Blackbird L’hirondelle

“Stain” – a Butoh-based Performance Piece in Three Parts

A movement improvisation centering around the themes of death, decay and rebirth.

Butoh is a Japanese post-modern form of movement art that generally explores darker themes. The piece featured the character of a woman dressed in a wedding gown, fighting her demons through dance and movement and eventually rebirthing- this last part was largely improvisational as the rebirth should always involve surprise- even for the performer. This was a series of three performances for each of the Art Festival evenings, taking place at various locations and moving through town. Culminating in a crescendo at the final performance, the public was invited to spill colored liquid on her white dress, thus, staining her.

About the Artist

Blackbird is a dancer and movement artist and performer that currently resides in Dawson City. She has been studying and performing Butoh dance for more than 20 years, and has written a Ph.d on the subject

Selected works:

2020: Created and performed in “Life After Life After Life” – a dance film.
2019: Created and performed in “Unchosen”- a dance film.
2017: Performed solo and group butoh dance at the Butoh Festival, Seattle, WA.
2016: Performed with Whistling Kettle (comedy improv group) at Victoria Fringe Festival, Victoria BC.
2015-17: Performed with RainoDance (modern 3) at Royal theatre, Victoria, BC.
2013-14: Performed with Instant Theatre (improvised comedy) at Havana Theatre, Vancouver, BC.
2013: Co-created, co-directed and performed in “Imaginelle”, a large dancetheatre production at Artspring Theatre, Salt Spring Island, BC.
2012: Performed Butoh Dance piece “Bleedingheart.” Site Specific piece with
Butoh Ritual Mexicano, Mexico City, MX.
2008: Full-time contract as dancer with Raven Spirit Dance for “Ta’Wan”. Site Specific piece, Vancouver, BC.

Blackbird L’hirondelle

• YouTube