Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2012

Contemporary choreographer Ikuyo Kuroda’s new piece is a meditation on what happens to someone whose life is dedicated to physical expression, when the vehicle of that expression gives out. Kuroda founded her female troupe Batik a decade ago after several years with the imaginative Kim Itoh’s Glorious Future. One of Japan’s most influential choreographers, she never shies away from difficult themes in her aesthetically arresting works.

Setagaya Public Theater, Nov 15-18, various times, ¥3,000-4,500. Setagaya Public Theater. Nearest stn: Sangenjaya. http://batik.jp