Masterclass by Simona Orinska:
BUTŌ – the moment between breath in and breath out
The workshop is intended for anyone interested in the aesthetics of butō who has not yet had the opportunity to experience it in practice. Participants will explore the fundamental principles of butō – slow movement, facial masks, and character creation – and collaboratively develop an improvised performance. The session offers an opportunity to expand one’s creative expression both professionally and as part of personal growth.
Butō is an avant-garde performing art that emerged in Japan in the late 1950s and is often referred to as the “dance of darkness.” It arose in a time of post-war social transformation, reflecting on inner human experience, vulnerability, and change. At the same time, butō represents a return to the primordial. It is a deeply personal creative exploration situated at the threshold of body, consciousness, and imagination.
This art form brings together elements of dance, physical and movement theatre, and performance, and its language is rooted in images, symbols, and sensations rather than logical narrative. Butō speaks to the senses – from subtlety to grotesque – allowing one to encounter both fragility and strength. It is often described as an “archaeology of the body,” where movement becomes a path toward hidden inner resources. Butō – a moment between inhale and exhale.
About the teacher
Mg. Art., Mg. Sc. Sal. Simona Orinska is a performance and butō artist, choreographer, dance movement therapist, producer, and lecturer. She is the founder and director of the “MĀ TELPA” Artist Residency & Education Centre, as well as the founder and artistic director of the performance art companies “IDEAGNŌSIS” and “BUTŌ LAB”.
She studied butō with Yoshito Ohno, Yukio Waguri, and Ko Murobushi, and also trained in traditional Japanese dance in Tokyo. She has worked as a choreographer and performer with the New Riga Theatre (A. Hermanis, Marquis de Sade) and Von Krahl Theatre (Tallinn, Estonia), and has realised projects in Lithuania, France, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, Sweden, Armenia, and other countries.
Additional information
- It is recommended to arrive at the museum approximately 10–15 minutes before the start of the event to allow time to use the cloakroom without haste.
- The event takes place in the museum atrium on the first floor.
- Please note that MMRB public events are filmed and photographed in order to regulary and purposefully inform the public about the museum’s offerings, work results and current developments. More about the privacy policy.
Event accesability
- The event is accessible to people with mobility difficulties.
- There are no steps rquire to access the event location in the museum atrium on the first floor.
- More information about accessibity at the museum.
If special access is required or have questions regarding museums's accessibility, please contact us: (+371) 25 732 122, .
