrich the perception of the contemporary scene. Spread over Tokyo, it will offer glimpses of the various places which accomodate tradition in the city.