The University of Cape Town’s Faculty of Humanities, in partnership with the Japanese Embassy in South Africa, proudly presents 1–2–3 As One, the first-ever Japanese–South African Butoh performance and research initiative. The programme will be officially opened by the Japanese Ambassador.
 

Renowned South African choreographer and academic jackï job leads this landmark collaboration, which brings together internationally acclaimed Butoh artists Mitsuyo Uesugi and Yukio Suzuki for a series of performances and masterclasses exploring non-Western dance practices as pathways to artistic engagement.

A new artistic synthesis

1–2–3 As One will be performed on 5 and 6 December at the Little Theatre on UCT’s Hiddingh Campus. For the first time in South Africa, three world-leading Butoh practitioners will shape a provocative synthesis of cultures, dance, and states of being.

The production features three individual solos that merge into one choreography — forming a shared language of body and spirit. This artistic encounter marks a significant moment in the evolution of Butoh on the African continent.

“Butoh has always been a dance that breaks rules and conventions,” says jackï job. “This work asks: what do you see? What do you understand? The show moves inside and around these questions — shifting sensibilities, invoking dreams, and revealing invisible worlds that are viscerally felt.”

Learning from the masters

Beyond the stage, audiences may participate in a rare series of Butoh masterclasses on 8 and 9 December, taught directly by the three artists.

8 December

• 10:00–13:00 — Yukio Suzuki

• 14:00–17:00 — Mitsuyo Uesugi

• 18:00–21:00 — jackï job

9 December

• 16:00–19:00 — Combined masterclass with all three masters

Participants may only attend the 9 December joint class if they have joined one or more of the masterclasses on 8 December.

Fees:

• 1 Masterclass: R1,200

• Combined Masterclass: R1,500
  Bookings for performances and classes can be made on Quicket.

About the artists

jackï job is a pioneer of Butoh in Africa, known for boundary-pushing work that merges scholarly inquiry with visceral performance.

Mitsuyo Uesugi, one of Japan’s most distinguished Butoh masters, is celebrated for her stillness, precision, and transformative presence on stage.

Yukio Suzuki is a leading contemporary Butoh practitioner whose work blends stillness, speed, sculptural control, and emotional depth.

Event details

Performances:
5 & 6 December | 19h30
Little Theatre, Hiddingh Campus
Tickets: R350 | Book at Quicket

Masterclasses:
8–9 December | Booking essential | Space limited

For queries, contact:
Christine Skinner — christinemskinner@gmail.com
Subject: 1–2–3

1–2–3 As One invites audiences to witness Butoh reborn through Africa — a shared pulse, a single breath, a new beginning.

ENDS