Kazuo Ohno

Kazuo Ohno (or Ohno Kazuo) (born 1906 is a Japanese dancer associated with Butoh. He has become a guru and inspirational figure. it has been written of him that his very presence is an 'artistic fact'.

He was born in Hakodate, Hokkaido, and began formal study of dance in 1933, not long after seeing the dancer La Argentina. Roughly 50 years later, he paid homage with the solo performance, 'Admiring La Argentina'.

He began in 1960 to work directly with Hijikata Tatsumi, who may be said to be the originator of Butoh technique. Ohno on the other hand, was less a tachnician and choreographer and more of a solo performer. Ohno and Hijikata form the nucleus of what has become to be know as Butoh. Teachers who have spent time with Ohno seem in general to be more eclectic and individual in approach.

Now largely in a wheelchair, Ohno has been performing and teaching with his son Yoshito well into his ninties.