我妻恵美子

Emiko Agatsuma

Emiko Agatsuma is a versatile artist recognized for her role as a Butoh* dancer, choreographer, and Art Director at AGAXART, a platform dedicated to nurturing Butoh talent in Japan.

She received the Best Young Artist award from the Japan Dance Critics Association in 2015 and was selected to represent Japan at the 39th annual Battery Dance Festival in New York City in 2020. Her international acclaim stems from her innovative approach to Butoh, blending her unique method and aesthetics to create groundbreaking performances.

Emiko's dance journey began after graduating from Tokyo's Waseda University in 1999, when she joined Dairakudakan, one of Japan's largest Butoh companies, founded by Akaji Maro. For two decades, she played a central role in every Dairakudakan production.

In 2014, she showcased her versatility as a performer and director in Tokyo's Kochuten Theatre and was invited to perform at the Japan Culture Center in Paris in 2015.

Emiko's commitment extends to teaching Butoh. In 2018, she served as a Butoh instructor at Shinehouse Theatre in Taipei, Taiwan, and conducted workshops at institutions such as Waseda University, Taipei National University of the Arts, Tainan National University of the Arts, and Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore.

In 2020, she was an artist-in-residence at Taipei Artist Village, where she presented "Future Temple." Her international recognition continued to grow with performances at the Tjimur Arts Festival in Taiwan and the Battery Dance Festival in New York City. She also contributed as a choreographer and performer in "The Whisper of the Waves" by Shinehouse Theatre in Taiwan.

Emiko Agatsuma's journey reflects her dedication, creativity, and profound impact on the world of Butoh and contemporary dance.

Butoh*
- a dance genre that was born in Japan in the 1960s as a reaction to Western modern dance. It has Asian dance philosophy, and it has been influencing dancers and artists all over the world.

Artist resume

Education

B.A. in Arts in Literature, Waseda University- Tokyo, Japan 1999

Award

2015 Received the Japan Dance Critics Association’s Best Young Artist Award.

Invitation

2020 39th Annual Battery Dance Festival, New York, USA

2020 Tjimur Arts Festival, Taiwan

2019-2020 “艋舺國際舞蹈節 / Want to dance festival, 2020” in Taipei, Taiwan

2015 Maison de la Culture du Japon à Paris, France

Director, Choreography and Performance Works

2023

"Dancing SENTO" Organized by AGAXAT, Sumi-Yume Executive Committee, Co-organized by Sumida ward
"The Whisper of the Waves" Organized by Shinehouse Theatre, Europe tour (Lithania, Germany)
"TEN PEN CHI YO" Produced by PAKU PAKU AN, Myorenji temple (Kyoto)
"誰そ彼 Who is he? Twilight zone" in “艋舺國際舞蹈節 / Want to dance festival, 2023” in Taipei

2022

"HOKUSAI MANGA BUTOH" Organized by AGAXAT, Sumi-Yume Executive Committee, Co-organized by Sumida ward
"The Whisper of the Waves" Organized by Shinehouse Theatre at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Japanese Butoh and Taiwanese Theatre international collaboration "日日是好日” at Wan Theatre, Taipei
"虫めづる姫君 The lady who loved insects" in Tokyo

2021

"三つ巴" Organized by Shinonome Butoh at Boat Theatre, Yokohama
"Otera-Odori-Ocha Session 4" at SHUHALLY, Yokohama in YPAM
Virtual Tour and Online performance "Otera-Odori-Ocha Session 3"
Presentation "日日是好日 | A Perfect Day" in Taipei
Presentation "The Whisper of the Waves Ⅱ" Organized by Shinehouse Theatre in Taipei
Online performance "Temple Dance, This Dance" in TPAM and Edinburgh Festival Fringe