Speaking to Children – The Japanese Butō Philosophy and Aesthetics
The choreographer of “Micro/Macro” is Inga Fontez, better known in the art world as Sakurako (“cherry blossom girl”). Currently living in France, the artist was not afraid to speak to young audiences through the avant-garde form of Japanese dance, even though she had never created for children before.
According to the choreographer, one sleepless night she was visited by a series of images teeming with various insects. “I couldn’t fall asleep anymore, so I got up and made sketches and notes. And in the morning, I saw – there was a whole play plot about the world of insects! At that time, my daughter was also interested in understanding how insects live, how they differ, how their physical bodies work, and I naturally immersed myself in this topic,” says Sakurako.
“I like everything that is not very visible and not very clear. To some, insects are ugly, but to me and my daughter, they are very beautiful and endlessly interesting.” Sakurako is pleased that through the metaphor of an insect’s life, she managed to weave into the play the impressive Butō philosophy and aesthetics close to the artist. And in the play, as in Butō philosophy, we do not divide into beautiful – ugly, good – bad.
In nature, a female can kill a male, children hatched from eggs eat their mother and siblings who have not yet hatched; natural selection takes place in nature, and everyone in this existential chain is necessary and important. We talk about this natural existence, not avoiding death, in the dance performance. And it is precisely children who accept this story naturally and extraordinarily vividly,” says choreographer Sakurako.
In the performance, we watch how a caterpillar turns into a cocoon, and this into a colorful butterfly. Human life also consists of transformations and has cyclicality, in which death is an inseparable part of life. Talking about this with children is neither easy nor convenient, but they accept reality very naturally and understandingly.
A Team Transforming Challenges
The performance “Micro/Macro” is recommended for children from 5 years old. Not because something scary is shown, but because its imagery is powerful and captivating. The lighting designed by Vilius Vilutis changes from bright colors to darkness like a spider’s den. The impressive scenography and costumes by Neringa Keršulytė are complemented by the imposing electronic music soundtrack by Phil Von and the cinematic video projections by Rimas Sakalauskas. On the other hand, according to the creators of the performance, children of this age actively explore nature themselves and already know how to focus on details.
For the work on this piece, which poses many physical challenges, the choreographer chose the Kaunas “Aura” dance theater collective. “I needed top-level professionals. The performance demanded many physically demanding tasks, even acrobatic tricks. I knew that in Lithuania, only the dancers of ‘Aura’ would be able to do it, and I was simply fascinated by working with them.
We spoke the same language, understood each other from half a word. As soon as I started thinking about how to do this or that, they were already offering me solutions; we created the choreography together. There was nothing impossible or difficult – we just took it and did it. Very enthusiastic, curious, and enduring dancers. With them, we quickly found all the keys on how to unlock the micro world barely visible to the human eye through movements and accompanying images,” the choreographer rejoices.
The Feeling of the Importance of Small Creatures
The performance “Micro/Macro” is attractive and engaging, full of beautiful imagery, fostering interest and love for nature. Here, tiny details become great discoveries, and movement reveals the secrets of life. Familiar insects suddenly become grand – everything micro instantly turns macro. As soon as the stage curtain opens, a universe full of mysteries and curiosities unfolds before the eyes.
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The creators look at the micro world playfully, as if through a powerful magnifying glass. How big is an ant? You cannot examine its legs, belly, antennas with the naked eye. But on the stage of the performance, it is gigantic – made up of three dancers. From the video projections by Rimas Sakalauskas, the action is watched or a helping hand is extended to the overturned insect by the silent protagonist – a child. All this gives the audience an even clearer sense of scale.
“I have created various performances – provocative and politically engaged, but I believe the essential theme that must and is meaningful to talk about today is ecology, climate change, and our planet. We, humanity, have already caused it a progressive cancer, and if we do not take radical treatment measures at this stage, we will destroy everything along with it and ourselves. Talking about ecology, nurturing care for nature, and educating children on this topic is the most important thing.
We hope that our story will help children feel the importance of small creatures. It seems, what’s the big deal about a killed mosquito or some microscopic bug? But the disappearance of these smallest insects would mean the extinction of all plants, birds, and ultimately humans. They are truly very important. We invite you to discover the micro world, which is the foundation of our macro world,” says the performance director Sakurako.
Creative Workshops with Sakurako
“Micro/Macro” will mark the beginning of the new school year on September 6. The performance at “Menų spaustuvė” in Vilnius will be shown at 2 PM and 4 PM. After the second show, the author of the performance will invite children to a free creative education session, where the world of insects will be explored through movement and games.
In the workshops, we will share small secrets of the insect world discovered during the artistic research of the performance, and we will explore through movement what it means to be an insect and to be part of a community. Children will be able to try how several people can become one caterpillar body, how to move together like an ant community, how to hear another not with words but with movement. It is an experience where children not only observe but also become participants in the creative process,” says Sakurako.
There are no words in the “Micro/Macro” performance – the story is told by the body, movement, music, and images. Therefore, it is open to children and families speaking different languages.
Visual arts creator, dancer, director-choreographer, and Butō dance master Sakurako (b. 1975) creates performances balancing between performance art, theater, and contemporary dance.
The performance “Micro/Macro” will take place on September 6 at 2 PM and 4 PM at “Menų spaustuvė” in Vilnius.
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Registration link for the creative workshops (limited number of places).
