Rooted in Butoh and somatic movement practices, this workshop invites participants to reconnect with their bodies and nature, slowing down and listening deeply to what needs to come through. Butoh, originating in post-war Japan, is not a codified dance form but a deep practice of listening — to the body, to memory, to imagination, and to the environment. Rather than aiming for aesthetic form, Butoh digs into the roots of our being to uncover an authentic, personal movement language: an “original dance” that belongs to each of us, “opening up, as a flower” as Atsushi Takenouchi proclaims.
The workshop will focus on reducing unnecessary tension and allowing movement to emerge organically, through sensation, imagery, and inner perception. It is open to all bodies, with or without previous dance experience.
The workshop creates a quiet, attentive space where movement arises from within, fostering presence, creativity, and embodied awareness. Staying with the process, introspection, writing, drawing are highly encouraged, avoiding distraction from what is being born in the process. The sessions will take place in the studio and in nature.
Virginia Torres is a Spanish independent artist, dancer, performer and somatic researcher. Her background spans Flamenco and Classical Spanish Dance, later evolving toward Butoh and improvisational practices. This trajectory reflects an ongoing search for authenticity and originality in movement, positioning her work within an experimental and cross-disciplinary field.
Pictures by Sebi Zahler
She has created and performed several solo works, including Amatista and Buenos Aires (2021), followed by Chinamasta and Autumn Roses (2023). She has been part of several European Butoh festivals such as Hybrid Vienna, Valence (France), Alma Negra (Spain). As a performer, Virginia collaborated with Mamu DanceTheatre under the direction of renowned Butoh artist Tadashi Endo in 2022, participating in productions in Germany. In 2024, she joined BoB (Beauty of Butoh), directed by Marlene Jobstl.
Her most recent work, Borboleta do Céu e da Terra, was developed through a residency program in collaboration with Shinehouse Theatre in Taipei, Taiwan. The piece premiered in December 2024 and later in Madrid 2025 under the direction of Matilde J. Ciria. At the moment Virginia is touring around Asia with a duo project with the Taiwanese artist Chia Chun Xu exploring the world of movement and experimental noise music.
Beyond stage work, Virginia has spent the last three years collaborating closely with Quinta Ten Chi in Sintra, Portugal, organizing workshops, retreats, and research-based events focused on somatic practices and embodied investigation.
Sliding scale: from €240 (includes food) For local rate & low-income: €190 (includes food) Accommodation cost is additional.
<aside> <img src="/icons/torii_lightgray.svg" alt="/icons/torii_lightgray.svg" width="40px" />
</aside>