History and Profiel of HAL TANAKA

1964, Hal Tanaka was born.
1981, While traveling he discoverd Butoh.
1983, He participated in a cross-country performance tour with "Hoppo-Butoh-Ha".
1984, He performed a solo work at the public hall in Higashimurayama, Tokyo.
For the next 2 years, he performed all over Japan, mainly solo, but also performing
with various types of dancers, Butoh dancers and musicians.
1986, He took part in the opening performance of a new dance company,"Kobuzoku-Arutai".
After moving to Hokkaido, he ceased performing for 21years.

2007, Hal Tanaka restarted dancing.
Wanting to blanket the 21 lost years between dances, he created 6 master works.
"Sukimakaze"(Draft)
"Tsukino Hakoniwa"(Miniture Garden of The Moon)
"Bankako"(Late Summer Light)
"Ironaki Ameno Tameni"(....For Colorless Rain)
" Fuyuzareno Hama"(Winter solitude beach)
"Wakemitama"(Divided spirit)

2008, Forming a duo with a leading contrabassist, Masaharu Iida, they began to tour.
Hal Tanaka collaborated with a Vietnames artist, Dam Dang Lai.
The improvisation live performance sealed in a glass contained shell involved Butoh,
paint and sound, art for all the senses combined.
Since 2007, he has collaborated in a series called 'Bankako' with Ainu(Hokkaido's native people)
musicians and musical instruments.

He established his original Butoh style, his dances dialogue back and forth between tension and humor.
Hal Tanaka performes not only in theaters, but also in smaller old Japanese-style venues, deserted houses,
shrines and temples, galleries, clubs, and so on............