Butoh in Bangkok

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Bangkok is a city that is continually on the edges of new evolutions, always defining itself and redefining itself according to the needs of the moment, yet maintaining a solid identity.  It’s one of the most distinctive places in the world, and it’s always shifting, reflecting some of the Buddhist ideas that are practiced by a large part of the population here.  There is also an enormous diversity to this city, and you can find just about anything on earth here.  With its rich tradition for hospitality, there are magnificent hotels in Bangkok, Thailand.   Every traveler here can find something that meets their tastes and budgets, and there are plenty of offerings.

It’s a spectacular city to wake up in, where there is an erormous human energy bursting through here, any time of day or night.  It might be a city that sleeps, but if so, it sleeps erratically and with absolutely no predictability.  This is one of the most exciting things about Bangkok, where expecting the unexpected is a good rule of thumb, and yet it’s also much more relaxed than most cities that are even close to this size.  And like all big cities, there is always something going on.  Bars and clubs are always hopping, and there are plenty of amazing performances to see.  The Japan Foundation, Bangkok is a particularly interesting resource for seeing what’s coming up.

They often sponsor events that are fascinating and also tend to be rather magnificent.  The curatorial board is very astute, finding excellent performers with excellent works.  A splendid example of this is Wearing Rose Pink, by Setsuko Yamada.  Presented at the Patravadi Theatre, this is dance work based on Virginia Woolf’s writing and Andrew Wyeth’s painting.  She is a butoh-trained dancer, having worked with one of the first generation teachers, and is now making her own forms in the world.  This is a marvelous new work by a marvelous dancer, and certainly not to be missed.

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